What makes a cat non-allergenic?
Hypoallergenic cats are animals that have less allergen. The key word here is “less”.
Hypoallergenic does not mean non-allergic, and there are no absolutely non-allergenic cats.
The opinion that long-haired cats are the most allergenic is wrong. The main cat allergen is a protein found in saliva. The cat licks the fur, the protein gets onto it, from the dried fur into the air, and from the air into the nasal sinuses. Some cat breeds have less of this protein, which makes them hypoallergenic.
Balinese cat
A few facts about cat allergens
- There is more allergen in the saliva of cats than in the saliva of cats;
- In castrated animals, the amount of allergen decreases;
- Dark-colored cats are more allergenic than light-colored cats;
- Kittens have less allergen than adult animals.
Based on this, the women's website “Beautiful and Successful” believes that a sterilized cat with light hair may be more suitable for an allergy sufferer than others.
Oriental cat
Why do allergies to cats occur?
Many believe that allergies are caused exclusively by animal fur, and therefore try to buy a short-haired or bald pet, and some are even inclined to cut cats .
And after a few hours of the allergy sufferer being near such a cat, it turns out that the symptoms have not disappeared.
The thing is that the cause of the negative reaction of the body is a special protein that is present in the animal’s saliva and in the secretion contained in the skin. This substance is called Fel D1.
In the process of washing (and as you know, representatives of the feline world are incredibly clean and wash their coats with enviable regularity), saliva gets onto the fur and body, after which it evaporates.
And if there is a person nearby at this time who is allergic to cats, he will certainly inhale these fumes.
The first manifestations of an allergy may be unnoticeable, but the more of these fumes penetrate into the lungs, the more intensely the patient’s body will react
It is no secret that allergies cannot be treated and there is no such breed of cat, even among hypoallergenic ones, next to which you would completely get rid of the manifestations of this disease.
But there are animals whose bodies produce a fairly small amount of the Fel D1 protein and, with proper care, they are quite capable of becoming pets for people with allergies.
Cats that do not cause allergies
While no breed can be considered strictly non-allergenic, there are seven cat breeds that have the lowest amount of allergen. But the list below should not be the only criterion for choosing a pet. Therefore, before adopting a hypoallergenic cat breed, you need to consider the other characteristics of the breed and choose the one that best suits you and your family.
Cat breeds that do not cause allergies
So which cats do not cause allergies?
Three of the seven breeds are Oriental. These are Balinese, Oriental Shorthair and Javanese (Javanese) breeds. They are a good choice for allergy sufferers who love Siamese cats.
1. Balinese breed
This breed is often called the Siamese Longhair, so at first glance and according to popular belief, it is not particularly suitable for allergy sufferers. In fact, cats of this breed produce the least amount of allergen protein, which is why Balinese are one of the most non-allergic cats.
2. Oriental (Eastern) shorthair
Besides the fact that the breed is hypoallergenic, it is easy to care for. By brushing your cat's short fur and regularly bathing your cat, you will reduce the risk of allergic reactions to a minimum.
Javanese cat
3. Javanese (Javanese)
Like the Balinese, the Javanese has a medium-length coat. But due to the absence of undercoat, the wool, firstly, does not mat, and secondly, it retains a smaller amount of allergen.
The list also includes two rexes - Devon and Cornish. They shed little, which is definitely good for allergy sufferers.
4. Devon Rex
The Devon Rex has short and sparse fur. They are easy to care for - they need to regularly clean their ears and paw pads of accumulated secretions, but do not need to be bathed as often as Sphynx cats.
Devon rex
5. Cornish Rex
Cornish Rexes are a little more difficult to care for than Devon Rexes. They need to be washed regularly to cleanse the skin of secretions.
And the last two breeds are opposite to each other: hairless and longhaired.
6. Sphinx
The hairless Sphynx is the first breed that comes to mind when you think of non-allergenic cats. These cats, indeed, most often do not cause allergies. However, Sphynx cats are quite difficult to care for. Cats need frequent baths to remove sticky secretions from their skin. Due to trauma to the skin with the tongue when licking, sphinxes are reluctant to engage in grooming, and this responsibility will fall entirely on your shoulders.
Cornish Rex
7. Siberian breed
Siberian cats have quite long and fluffy hair, but their amount of allergenic enzyme is very low. It is believed that up to 75% of allergy sufferers are not allergic to this breed.
Breeds of hypoallergenic cats with short hair
Hypoallergenic cats also include those with short fur coats.:
- Devon Rex , cats with short, thick and slightly curled hair. To the question of which cats are hypoallergenic, we can safely answer - they are. This breed is the most hypoallergenic. Their exceptional character trait is that they choose only one owner from the whole family. Having fallen in love forever, they try to devote the greatest amount of their cat’s time to the person;
- Cornish rexes , they can also be called astrakhan cats, due to the structure of their undercoat. They have a rather unusual and attractive appearance. And the wavy fur coat is very pleasant to the touch. There will be no additional difficulties in caring for such cats except for one thing: they need to have their claws trimmed regularly;
- Oriental cats are graceful and perfectly proportioned hypoallergenic animals. Children love these cats because they are playful and friendly. They will always find a common language with the child, support the conversation, and purr if necessary;
© shutterstock
Which cat should you get?
