Hypo-allergenic Cats?
Is this not a contradiction in terms?
Well, in case of Siberians, it is NOT always. So, how does it work?
If you have already watched the Animal Planet video recommended on the main cat page, please also watch this one from Dr. Oz:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/pets-and-allergies. If not, please watch the informative first video as well.
It has been scientifically proven that most of the Siberian cats have true hypoallergenic qualities. Many people think that ALL long-haired cats cause allergies in people. In fact, this is a grave misunderstanding why some animals cause allergies in some people. Allergies in cats are caused by few different parameters, one of which is dander that falls off the skin of any living thing. The allergen itself is a very specific protein called Fel d1 and is located in the saliva, tears and perianal glands secretion. It is spread over the fur when the animal licks itself. All cats have this protein but the Siberians are known to have lesser levels than other breeds. However, not all Siberians have the same levels of the offending protein. Some have lower and some higher levels.
Important to note: Fel d1 levels are strongly influenced by genetics therefore a buyer should be careful in selecting a WELL-BRED Siberian cat with proven genetic qualities! Not all "registered" cats are also "well-bred" cats (see also FAQ on purebred cats).
There are many parameters that go into a definition of a particular allergen. Before you decide that you are indeed allergic to cats, it is always a good idea to take a simple skin test. The test can also demonstrate how bad your reaction is. Because people have varying allergy thresholds, some people will continue to have a reaction to even lowest levels of allergens. And people should definitely explore the possibility of testing with a Siberian before deciding to deny themselves a great pleasure of living with one of these magnificent creatures!
But no matter what kind of allergy one may have (seasonal, dust, dust mites, pollen, cats or other), it is particularly important to be diligent about keeping a house clean and free of dust, vacuuming it daily and installing hypoallergenic filters in the heating duct systems. In fact, too many people who blame cats on their allergies, prove to be actually reactive to the dust mites in the ducts and vents! Good air purifying system is a must for anyone who suffers from allergies.
One way to keep allergen levels in the environment low is to groom your cat often (ideally daily), wipe it with a wet cloth weekly and wash it at least once a month with specifically designed for a cat coat hypoallergenic shampoo. This will significantly reduce the amount of floating dander.
Our practice is to make sure that any truly or potentially allergic to cats person spends some time in the company of our cats and handle them for at least an hour before taking a kitten home. In our cattery, we provide testing for all allergic clients and do not release a cat or kitten into homes with allergies without a proper testing. Well-being of our cats among your family is no less important to us than having our clients happy :)
Siberian cats are so highly social and usually have such wonderful personalities that it is a shame to deny yourself a pleasure of having a cat without exploring all the options. However, in some cases the issue is not very straight-forward and easy to assess. Please consult your physician and check this particularly useful resource that provides all the information you may need in order to make an informed and responsible decision:
Well, in case of Siberians, it is NOT always. So, how does it work?
If you have already watched the Animal Planet video recommended on the main cat page, please also watch this one from Dr. Oz:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/pets-and-allergies. If not, please watch the informative first video as well.
It has been scientifically proven that most of the Siberian cats have true hypoallergenic qualities. Many people think that ALL long-haired cats cause allergies in people. In fact, this is a grave misunderstanding why some animals cause allergies in some people. Allergies in cats are caused by few different parameters, one of which is dander that falls off the skin of any living thing. The allergen itself is a very specific protein called Fel d1 and is located in the saliva, tears and perianal glands secretion. It is spread over the fur when the animal licks itself. All cats have this protein but the Siberians are known to have lesser levels than other breeds. However, not all Siberians have the same levels of the offending protein. Some have lower and some higher levels.
Important to note: Fel d1 levels are strongly influenced by genetics therefore a buyer should be careful in selecting a WELL-BRED Siberian cat with proven genetic qualities! Not all "registered" cats are also "well-bred" cats (see also FAQ on purebred cats).
There are many parameters that go into a definition of a particular allergen. Before you decide that you are indeed allergic to cats, it is always a good idea to take a simple skin test. The test can also demonstrate how bad your reaction is. Because people have varying allergy thresholds, some people will continue to have a reaction to even lowest levels of allergens. And people should definitely explore the possibility of testing with a Siberian before deciding to deny themselves a great pleasure of living with one of these magnificent creatures!
But no matter what kind of allergy one may have (seasonal, dust, dust mites, pollen, cats or other), it is particularly important to be diligent about keeping a house clean and free of dust, vacuuming it daily and installing hypoallergenic filters in the heating duct systems. In fact, too many people who blame cats on their allergies, prove to be actually reactive to the dust mites in the ducts and vents! Good air purifying system is a must for anyone who suffers from allergies.
One way to keep allergen levels in the environment low is to groom your cat often (ideally daily), wipe it with a wet cloth weekly and wash it at least once a month with specifically designed for a cat coat hypoallergenic shampoo. This will significantly reduce the amount of floating dander.
Our practice is to make sure that any truly or potentially allergic to cats person spends some time in the company of our cats and handle them for at least an hour before taking a kitten home. In our cattery, we provide testing for all allergic clients and do not release a cat or kitten into homes with allergies without a proper testing. Well-being of our cats among your family is no less important to us than having our clients happy :)
Siberian cats are so highly social and usually have such wonderful personalities that it is a shame to deny yourself a pleasure of having a cat without exploring all the options. However, in some cases the issue is not very straight-forward and easy to assess. Please consult your physician and check this particularly useful resource that provides all the information you may need in order to make an informed and responsible decision:
Please keep in mind that the allergen testing issue is NOT as straight-forward as some people present.
Up to now, there has been no absolutely proven and 100% tested method and all previously existing testing protocols have been discontinued and replaced by more reliable but extremely expensive ones. At the same time few more allergy-producing proteins have been discovered. In our many years of commitment to breeding high quality Siberians, the BEST and well-proven strategy (proudly, no failures so far!) is testing within the cattery with the mom and her litter. But please be careful to get too excited and it is advisable not to tell your children until you passed your test as some 3-5% of people may still be reactive even to a Siberian.
If you want more information on testing in our cattery (which we do either in person or by mailing you a testing kit), please do not hesitate to contact us.
You may also want to explore some holistic non-invasive approaches to reducing and treating allergies, such as NAET technique A few of my own clients have done it and sworn by it. See more about it in these links:
https://www.naet.com/about/what-is-naet/
https://youtu.be/Nyyi_C6iBBM
http://www.path2wellness.ca/?fbclid=IwAR01z7Id5FgjaX9qH0A9VeNn4TGQN-TRaZmmbMq4n3-ka_PXm4Hng563PtE
Up to now, there has been no absolutely proven and 100% tested method and all previously existing testing protocols have been discontinued and replaced by more reliable but extremely expensive ones. At the same time few more allergy-producing proteins have been discovered. In our many years of commitment to breeding high quality Siberians, the BEST and well-proven strategy (proudly, no failures so far!) is testing within the cattery with the mom and her litter. But please be careful to get too excited and it is advisable not to tell your children until you passed your test as some 3-5% of people may still be reactive even to a Siberian.
If you want more information on testing in our cattery (which we do either in person or by mailing you a testing kit), please do not hesitate to contact us.
You may also want to explore some holistic non-invasive approaches to reducing and treating allergies, such as NAET technique A few of my own clients have done it and sworn by it. See more about it in these links:
https://www.naet.com/about/what-is-naet/
https://youtu.be/Nyyi_C6iBBM
http://www.path2wellness.ca/?fbclid=IwAR01z7Id5FgjaX9qH0A9VeNn4TGQN-TRaZmmbMq4n3-ka_PXm4Hng563PtE