Allergic to cats? – hypoallergenic cats and other cat allergy solutions!

Cat Allergy is a Fact. Fortunately, Hypoallergenic Cats are there to help. Let’s learn more about them!

A cat may be the cutest thing on earth, but there is one big problem: Most of the cats produce a significant amount of allergens. These allergens may cause a variety of allergic reactions in certain people, known to be suffering from the cat allergy.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Cat allergies are twice as common as allergies to dogs. Around 2-15 of the people in the world are allergic to cats.

So, what if you’re allergic to one or more of those allergens? Will you ever be able to keep a cat and go near it without suffering from an allergic reaction? Are there any cats available that don’t provoke this allergic reaction? These are the questions we’ll try to answer in this article.

But before that, let’s understand the basic concept of cat allergy.

Why are some people allergic to cats?

Actually, some proteins found in the saliva, mucus, and urine of the cats are responsible for the allergic reaction. The hyperactive immune systems of the people, suffering from cat allergy, consider these proteins as some viruses or bacteria and start histamine reaction against them.

Whenever allergic people come in contact with the saliva, urine or dander (tiny flakes of dried skin) of a cat, they may end up coughing, wheezing, sneezing, or/and itching. Not only that, the reaction may result in chest tightening, nasal congestion, watering eyes, chapped lips, rash, and similar symptoms.

According to The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the number of people allergic to cats and other pets is over ten million, only in America. Similarly, 4.8 million people from the United Kingdom are sensitive to the allergens from the cats.

A common misconception about the cat allergy is that the cats that have less hair or shed less cause less/no allergic reactions. This statement is not always true. Shorthair and even hairless cat breeds produce and release those allergens in their saliva, urine, and other body fluids. The amount of hair and intensity of shedding, however, can play a role in the spreading of those allergens in the environment.

Most common examples of cat allergens are Fel d 1 (sebaceous glands) and Fel d 4 (saliva). These are known as the major cat allergens. Then there are three minor allergens i.e. Fel d 2, Fel d 3, and cat IgA.

Are there any non-allergenic cats?

Are you allergic to cats, but still love them? You sneeze, wheeze and itch whenever you go near one, but you still want to have a cat at home? In that case, the important question is: Are there any non-allergic cats available for people suffering from cat allergy? Unfortunately, there aren’t.

No domestic cat in the world is known to be completely non-allergenic. But some cat breeds produce and spread fewer (both in number and type) allergens as compared to other cats. Due to this, these cats are comparatively safe for the people suffering from a cat allergy. These low allergy cats are termed as the hypoallergenic cats.

The prefix Hypo is used for ‘below normal’- so hypoallergenic means less allergenic. The term was first used for cosmetics, but now it’s commonly used for many other products including pets. A hypoallergenic pet (or cat, in our case) is one that is less likely to trigger allergic reactions than others.

What makes these allergy-friendly or hypoallergenic? Well, the answer is still not very well understood. There may be a lot of reasons including their particular coat type, the absence of fur, the lack of licking habit or, most importantly, the absence of the gene responsible for the production of certain proteins. Although they are not truly allergy-free as they still produce some allergens, the chances of allergic reactions are much lowered as compared to other cats, allowing people with cat allergies to enjoy the happiness of having a cat at home.

List of Hypoallergenic Casts

Many cat breeds are claimed as being hypoallergenic, and there are no standard parameters to decide whether a particular breed is hypoallergenic or not. It mostly depends on clinical trials and owners’ experiences. Some of the breeds on this list produce lesser amounts of protein allergens in comparison to regular household cats. Others are hairless or have short hair coat and shed less, which results in less spreading of allergic proteins. We have listed 20 hypoallergenic cats here. Let’s discuss some of them.

