Allergies are a good enough reason not to have pets. Is there a way out of this situation if you really want to keep at home, for example, a cat? Of course, constantly taking medications or suffering from manifestations of allergies is not an option. In this case, it makes sense to think about purchasing a cat of a hypoallergenic breed!
Hypoallergenic cat: reality and fiction
First of all, you should know: belonging of a cat to one of the hypoallergenic breeds does not guarantee that the cat will not cause allergies at all. Translated from Latin "hypo" means "weak". Therefore, a hypoallergenic cat breed is a less allergic breed.
It is often thought that cats are allergic to their fur. This is not entirely true. The allergen is the protein Fel D1, which is found in the cat's saliva. When a cat is washed, saliva, and hence the allergen, remains on its fur and, when it dries, is in the air, and then in the respiratory tract of a person. Some cat breeds produce less of this protein than others, or it is simply less absorbed into the air.
It is known that the Lifestyle Pets company has created a new breed of cats called "Allerca", which supposedly does not cause allergies at all. But this turned out to be an exaggeration: in a certain number of people, this breed still caused an allergic reaction.
Which breed should you choose?
There are only seven hypoallergenic cat breeds, not counting the already mentioned Allerki. One of them is a Balinese cat. Although these cats are long-haired, their saliva is believed to contain less allergenic protein. The situation is exactly the same with the Siberian cat. The Oriental Shorthair cat is also less likely to cause allergies, due to the fact that less saliva settles on its fur. The Javanese sport cat has a thin coat and no undercoat, which also prevents the allergen from lingering on it in large quantities. But the Cornish Rex cats shed less, because their hair is curly, which means that the allergen also gets into the air less. Its closest relative, the Devon Rex, has shorter and thinner hair, which is also beneficial for allergy sufferers. It is believed that Sphynx cats have practically no hair, but this is not entirely true. Their coat is just very short. Thanks to this, the cat can be washed more often or simply wiped with a damp cloth, rinsing the allergenic protein from its skin.
General recommendations
There are certain rules, taking into account which, you can reduce an allergic reaction to a cat to an acceptable minimum.
For example, it is known that cats emit fewer allergens than cats, and cats with light hair - even less than with dark ones. Neutering or neutering an animal also helps to reduce the allergic reaction to it.
Try to carry out wet cleaning in the house more often and at the same time be sure to wash the cat's toys, his bedding and other items with which he often has contact. It is believed that it would be nice to wash the cat itself more often, but for most cats bathing is very stressful, and therefore, frequent water procedures will not affect the pet's health in the best way. It will be more beneficial for the cat if you accustom her to combing her fur often. But, of course, this procedure should not be carried out by an allergic person.
Kittens are known to be less allergic than adult animals, so just because you have little or no allergy to a kitten doesn’t mean that the situation will not change for the worse when it grows up. Therefore, it is better if you have the opportunity to purchase an older cat, and, moreover, agree on the possibility of returning it to the breeder if the allergy is too strong. Remember that you are responsible not only for your own health, but also for the fate of the cat you purchased!