Once you have decided to get a non-allergic cat, do not rush to buy a kitten right away. First, try to spend a little time with him to understand that you really do not have any allergies.
After purchasing a cat, make sure from the breeder that in case of an allergic reaction you can return it back. Any normal breeder will agree to this.
Sphinx
What cat breeds are hypoallergenic?
We present to our readers the top hypoallergenic representatives of the cat family. Let's list the most popular breeds with which breeders prone to allergies successfully live.
Canadian Sphynx
People with defective immune systems have good contact with the charming Canadian Sphynxes. For some reason, these hairless cats lead the statistics and have the highest hypoallergenic qualities. It is not possible to give a scientific explanation for the fact that out of a whole range of representatives of hairless animals, people most often give preference to Canadians. In terms of demand, they outperform other good breeds - the Don Sphynx, Bambino, and Ukrainian Levkoy. It is the Canadian breed that is the oldest, perhaps for this reason there is such keen interest in it.
Canadian Sphynx
Don Sphynx
The second most popular breed, the Don Sphynx, originated from a half-hairless cat, the breed was discovered and began to be bred not so long ago, about 3 decades ago, and is not ancient. These friendly animals help their owners relieve headaches, help improve the condition of nervous disorders, relieve muscle pain, and speed up the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The breed is as close as possible to hypoallergenic status.
Don Sphynx
Peterbald
St. Petersburg Sphynxes are sophisticated, intelligent, graceful, kind and non-aggressive. The ancestors of the breed are Oriental cats and Don Sphynx cats. From these representatives, the Peterbalds inherited a wonderful energy, which the owners feel well, and an intelligent character. Many allergy sufferers get along with the breed without suffering from the animal. A cat without hair, but can purr attractively, does not oppose manifestations of love from a person. To protect against allergies, you only need to bathe such a cat on time. Otherwise, care is the same as for other hairless animals.
Peterbald
Cornish Rex
The Cornish Rex breed has an earl's character and English roots. Of the features, it is necessary to note a high-quality coat of body with curls, an easy-going disposition. The Cornish Rex breed is a playful and mildly allergenic friend. Hypoallergenicity increases if bathing is done in a timely manner. In this case, there is a minimum of allergy-provoking proteins in the wool. There are many of them on the body of furry breeds.
Cornish Rex
Devon Rex
The Devon Rex breed has an incredibly rich inner world, a minimum of fur, and an original winged ear shape. The less hair an animal has, the lower the likelihood of suffering from the Fel-D1 substance. In the habitat of these cats there is practically no hair, which means that protein harmful to allergy sufferers does not spread throughout the home. It is known that the Devon Rex has high intelligence, is undoubtedly hypoallergenic, and even tries to help its owners in everyday life.
Devon Rex
Cat Likoy
At first sight it is almost impossible to fall in love with the Lykoi breed. She has a very unusual appearance. It would seem that this is something like an ugly duckling. In fact, this is not so, this cat has many advantages. The magical appearance and all the advantages can only be seen upon close acquaintance. The breed was not bred artificially. It was assumed that experts were developing a new bald breed, but instead of smooth skin, the founders had bald spots on their bodies. This type of cat is not a type of Sphynx. In fact, this is one of the representatives of short-haired domestic cats. Werewolves from the cat family do not have a rich skin, and the existing coat is not supplemented with undercoat. This fact probably makes the breed hypoallergenic.
Likoy
Siberian cat
The Siberian breed has a native Russian soul. These mysterious animals are depicted in the form of cast iron sculptures; they are installed in a park in the city of Tyumen. As a general rule, a hypoallergenic cat should have sparse hair or completely hairless skin. This rule does not apply to Siberians. The wool does not get wet, animals do not freeze in the cold, do not provoke allergies, and behave calmly. It is impossible to give an adequate explanation for this effect. The breed is non-allergenic for 75% of all people at risk of allergies.
Siberian cat
Javanese
You should not think that the Javanese breed is of Armenian origin, judging by the sound of the name. Cats have hypoallergenic fur; they came to us from America. The Fel-D1 substance is released minimally. In fact, the breed was named in honor of the island of Java. Javanese cats have a shiny, rich coat of charming colors. There are color options for such cats - these are colors with medallions, one-color color, smoky, Siamese party-color and classic party-color, torby, shaded, tortoiseshell, tabby.
Javanese cat
Oriental cat
Another American breed is the Oriental. This is an example of a hypoallergenic cat. These animals once originated in Thailand. Although specialists from America worked hard on breeding Orientals and took care of the design of the breed. The cats are slender, short-haired, do not cause allergies, and hopelessly make people fall in love with them. From this breed you can get the desired result - an obedient and not evil character.
Oriental cat
Balinese cat
Hypoallergenic Balinese cats are animals with an athletic body and a moderate coat. This is one of the subspecies of Siamese cats, it is considered semi-longhaired. Watching Balinese cats, you can understand that they resemble dancers who move smoothly and gracefully.
Balinese cat
Allerka
This is not only a beautiful, but also quite expensive animal (about 6 thousand dollars). The breed was bred specifically for people with allergies and asthma by the Allerca research corporation. This is the only scientifically proven hypoallergenic cat. Thanks to long-term selection, these animals have a reduced amount of allergy-causing enzymes.
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