| Posted on February 22, 2010 at 3:37 AM |
One of the most frequent questions we read about cats on the internet is "what are the hypoallergenic breeds of cats?" When we have time, we share an answer that reads something like this:
Yes, there are actually hypoallergenic cats.And no, sphynx, rexed breeds, and other usually named breeds are not genetically hypoallergenic. Even the average tabby cat rescued from the road side may be "hypoallergenic to some." Part of that is diet and health care. Part of that is grooming and housekeepign. The other part is that some cats simply produce less allergenic protein. However, the only breed scientifically tested and proven to have a significant portion of its members actually *be* hypoallegenic is the Siberian cat.
Before jumping up and down and screaming "Hallelujah!" it is important to learn a few key facts. First, realize that hypo means "less," not "none." Some (about 40% of the breed) Siberian cats produce significantly less allergenic protein than the average pedigree or non pedigreed cat.
Second, some Siberian cats have been laboratory tested with lower levels of the feline protein most cat allergic people react to. In fact, at this time Siberian cat breeders have a formal research project funded at University Of California Davis to study the mechanism that results in the reducedproduction of this protein. There is a physical mechanism for the reduced allergen production, and it will be reported when the research has been peer reviewed and published.
Third, some breeders who are participating in the project have their breeding cats tested and publish the results. You can see the actual laboratoryreports on our website, for example: <http://www.sweetsiberians.com/allergyresults.htm>;
Fourth, breeders - Like ForestWind Siberians - who take placement of cats into allergy homes seriously do not just "hand off" their kittens. They work closely with the adoptive persons to help them prepare their homes and routines so that the adoption is most likely to be successful: <http://www.sweetsiberians.com/allergyadoptionsteps.htm>;
Fifth,if you have asthma, this makes it even more challenging to adopt if you also have cat allergies. The aforementioned University study has found that cats with less than3 ug/ml of fel d-1 protein are generally successfully placed into homes with asthma + cat allergies.
As a responsible breeder of hypoallergenic cats, ForestWind Siberians provides enormous support and information via our website and our members forum in order to ensure that our kittens are safely placed for life in their allergy homes.
We encourage you to carefully conduct your research and committ to a cat care routine that will increase the odds of your successful adoption. And, we are here to help you learn about these steps and how to implement them. Or, to put it another wayu - you'll be able to use that box of "kleenex" for wiping away your tears of joy instead of your sniffly nose!
Hallelujah!!
Kate & Carolyn
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