My boyfriend is allergic to cats but I really want one. Is there a cat that will maybe have less allergens?

Answer 1

The Siamese cats are known to have less allergens.Do not get a hairless cat, because they still have hair and those hairs aren't good for people who have allergies to cats. There are also some kinds of cats that are very good for allergies, but they cost $300-$400.

Answer 2

It's not the hair in the cats that is allergenic, but the saliva of the cat. So even getting a hairless breed will not resolve the issue, as all cats lick themselves. A hairless breed may be better tolerated by your boyfriend, because the hair won't be floating around the house, but it's not a total solution.

There are cats that are genetically modified to not produce the allergens, but they are few and far between, have a waiting list of months, if not years, and cost roughly $4000 dollars. You can find more information here: http://www.allerca.com/

Otherwise, you may want to investigate how severe his allergies are to cats. If he lives with you, then it will be very hard to control the environment; if he doesn't live with you, you have a better chance of success since you can control the exposure. There are drugs that may help him, but that's a lot of commitment on his part towards you -- almost as much commitment as you would have in getting a cat.

Answer 3

First, make sure you understand the nature of your boyfriend's allergies; people who are allergic to cats are allergic to their dander. Dander is a mix of saliva and dead skin (it's a fine powder on the skin....the saliva dries on the skin, then sloughs off as a powder). Because of this, even hairless cats can send some people into allergic fits.

There are ways to help keep the pet dander down in your home (special allergen-reducing powders, sprays, wipes, and shampoos for cats, nice air purifiers, frequent vacuuming, keeping the cat off the furniture, etc.). Your boyfriend could also talk to a doctor about allergy medication.

Now as far as cats, I've heard a little bit about one that is supposed to be ideal for those suffering from allergies; the Siberian. http://siberiancats.home.comcast.net/

Good luck!

Answer 4

What people are allergic to in cats is their dander and their saliva from cleaning themselves constantly. What you can do, is get a kitten and get it used to getting a weekly or bi-weekly bath with a good kitten shampoo and rinse it really, really well. That will keep the dander down and will help alot with your boyfriends allergies. Make sure you use a good moisturizing shampoo. A short hair cat would probably be the best, as they will be easy to soap up and rinse off well.

Answer 5

There are cats that are hairless but they are very expensive.To find a hairless breeder buy a Cat Fancy Cat Mag. They are full of add along with photos. I think your boyfriend would be better off going to the Dr. to get an allergy medication. Keep the fur brushed twice a day.Get a shorhaired domestic.

Answer 6

well i have 4 cats and im allergic but they are not long haired. maybe if u tried to get a cat like a siamese cat or some thing because they don't have that much hair that gets in things

Answer 7

He is allergic to the hair not the cat. He can take a pill or get a new guy..

Answer 8

Several months ago I read an article in the NY Post or Daily News that there is supposed to be a hypoallergenic breed now, I am sorry but I cannot remember the name. However, you may be able to google it. Good Luck.

Answer 9

Our son-in-law is alergic to cats and he gets medication for it.
Why penalize the cat if something is out there to help the human subject to alergies. He gets a long fine as long as he rememers to take the med before going where there are cats. We. had our house cat for 18 years.The veterinarian might know or for sure, your physician or your boyfriend's physician.

Answer 10

HI THERE


Allergic to Cats? Keep the cat but reduce those allergy symptoms
Naturally, if we were sane and rational about our allergies, we would stay away from anything that makes us sick. Many of us, however, are not sane and rational about pets, especially our cats. Although cat allergy symptoms may never go away completely, they are manageable.
Remember this basic fact about cat allergens. They need to be airborne and you need to breathe them in for you to have an allergic reaction to them. Cat allergen is very small so it remains suspended in the air longer. There is also a high rate of recontamination (because the cats are running around the house). Here are some recommended steps to decrease your (or your partner's) cat allergies.

No more cats sleeping on the bed.
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Keep them out of the bedroom altogether.
Close the bedroom door to try and keep the cat allergen down in the bedroom. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary from allergens. So tempt your cats to sleep elsewhere during the day.
Wash all bedding in 140-degree hot water at least twice monthly.
This eliminates both dust mite and cat allergen (because we know some of you will still let them sneak up on the bed every now and then).
Use HEPA air filters in rooms where your cats frequent.
Since cat allergen is so difficult to remove, a good HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) air purifier is essential for cleaning the air in your home. HEPA air purifiers do require continued filter replacement, but when push comes to shove and you are in need of allergy relief, a good HEPA filter will do it for you.
Vacuum up cat allergen with a high grade HEPA vacuum cleaner twice weekly.
Vacuum walls, carpet, flooring, chairs, and furniture...everywhere. Use the hand tools on the vacuum. Cat allergen particles are very small and invasive so you really have to do a thorough job. Good hand tools on your vacuum cleaner are the answer here. Also, installing a central vacuum will help pick up the rest.
Use a vapor steam cleaner to clean your home.
In addition to vacuuming, vapor steam cleaners are now proven by research to be extremely helpful in killing off the cat proteins/dander, which are embedded in your carpets and upholstery. Steam cleaners provide a chemical-free way of cleaning and killing dust mites, bacteria, mold spores and cat allergen.
Wash your hands immediately after petting your cat and do not rub your eyes.
Rubbing your eyes can result in itchy eyes for hours. Use a strong anti-bacterial soap to avoid this problem.
Clean your cat.
Some people wash their cats to reduce the amount of cat allergen that is released from their cat into the air, but research seems to be conflicting about its effectiveness. Allerpet, a well-known brand of liquid that reduces cat allergen in the air, can be applied to your cats' coat and is available from your local veterinarian. Alternatively, you can get a micro fiber cloth and just damp rub down the cats' coats to rid it of visible dander. The majority of cats would prefer this to the highly dreaded bath.
Confine your cats to one area of the house.
I know this will be difficult for some people but this at least controls the cat allergens to a separate place where you can concentrate your air purifier and cleaning efforts.
You DO NOT have to get rid of your CAT!
If you do a good job with step numbers 1-9, your cat allergies should be significantly decreased. Keeping a cat when you have allergies takes a concerted effort, and is only for those who are nutty enough about their cats (like us), to go to all this trouble.
Mercia Tapping is the president of allergybuyersclub.com and a true cat lover who has learned to control her cat allergies with the steps mentioned above. There is a Cat Solution Buyers Guide on her web site that recommends the best rated products for reducing cat allergens.