Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds and Cat Allergy Tips

Pets can help reduce stress and teach responsibility to children, but many pet lovers are allergic to cats and sometimes dogs. Several people in my family are allergic to cats including myself and we adore them. My neighbor got a Rex feline and has no problems with her children’s allergies, but the cat isn’t very attractive as cats go. It looks more like a rat to me. Searching a cat breeder directory there are other breeds that are also hypoallergenic. The Sphynx is a hairless cat, but the Siberian cat breed is beautiful.

People are allergic to a protein in the cat’s saliva that collects in the cat’s fur when it cleans itself. The sphynx has no hair thus eliminating this problem while the Rex has very, very short hair that limits the amount of saliva on the fur. The Siberian cat though, has long fur but only produces a small amount of this protein compared to other felines. They produce 200 micrograms of the protein per gram while the average cat produces 63,000 micrograms. On this cat breeder listing, it also had feline health and behavior information as well as cats for sale.

Additional tips that can help to reduce allergies to cats are having your cat spayed or neutered. It cuts down on the production of the protein created by each cat, more so in males. Bathing your cat in plain water helps remove the protein from the cat’s coat. Let your cat outside as weather permits. An air filtration sysem can reduce the amount of allergens circulated. Vacuum with a HEPA vacuum frequently. Pets are a great addition to your home and family and allergies should not take away the experience of having a loving pet.