“Hypoallergenic Cats: Which Breeds Have Fewer Allergic Reactions?”

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Are you allergic to cats, but would you love to take one home? You can: adopt a hypoallergenic cat. Which breeds of cat are less likely to cause an allergic reaction?

Read also: Where does the cat allergy come from?

Allergic to cats

People often talk about cat hair allergies. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not the hair itself that causes the allergy. Even hairless cats (such as the Sphynx) can cause allergic reactions. The main culprit in cat allergy is a glycoprotein called Fel d1. This substance is produced by the cat’s salivary and sebaceous glands and by the lacrimal and anal glands (to a lesser extent). In other words, the substance is present in the cat’s saliva, sweat, tears or urine, and therefore in the litter box.

When the cat grooms, it coats its fur with this protein. When the cat sheds or scratches, Fel d1 easily spreads through the air, attaching itself to carpets and clothing. That also explains why you can suffer from an allergic reaction if the cat is not around.

Read also: How do you recognize an allergy?

Hypoallergenic cat breeds

No cat is truly hypoallergenic. All cats produce the Fel d1 protein. Hypoallergenic means that the risk of an allergy is much less. Studies have shown that some cat breeds produce less Fel d1 and thus cause fewer allergic reactions. Let’s list a few:

• The Siberian cat: A study of Siberian cats showed that the species is characterized by a genetic variant that affects Fel d1 secretion. It is not known whether the hypoallergenic effect is due to a low production of the protein or whether the protein itself has a less allergenic effect. However, some Siberian cats are more allergenic than others.
• The Balinese cat (cousin of the Siamese): Despite its dense coat, the Balinese produces less Fel d1.
• The Bengal Cat: The Bengal is a short, glossy cat breed that also produces fewer allergens.
• The Devon Rex or the Sphinx are sometimes mentioned in lists of hypoallergenic cats. They don’t produce less Fel d1 than other cats, but they have very little hair (not at all in the case of the Sphinx), which limits the spread of allergens.

Also read: Immunotherapy for pollen, house dust mite and animal allergies

Why is the hypoallergenic effect not guaranteed?

The amount of allergens a cat produces varies from animal to animal. So you can be allergic to one cat and not to another, even if they are of the same breed. The cat’s age, sex, genetic imprint or lifestyle influence the production of Fel d1.

By the way, a cat produces at least seven other types of allergens such as Fel d2, Fel d4, Fel d7… If you are sensitive to any of those other substances, adopting one of the above breeds will not yield results.

Read also: Animal allergy: does the animal have to go?

Which cats are the most allergenic?

Fel d1 production varies considerably from cat to cat, but also changes over the course of the year or even the cat’s life:

• Adult cats secrete more Fel d1 than kittens. As the cat ages, the amount of protein decreases again.
• Not surprisingly, long-haired cats are more allergenic.
• Male cats are more likely to cause allergies than female cats. The secretion of Fel D1 is thought to be related to male hormones (testosterone). Studies have shown that male cats produce 3 to 5 times less Fel d1 after spaying.
• Light-coated cats: According to a Swedish study, black cats produce on average half as many allergens as light-coated cats. However, other studies dispute these results.
• Changing a cat’s diet could also affect Fel d1 production. Research into this is still ongoing.

Read also: What should you do with a cat scratch?

Sources:
https://dumas.ccsd.cnrs.fr
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://ctajournal.biomedcentral.com
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov