I am an allergic asthmatic, and know the feeling. From your description at the end, it sounds like asthma, but I am not a doctor. Please take care of your breathing, it is very important, trust me. There are many different strengths of allergy medications, if it is allergies, they can work with you to find out what works best for you.

This right now is the a bad season for people with pollen allergies, and if you've developed those, is could well be exacerbating the cat allergy. It could save you money in the long run to get this taken care of now.

No kitty in the bedroom for now, vaccuum the whole room, too. Wash all pillows and bedclothes, just in case.