Best Hypoallergenic Cats: The Siberian Forest Cat and The Balinese

1. The Siberian

Producing less of the Fel d 1 (Felis Domesticus) protein, Siberian is arguably the most famous hypoallergenic cat breed. It is a natural breed of cat from Russia, having semi-longhair coat. So, it negates the common myth that only shorthair or hairless breeds can be hypoallergenic. 18th most popular cat on the CFA’s list, the Siberian is also called the national cat of Russia. It has a similar body to the Norwegian Forest Cat, as both these cats are closely related. This medium-large sized cat possesses excellent pet qualities. It comes mostly in the brown tabby color pattern.

2. The Balinese

The Balinese, also called the long-haired Siamese, is also known to produce less of the Fel d 1 proteins, just like Siberian. Although this small-medium sized (4-10 pounds) breed was developed in the USA, the foundation stock was taken from Thailand. It is a common believe that the longhair genes in Balinese cats are somehow related to their ability to produce fewer allergens. That’s why the Balinese is more hypoallergenic as compared it its shorthair variety: the Siamese. The 27th most popular cat in the world, Balinese comes in 6 different colors. In addition to their cute looks and hypoallergenic nature, these intelligent and energetic cats are pet-friendly and child-friendly.

3. The Cornish Rex

With a curly, incredibly soft and shiny shorthair coat, the Cornish Rex is one of the best and most famous hypoallergenic cats. This medium-sized cat from the USA is the 13th most popular cat on CFA’s list. Due to its Rex coat, the grooming requirements are low for this breed. This healthy cat comes in a wide variety of colors and possesses excellent pet qualities. It is very smart, playful, active, curious, and affectionate. In addition to that, it is very adaptable and quiet, as well as good with children and other pets. It is a perfect indoor cat.

4. The Devon Rex

Famous due to their distinctive Elfin look, the Devon Rex is also known as the Pixie cat, the Alien cat or the Poodle cat. This breed from the United States is short-medium sized with curly shorthair coat. Its hypoallergenic value, unique looks, Rex haircoat and excellent pet qualities make it very popular among cat lovers. Devon Rex is the 11th most popular cat in the world, and it comes in a wide variety of colors and color patterns. It is very intelligent, quiet, loyal, social, interactive and playful, as well as pet-friendly and child-friendly. They are known for making strong bonds with their owners.

5. The Sphynx

Due to their unusual looks, hypoallergenic nature, rarity, and lesser grooming requirements, hairless cats are becoming very popular all over the world. If you are a fan of hairless cats, the Sphynx may be your first choice. Also known as the Canadian Hairless or the Canadian Sphynx, the Sphynx is one of the best hairless cat breeds and the 9th most popular cat overall. Although known as being hairless, the Sphynx still has very fine fur, which may be visible in the kittens but it thins out and disappears as the cat grows. The medium-sized (6-12 pounds) breed is healthy and low-maintenance, and it doesn’t shed much. It is very friendly, quiet, gentle and loyal, as well as highly affectionate, adaptable, child-friendly and pet-friendly. The Sphynx comes in a wide variety of colors.

Hypoallergenic Cats: Cornish Rex, Devon Rex and The Sphynx

More Cats in this list…

We just discussed five most famous cat breeds in this category. Other well-known hypoallergenic breeds are the Javanese, the Oriental Shorthair, the Bengal, the Russian Blue, the LaPerm, the Siamese, the Burmese, the Ocicat, the Colorpoint Shorthair, the Abyssinian, the Korat, the Australian Mist, the Chantilly-Tiffany, the Oriental Shorthair, and the Cyprus. Then some lesser-known breeds are also claimed to be hypoallergenic, like the Brazilian Shorthair, the California Spangled, the Cheetoh and others.

Hyper-allergenic Cats?

In contrast to hypoallergenic breeds, certain cat breeds are more likely to trigger allergic reactions due to their dense hair coats and constant shedding. When cats clean themselves, their saliva (having allergens) deposits on its fur and becomes dry. A cat that sheds more releases more allergens in the environment, and thus has more chances to provoke the allergic reaction. So, a person suffering from cat allergy shouldn’t go anywhere near these cats especially. Some of the common breeds to avoid are the Persian, the British Longhair, the Main Coon, and the Norwegian Forest Cat.

