Information About Hypoallergenic Cats

By David Jez

Today I have been honored by Michael to provide you with some information about cats suitable for people who suffer from cat allergies. But before I share my knowledge with you, please let me first introduce myself briefly. My name is David Jez. I am the owner of the ihypoallergeniccats.com website focusing mainly on hypoallergenic cats in general as you can tell by the name and I consider myself knowledgeable on the subject.

Michael asked me to provide his audience with some information about hypoallergenic cats. What follows are some essential thoughts on the topic from my side. I am very honored Michael has chosen me to share my personal experience with you. Let’s start then without any hesitation.

Allergies are generally identified as a frequent problem nowadays. It’s difficult to find the primary root cause but I personally think they are caused by inappropriate living conditions. For example we live in cities full of smog, eat low-quality food or take drugs that may have negative impact while consuming them in large quantities. This results in underlying body health problem or system imbalance. Our weakened body leads to developing of different types of allergies. That’s why some of us are allergic to cats unfortunately. Scientists claim that around 5-15% of the world population suffer from cat allergies. That’s pretty high number if you think about it for a while. On the other hand there may exist certain cat breeds we may not be allergic to. These cat breeds are referenced as hypoallergenic.

First of all it must be said there are truly no hypoallergenic cat breeds. Well, at least not with one hundred percent efficiency. To better understand this, it is necessary to describe the main cause of allergies to cats at first. Cats produce so called Fel d1 Protein, which is short name for “Felis Domesticus”. This protein is identified as the major allergen causing people to trigger their allergy symptoms. Cats secrete this allergen by their saliva. And as the cats lick themselves during self-cleaning process, they spread this protein onto their fur, respectively their skin. Then they transfer it to every possible place the cat touches. Once the protein is spread all over your household, the allergy symptoms may be triggered sooner or later.

Basically every single cat produces the Fel d1 allergen, but some breeds secrete it much less than other breeds. Those are the breeds known as hypoallergenic. There exist around 14 hypoallergenic cat breeds universally. The most popular are mainly Siberian, Russian Blue, Bengal, Siamese or Oriental Shorthair. Some people also love hairless cats, for example the Sphynx.

Purchasing a hypoallergenic cat may not be enough to lower the chances of triggering allergy symptoms. This problem requires more complex solution. There are many ways how you can fight against cat allergies. In order to avoid or lower allergic reactions to cats, your cat should be groomed regularly. Try to take care of regular household cleaning. You should vacuum your home often, wash cat’s bedding once a week, bath the cat eventually, wash her toys and consider installing an air filter. Another option is to use some medicaments such as Zyrtec or Claritine. But I recommend you to first consult such option with an allergy specialist.

Many people confirm positive impact to hypoallergenic cats. However, you should not rely on them blindly. There still may be differences among hypoallergenic breeds. Whereas some person may be allergic to one specific breed, it may not be allergic to other one, even within hypoallergenic cats. Also please note that up to 50% of people allergic to cats will not get any immediate symptoms as it usually takes some time before the allergen is spread over your household. Therefore it is good idea to get tested for presence of cat allergies first, before purchasing your own pet. You can either go to allergist, who can test you not only to cat related allergies, or visit a cattery. A cattery is a place where cats are commercially housed. They typically allow people to visit their place and spend some time with cats in there. That is very enjoyable way how to check for potential problems caused by cat allergies.

By choosing a hypoallergenic cat, you will likely breathe easier and have less risk of sneezing and watery eyes, yet enjoy the pleasures of pet ownership. But it is not the only way to solve your cat allergy problems. If you are like me and many other people out there and would still like to have a cat, visit our website ihypoallergeniccats.com. You fill find here much useful information about hypoallergenic cats, such as hypoallergenic breeds specification, how much do they cost, more tips on how to fight against allergies or what to do if not only you suffer from allergies, but also your cat. We will be happy you to visit us. Take care and all best luck with your allergy problem. Do not forget, you are not the only one.

Best regards, David

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