Cat Breeds to Adopt If You Have Cat Allergies

Living with cat allergies of all kinds is a burdensome thought especially when the cause could be your beloved companion or would you grant the request of your family to get a family cat despite your cat allergies. But there is no need to compromise between your plans of getting a pet cat and avoiding cat allergies as there are several cat breeds that are hypoallergenic. 

What Causes Cat Allergies

Contrary to popular belief it is not the fur of cats that causes cat allergies, it is a protein that is contained in a cat’s saliva, dried skin, and urine that causes humans to have allergic reactions. 

The reason why people associate their allergic reactions to the cat’s fur is that the protein is found in the cat’s saliva and when a cat grooms itself the protein may be deposited in their fur. The protein is called Fel D 1. Click here for information on the protein Fel D 1. 

While there is no truly hypoallergenic cat breed there are domesticated cat breeds that produce lower amounts of the protein that cause allergic reactions to humans or because of its short fur coupled with lower allergy-causing protein production provoke fewer allergic reactions in their owners. 

Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds

The first is the Siberian Cat or the Siberian Forest Cat which is an old natural breed of domestic in Russia which is prized for its exceptional ability to hunt mice and rodents and has been steadily gaining popularity around the world since the 1980s. It is currently the National Cat of Russia and is known to be hypoallergenic because it produces less of the protein that triggers allergic reactions in humans.

The Siberian Cat is known to be an agile and strong cat with strong hands and a large full tail. They also have a sweet expression on their face because of their large round eyes. To complement their strong build, the Siberian Cat is playful and energetic and enjoys playing games and learning tricks and to top it off the breed gets along with other pets and with children well. 

The second is the Balinese Cat which is a long-hair breed of domestic cat which like the Siberian Cat produces very low amounts of proteins that cause cat allergies. The Balinese Cat is characterized by its long hair and Siamese-style coloration and Saphire-Blue eyes.

Despite its name, the Balinese Cat is not from Bali, or any part of Indonesia and the breed is believed to have originated in the United States with the Siamese Cat as its ancestor which is a cat native to Thailand.

And like its Siamese ancestors and counterparts, the Balinese is slender with long legs and almond-shaped eyes and is a playful, social and vocal cat with high intelligence.  This link: https://www.britannica.com/place/Bali-island-and-province-Indonesia contains more information on the island of Bali. 

The next is the Devon Rex Cats which is a domestic cat breed originating from England during the 1950s and are known for their tall ears, slender body, and wavy coat causing them to be called alien cats or pixie cats because of their appearance. This breed is believed to be one of the most hypoallergenic cats because of its coat. 

The Devon Rex has an unusual coat of hair as it has very little guard hair and has curls in its fur. This breed also has very short whiskers unlike other cat breeds and are curled in a way that makes it appear that it has no whiskers.  Because of its short fur, the Devox Rex sheds less than other cat breeds. 

That Devon Rex is personality is described as a cross between a cat, a dog, and a monkey because of its playful, mischievous, and social personality but this breed is very intelligent and can learn a lot of tricks which are typically seen to be taught to dogs such as to jump and heel and can be trained to walk with a leash. 

The Devon Rex is also known to be affectionate and like being around their owner’s head and mounting on their shoulders and would stay near the neck and shoulder if the owner is lying prone. This breed is a loyal companion and will follow its owner around from room to room and will take any opportunity to be close. 

The fourth is the Bengal Cat which is a domesticated cat breed that is a result of breeding the medium-sized domestic cat the spotted Egyptian Mau and a small wild cat the Leopard Cat which is native to Asia.  The Bengal Cat is often referred to as a hypoallergenic breed because it produces lower levels of protein that causes cat allergies in persons compared to other breeds of cats.

The Bengal Cat is distinguished by its wild appearance coming from its leopard cat ancestry with coats that may have spots, arrowhead markings, marbling, and rosettes and is known to be very energetic and requires exercise and play but some may be lazy.

The Bengal Cat also likes playing in water unlike other cat holistapet breeds and is a curious breed that loves to be in high places. They also like playing and chasing and in general like physical activities but can be at times mean. 

However, you should be aware that in some states in the United States of America and some countries the Bengal Cat is not allowed to be owned since it is a cross between a domestic and a wild cat while in some states there are restrictions, limits, and regulations to their ownership.

More cat breeds are claimed to be hypoallergenic and a lot more cat breeds that suit the different needs of potential owners including those cats that are largely independent and require little maintenance or in contrast, those cats that like physical activities and are clingy.