How to Choose a Hypoallergenic Cat?

• Prefer female cats. They produce a lower level of allergens as compared to the males.
• If you want to have a male, do neuter it as neutered males produce much fewer allergens than unneutered males.
• Although no one has proved it yet, it is a common observation that cats with the dark-coloured coat are more likely to trigger the allergic reaction in comparison to the light-colored So, it’s better if you avoid dark, especially black, cats.
• The hypoallergenic character also varies among individual cats within a breed. So, before selecting any cat to bring it home, try to visit it multiple times and spend some time with it to make sure it doesn’t provoke any allergic reaction in you.
• Another important thing to keep in mind is that the composition of the saliva of a cat changes as it grows. So, if a kitten doesn’t trigger allergic reactions in you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t do it once it grows up. So, it is advisable to get an adult cat instead of a kitten. Overall, kittens produce fewer allergens than adult cats.
• If you are getting the cat from a breeder or a pet shop, ask them if you can return the cat if it proves to be allergenic to you. Otherwise, prefer adopting a cat from some rescue organization or pet shelter as they’ll always accept the returns.

How to further avoid allergic reactions from Cats?

Just got a hypoallergenic cat? Congratulations! But as we’ve already discussed, these cats are not completely allergy-free. So, if you’ve got cat allergy, you still need to follow some precautionary measures to avoid unpleasant circumstances. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind:

1. Keep yourself clean

• Do wash your hands after handling the cat and also before eating or touching your eye, mouth or nose.
• Prefer taking a shower before going to sleep if you’ve been playing with your cat.
• Wash your clothes frequently and prefer cotton clothes over wool. Keep your cat away from your washed/clean clothes.

2. Keep the Cat clean too

• Regular bathing (using a cat shampoo) and brushing of cat are also important because it will help removing most of the dander and loose fur, decreasing the chances of spreading of the allergen in the environment.
• Research has proved that if you bath your cat 2 -3 times every week, it will remove up to 84 percent of existing allergens. Not only this, but it also reduces the production of allergens in the future.
• Use of cold, distilled water in bathing is also helpful in reducing allergens.
• Pay special attention to the washing and cleaning of the facial area as it contains more allergens than the other body parts.
• Also, wipe the cat frequently using a damp towel.

3. Cleaning of Environment

• Regular and proper cleaning of the environment is also necessary, preferably using electrostatic air purifier systems and HEPA (high-efficiency particulate arrestance) filters.
• Wash the floor regularly with hot water. Prefer bare hard floors (wood, vinyl or tile floors) over carpets as they are easy to clean.
• Change, wash, vacuum or clean the things can trap and hold the allergens like carpets, rugs, and pillows regularly and thoroughly.
• Clean cat’s toys, bedding and other related equipment at least once a week, preferably with hot water.
• While dusting, use dusting sprays to minimize dust spread.

4. Minimize Contact with Allergens

• Prevent the entry of the cat in certain rooms, like the dining room or the bedroom, where you eat or spend most of your time. Provide the cat with its own
• Make your cat spend some time outside and not confined to an enclosed house. Also, keep the house well ventilated.
• Provide balanced and adequate diet to your cat to reduce the shedding and dander spread in the environment. It may also help in reducing the production of the allergens.

5. Medication – Still being worked on

• Some medications like antihistamines or decongestants may be used to avoid the allergic reactions temporarily. But you should only use them after consulting with an allergy specialist because their overuse may lead to adverse side effects.
• Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitization or hyposensitization, may also be helpful for some cases of cat allergy. It is a process that involves exposing allergic people to more and more amounts of allergens in an attempt to change the response of their immune system to those allergens. This treatment takes much time, but the effects are also long-term.
• The Synthetic epitope vaccine for cat allergy is in development. All we can do is just hope that it will be available soon.