Actor and singer Shruti Haasan recently opened up about a deeply painful personal decision, revealing that she had to give up her Persian kitten Aslan after developing a severe allergic reaction that affected her health, work and mental well-being.
Taking to Substack on August 9, Shruti explained that she had adopted Aslan three months ago and was thrilled to welcome him home. However, just two days after bringing the kitten home, she developed a severe rash and boils across her face.
How Shruti Haasan’s allergies forced her to give up her pet cat
“I thought it’s because I over ate Mangoes and my skin was reacting,” she wrote, explaining that she initially did not suspect an allergy to her new pet.
After consulting her dermatologist, Shruti said she eventually realised that Aslan’s fur and saliva could be triggering her allergic reaction. “It was the most disappointing pit in my stomach kind of dread when I realised it could be Aslan and his spit and fur that’s causing the reaction,” she said.
The actor said she tried several ways to manage the allergy while keeping Aslan at home, including trimming his hair, using air purifiers, wiping him down and changing his food. However, none of these measures helped. “Nothing worked. And no allergy medication was working to subside my boils either,” Shruti wrote.
She eventually had to take strong medication to control the allergy. Despite the difficulties, she hoped she would eventually be able to find a way to live with Aslan. “I genuinely thought over time we could figure this out together, me and Aslan,” she said.
‘I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life’
However, managing the allergy became increasingly difficult. Shruti revealed that she had to keep the kitten away from her clothes and wash her hands every time she touched him. She also noticed that her symptoms returned whenever she travelled and came back home.
“It started affecting my work and my skin and most of all my state of mind,” she wrote, adding that she struggled to balance managing her allergy with giving Aslan the love, cuddles and affection he deserved.
Things came to a head after she returned from Chennai to Mumbai and suffered an even more severe allergic reaction. “After trying incessantly, I realised when I returned from Chennai to Mumbai and broke out into allergies all over again and this time even worse that I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life,” Haasan said.
She then contacted Aslan’s foster mother, who had cared for him before his adoption, and made the difficult decision to put him back up for adoption. “Aslan no longer lives with me and his foster mum and I along with the support of my friends are working to re home him in a beautiful warm loving home through all the people we know that truly love and care for kitties,” she said.
Shruti on saying goodbye to Aslan
Shruti admitted that saying goodbye to Aslan had left her devastated and struggling with guilt. “It’s been so heartbreaking I cannot even begin to describe the guilt and the pain I’m feeling not even being able to explain to an innocent soul who loves me and my home why he has to leave,” she wrote.
She also asked people not to view the situation as a “failed adoption”, stressing that adopting and providing a loving home to an animal remains a deeply meaningful act. “Let this not be a story about failed adoption, I feel I failed with my allergies but providing a home to a beautiful little animal is one of the greatest things you can do,” Shruti said.
The actor also explained why she had previously asked for some quiet time, saying she had been struggling with the fear of explaining. “And for those who thought I was unwell or something else this is what it was. The fear of explaining to you’ll what happened and the guilt I felt really had me caught in the tightest bind ever,” she wrote.
“Please send Aslan all your love,” she said, adding, “For those of you who love your furry friends you know what this means.” She further concluded the post, saying goodbye to an animal can be uniquely painful because of the bond and dependence involved.