There have been numerous claims regarding the hypoallergenic properties of different cat breeds- specifically the Ragdoll, Birman, Sphyx , Rex and Siberian. As with most things, the truth is somewhere inbetween the assertions and being completely without merit.
Allergies to cats generally don’t come from the cats hair itself , but from a protein in saliva and other secretions called Fel d1.Thus, the hairless cats aren’t less allergenic. Several companies are in the process of trying to genetically engineer this protein out of their cats and hope that even if Feld1 isnt able to be completely eliminated, smaller quantities may minimize reactions. Plus, there are other similar allergens that may play a part in allergic reactions which will still be present. There was also a study in 2001 which showed that lighter colored cats were less allergenic than darker. So it is possible that certain breeds of cats inherently have less of the Fel d1 and will be better for people with allergies. There are also numerous recent studies which have shown that exposure to dogs and cats in infancy reduces the prevalence of allergic disease later in life. Of course , this is certainly affected by a persons genetic predisposition to being allergic.
The final message is that no cat at this time is 100% hypoallergenic . Your choices if you have allergies and want a cat are either to visit a cattery and see how you react or wait for the 5000$ genetically modified cats and see how you do with those. Either way, steps such as keeping the cat out of the bedroom and regular grooming will help.
Having said all of that, I have sold lots of cats to people with allergies and they have done just fine! If you would like to visit Jennifer and her cats or try out some Ragdoll hair please let us know.
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