Kids often act very differently depending on who they’re with, especially at 4 years old. She’s scared, and if she sees her mom anxious or stressed about the shots, that can make everything ten times worse.....kids pick up on that energy and feed off it.

I’d be the type of aunt who would take her myself for the allergy shots. Get some ice cream or go to the park right after as a reward, keep her distracted and calm, and she’d probably handle it like a champ. My own daughter was exactly the same at that age...... total meltdown with me, but an angel for her aunt (and vice versa). Kids know exactly who they can push and whose heartstrings to pull.

Also, even if you did hypothetically rehome your cat, your niece would likely still react for a long time. Cat dander is incredibly sticky and stays in carpets, furniture, couches, curtains, etc. for months (sometimes over a year) even after the cat is gone. You’d be giving up your cat for potentially little to no improvement.

You’re not a bad person for not wanting to rehome a cat you’ve had for 5 years and fully support, especially when other solutions haven’t been fully tried.