Caring For Our Families

So often we are contacted by people who suffer cat allergies in hopes of obtaining hypoallergenic or low allergenic cat for their household. It is estimated that cat allergies are second only to dust mites in causes of common household airborne allergies causing respiratory distress. While bengals seem to fall on the list of low allergenic cats, it is studied and believed they have less of the Fel d 1 protein which is linked to cat allergies in humans.

Fel d 1 is classified as a secretoglobin which is a thermostable protein found in the saliva, fur, skin, anal and sebaceous glands of cats. It’s key role is to protect the mucosa from trauma. It has been recognized now as being produced by the sebaceous glands in cats and not the saliva as once believed. Reseach has shown that males produce more of the proteins than females, castrated males produce less of the protein than intact males. It is found more in concentrated amounts on the head and chest region and does not vary by length of coat per my source. (An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel D 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen, B. Bonnet, K. Messaoudi, F. Jacomet, E. Michaud, J. L. Fauquert, D. Caillaud & B. Evrard Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology.)

While the study of immunology is complex and affected people’s immune system often are on a spectrum of how they may react to a cat in their home, we recommend all individuals who suffer from cat allergies speak with their trusted immunologist prior to their kitten consultation and joining our wait list.
Available upon request, we will also send out via mail, a free no obligation scented blanket for those who are mildly affected to see if they react to our cats as we preload the blanket with proteins by rubbing our cats with it. Above all else, we practice do no harm. No harm to humans, no harm to our cats.

There have been also nutritional breakthroughs regarding attempts to lessen the fel d 1 protein including those made by Purina with their LiveClear line of kibble, available for adults and kittens, which has been shown successful in reduction of allergens by 47 percent starting in the third week of daily feeding. We always recommend only using dry food as supplement to raw or canned food due to low moisture content.

Please feel to reach out to your trusted vet or personal immunologist for the most updated information regarding reducing cat allergens through nutrition or reducing your response to cat allergens.