Cat Info 4 All

napqueen says:

we have an aby…she’s very short-haired & no one seems to be bothered by her dander. ‘hairless’ cats (sphynxes) are not actually bald, btw, they have a very short downy nap & are absolutely adorable! i held a little ‘blue’ male kitten at a cat show recently & had all to do NOT to buy him on the spot! he was so warm — like a wiggly, hot watter bottle & was wearing a little sweater/sock thingy. they are very hypoallergenic — but, yes, are costly…the absolutely adorable little kitten i held was selling for $1,200.

green apple says:

I don’t know about hypoallergenic cats…but I you are a real animal lover aside from allergies I suggest one of those ionic air filters. My uncle is soooo allergic to animals that when my aunt got a dog he had to sleep in the camper until they could figure out what to do about the dog they just brought home, they didn’t want to get rid of him.
So now they have 1 ionic for the whole house and the dog doesn’t irritate his allergies anymore. I suggest if you try it, buy an extra set of blades for it because they have to be completely dry before putting them back in after cleaning, so if you want to run it 24hrs. a day that is the best way to do it.

I would say it’d be worth a try instead of spending $$$ on a genitically engineered pet, teh air filter is like $100.

Good Luck!

lahdeia says:

Try looking up information on the Breed Cornish Rex. They have very short fur and they don’t shed. Most people who are allergic to cats or animals, are usually allergic to the dander(saliva) on the animal. Also there is a shampoo that you could use on the animal the helps allergic reaction not start. I think its called Allerderm.

Patty O says:

If sister is not allergic, you can get her any kitty you want at any price. The problem is with boyfriend. You just say he is allergic, but how severely allergic is he? Can he take an antihistamine and be comfortable? Or will his windpipe start to close up just as soon as he walks into your sister’s apartment like my niece who is extremely allergic to cats?

If his allergies are mild, stay with the short haired kitties, any color any breed. Their fur will be easier to vaccuum up when she is expecting boyfriend. A short haired kitty will be easier to groom or even bathe if she needs to for his comfort.

There are lots of sweet lovable kitties in shelters and rescues looking for forever homes. You may have to pay about $100 but kitty will already be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and defleaed. This is a bargain, because it would cost you or sister 2 to 3 times that if you had to pay for these things individually at the vet.

But, if his allergies are extreme, no cat will be good for your sister. He would never be able to visit her, the health risks are too severe.

Hope these ideas help.

♪ Seattle ♫ says:

Hi there…People with mild allergies to cats can benefit from Benadryl, Allegra, Singulair, Clairitin, Zyrtec other similar antihistamines. One may work better than one another if your sister’s boyfriend is willing to experiment to see which works best. If the allergy is more severe neither a cat born without the Fel D1 protein (see more info below) or the anti-histamines has been successful.

I would like to share some supportive information we give to people who suffer from cat allergies as many are unaware that “all” cats regardless of breed or if long, short or no hair breed of cats can cause allergies. Any vet can confirm this fact.

Older books on cats and cat care usually blame the allergy on cat fur e.g. breathing in small particles of the fur itself. Some blame it specifically on the cat’s guard hairs (the long hairs within the cat’s coat) and may recommend keeping a breed which lacks these guard hairs e.g. Devon/Cornish Rex or the hairless Sphynx. Referring to these breeds as hypoallergenic or allergen-free is incorrect as It is not the hair which causes the allergic reaction.

The real culprit appears to be a glycoprotein, Fel d1 which is secreted by the sebaceous glands and is the major cat allergen. This allergen is found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat. The main sources of the allergen, however, are the skin and saliva.

When a cat grooms/washes itself, saliva is deposited on its fur (or skin in the case of hairless cats). The saliva dries into dust (dander or dandruff) which is released airborne when a cat scratches or moves and when humans stroke or brush a cat. Fel d1.

All cats groom themselves, even those which lack guard hairs or which lack hair altogether (e.g. Sphynx). The dust forms on all types of cat hair or directly on the cat’s skin if it lacks fur. Hairless Sphynx cats produce dandruff directly on their skin and though they produce less of it than furred cats, they can still produce enough to trigger an allergic reaction. An allergy occurs when the body over-reacts to a substance (allergen) and produces excessive amounts of histamine. Excessive histamine production leads to the irritating symptoms associated with cat-allergy – itchy eyes, sneezing, skin rash etc.

Although Fel d1 is the protein most often associated with allergies, humans are very variable and there will be some people who develop allergies to other feline proteins. Some people are unaffected by Siamese cats, but allergic to other cats and some people have reported whose cat alergy is only triggered by male cats (even if the cats are neutered).

Anyhow, please consider reading the following website literature to learn more about the Fel d1 protein and how it affects allergies in humans.

Here’s a video (located on the webpage on the right side) by a veterinarian about the allergen Fel d1 and how it affects cat allergy sufferers. It’s an organization who is is selectively breeding cats without the Fel d1 protein to make available for sale for those who who suffer allergies but would like to own a cat:

Additionally, some people find they are not allergic to kittens when they get them, however when the cats become adults they develop more allergies as a result.