ALLERGIES AND CATS

About one in three households in the United States have a cat or cats.. In the lsat few years they have surpassed dogs as the #1 pet in the U.S. Sadly, many cat lovers are unable to keep cats due to allergies. The Siberian offers new hope for many allergy sufferers as in my case and thousands of others. The only way to know is to test it out. Email me about ordering a fur sample or spend a little time with a Siberian.

THE FACTS ABOUT ALLERGENS

Contrary to popular belief, allergic reactions from cats are not the result of hair length. The true culprit is a glyco-protein known as Fel d1 that is produced in the sebaceous glands of the skin, saliva, and urine. These glands are distributed on all areas of the cat's fur with increased numbers around the neck. Cats are notorious groomers. After a grooming session, the saliva dries on the cat's fur and mixes with dead skin cells (dander). The tiny particles become airborne, landing on carpeting, furniture, drapes, etc. Once they come in contact with humans, either epidermally or by inhalation, an allergic reaction is triggered. Symptoms come in many forms. Some people develop a red, itchy rash on their skin. Others have extreme difficulty breathing. The more common reactions include sneezing, watery bloodshot eyes, a scratchy throat, and/or an itchy runny nose.

THE FACTS ABOUT ALLERGENS AND SIBERIANS

What is it about Siberians that gives it a hypoallergenic tendency? Theories abound; however, none of them have been substantiated within the medical or scientific communities. The most noted theory is that Siberians have No Fel d1 protein, therefore no allergic reaction, or another theory is there is a much a lower Fel d1 concentration than other breeds of cats. Another theory is that due to the tight, thick undercoat and oily top coat, the skin stays well hydrated, thereby reducing dander production and distribution.

From my own experience, Siberians are the only cat I have ever been able to be around in over 50 years without a severe allergic reaction. It is as simple as that!

WHAT IS FEL D-1 AND WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IT?

Scientists have named the protein in the feline saliva, FEL D-1. When the cat cleans itself, the protein then dries on the fur leaving dander. The dander particles are small and air filters cannot remove them from the air. One theory is the Siberian has far less than normal, or none of this protein, therefore no dander. However if the allergic party suffers from the IgE late trigger' antibody reaction, their chances of compatibility of owning a Siberian are lowered.

RESULTS OF TESTING FEL D1 FUR SAMPLES IN DECEMBER, 1999

These tests were performed in Dec 1999, by an independant lab in Virginia - Indoor Biotechnologies, 1216 Harris St, Charlottesville, VA 22903. The results are as follows:

#1 (male, neutered, mixed breed) 62,813
#2 (male, neutered, Siberian) 2001
#3 (female, Abysinnian, nuetuered) 384.50
#4 (female, neutered, Siberian) 205.50
(Measurements are mg/g of sample)

This would indicate that the Siberian and Abysinnian have considerably less than the standard house cat, and that females have less Fel d1 than the males.