Hypoallergenic cats: 8 breeds for sensitive people

Why Cat Allergies Occur

At home, cats are the most common cause of allergies, second only to dust mites.

It is not pet hair that is to be blamed for this, but a special protein Fel d1, which containedb. Bonnet, K. Messaoudi, F. Jacomet. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen / Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology in the saliva and secretion of the sebaceous glands of domestic animals. When a cat licks it, it spreads throughout their coat, and also spreads through the air and settles on fabrics, including upholstery, curtains, carpets, and clothing.

When microparticles of the allergen protein are inhaled, some people produce immunoglobulin E (IgE). This causes mast cells to release histamine and other chemicals and causesPet Allergies / Cleveland Clinic sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, sometimes breathing problems (asthma).

Are there completely hypoallergenic cats

All domestic cats produce the Fel d1 protein, so there are no completely hypoallergenic breeds. At the same time, the amount of a substance can vary greatly among individuals.

For example, young cats produceb. Bonnet, K. Messaoudi, F. Jacomet. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen / Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology more protein than old ones, and males are superior to females in this matter. But at the same time, if the animal is castrated, the level of Fel d1 will decrease.

And here is the length and color of the coat do not affectb. C. Bastian, C. Gardner, E. Satyaraj. Influence of time and phenotype on salivary Fel d1 in domestic shorthair cats / Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery on the amount of allergen, so a fluffy animal with a thick undercoat can cause no more problems than a Sphynx that feels "suede" to the touch.

At the same time, veterinarians from the PetMD resource claim10 Hypoallergenic Cats / PetMDthat some breeds cause slightly less problems in people prone to allergies.

What breeds are the most hypoallergenic?

There is no guarantee that any of the selected breeds will not cause you allergies. Therefore, before taking the animal home, try to spend some time with it and see how your body reacts.

1. Siberian

In one experimentS. Sartore, E. Landoni, S. Maione. Polymorphism Analysis of Ch1 and Ch2 Genes in the Siberian Cat / Veterinary Sciences found that some "Siberians" due to genetic characteristics produce about one and a half times less Fel d1 protein than other cats. Of course, choosing a kitten for yourself, you will not know for sure whether he has the necessary genes, but the chance of getting a hypoallergenic pet increases.

As for other features Siberian cats, then these pets are quite large, with a muscular body and long hair. Breeders often mention their noble nature. Cats are strongly attached to their owners, but at the same time they do not spin under their feet and do not bother with their company.

In addition, they get along well with other animals and children, but do not tolerate coercion: if the pet does not want to communicate, it is better not to force it.

2. Balinese (Balinese)

Balinese look like Siamese catsbut have longer hair. They also have blue eyes and a point color: a light body and dark muzzle, ears, paws and tail.

Unlike many long-haired cats, Balinese practically do not shed. Their coat is single-layered, smooth and silky to the touch.

The animals of this breed are very sociable and require the attention of the owners, they are mobile at any age and get along well with both other pets and people.

3. Oriental Shorthair

Oriental, or Oriental, cats have a long muzzle, large ears, and almond-shaped eyes. They are graceful and athletic animals. Their coat is smooth and rather short, and its shade can be any - there are more than 300 types of colors.

These cats are very smart, energetic and curious. They are trainable, adapt to your schedule and love attention.

4. Devon Rex

Cats of this breed have a triangular head and large "butterfly" ears, and the coat is short, curly and fine. Because of their unusual appearance, the Devon Rex is sometimes called an elf.

Such cats are very curious, playful and stress-resistant, they spend a lot of time with the owner. At the same time, their wool practically does not require care and does not remain on furniture and clothes.

5. Cornish Rex

These are graceful cats with long legs and an arched back, large ears and short, curly hair.

Cornish Rex very curious, playful and affectionate. They literally do not leave their owners, participate in all their household chores and spend a lot of time on their hands.

6. Sphinx

These hairless cats are incredibly pleasant to the touch: due to a small fluff, their skin resembles warm suede.

Despite the lack of hair, sphinxes still require some care. You need to wipe the folds on the shoulders, muzzle and head to wash off excess sebum, as well as clean the ears.

Sphynxes are smart, trainable and get along well with other pets and children.

7. Russian blue

Cats of this breed have a uniform gray color with a silvery sheen and a thick undercoat, which coincides in length with the guard hairs. The dense and short coat of such pets does not require special care and will not scatter throughout the apartment.

The nature russian blue cats are unobtrusive and calm. They tolerate loneliness well and are great for those who are not going to devote much time to their pet.

8. Bengal

These are large and beautiful cats with a leopard color and short and silky hair. Such pets practically do not shed.

bengal cats very active and require a lot of attention, get along well with children and are not at all afraid of water. Such a pet can sit quietly on the edge of the bath and wet its paws or even take a shower with you.

What to do if an allergy still occurs

You definitely shouldn't wash your cat in an attempt to get rid of the allergen. Released protein level recoverb. Bonnet, K. Messaoudi, F. Jacomet. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen / Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology in two days, and frequent water procedures can harm the pet.

If the allergy is not strong, you can try to buy food for your pet. Pro Plan LiveClear With IgY antibodies that help block the production of Fel d1. In one researchE. Satyaraj, C. Gardner, I. Filipi. Reduction of active Fel d1 from cats using an antiFel d1 egg IgY antibody / Immunity, inflammation and disease found that such food can reduce the level of cat allergen from 33 to 71%, depending on the individual, in friendR. A. Matulka, L. Thompson, D. corley. Multi‑Level Safety Studies of Anti Fel d 1 IgY Ingredient in Cat Food / Frontiers in veterinary science - that it is safe for pets. The last experiment lasted 26 weeks, during which time the cats did not experience any health problems.

If this does not help, it remains to hope for a vaccine against cat allergies. At Sechenov University developedPreclinical studies of a vaccine against cat allergy have begun in Russia / Sechenov University such - you just need to wait until the drug is tested and put on sale.