Cat allergy
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A human being has cat allergy if he shows an allergic reaction towards proteins produced by cats, primarily the protein Fel d 1. Fel d 1 is mostly produced in the cat's skin and saliva.
[edit] Hypoallergenic cats
A hypoallergenic cat is a cat which has been bred to not provoke an allergic reaction in humans, enabling humans with cat allergy to own and handle it.
There are claims, but no scientific evidence, that the Siberian breed is hypoallergenic. Similarly, cat breeds such as the Sphinx, Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, which lack some or all of the normal layers in cats' fur, are believed by mild allergy sufferers to be significantly less likely to provoke an allergic reaction than other breeds.
The company Allerca has announced that they have bred a hypoallergenic cat, which are priced at $3,950. [1]Interesting to note, the Fel d 1 protein is still present in the "hypoallergenic" Allerca cats, but exists in a different form and does not cause an allergic response. Allerca promises that scientific data will be published in a scientific journal in 2007. Felix Pets also claims to be developing hypoallergenic cats.
[edit] External links
- Allergen-free cats – a breed apart? - article from New Scientist.
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