What kinds of cats have hair, but not fur?

Question

So I've read that all cats have hair, but not all types of hair are fur. I would love to get a cat, but my boyfriend is allergic to the fur. Any ideas for types of cats that have hair?

Answer 1

Cats have a dander that causes the allergy with cat allergies it's not actually the fur (hair) my son when he was born had terrible allergies to cats and dogs so I had to give up my kitty. Since I had always had cats I did research and the allergist told me to get a Persian cat they don't have the dander that causes the allergies and my son never had a problem with this kind of cat but it was the only one I could have around him. Try the Persian or talk to your boyfriends doctor and see if that would work it worked for us.
Good luck finding a kitty:)

Answer 2

No cats have hair, it's all fur. It's dogs that have hair. There is a bald breed of cat called a Sphinx:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=sphinx+cat&gbv=2

People who are allergic to cats are usually allergic to the dander (shed skin) rather than the fur, so even Sphinx cats would cause allergic reactions.

Chalice

Answer 3

With proper care, I believe your boyfriend could tolerate a Sphynx or Canadian Sphynx; hwr, it will require due diligence in bathing the cat once a week even if it comes down to simply washing his/her skin with a warm water-less shampoo while ensuring to wash btw the folds of skin, around the nails, & frequent ear cleanings b/c they have no coat, therefore no fur to catch earwax as other hair/furry cats can. It's easiest to start adapting a Sphynx to baths as kittens so there is no drama when they are adults. A prime example is how well my domestic short hair I adopted at a Adoption Fair to be a friend to my service dog as he was suffering from depression after coming to live w/me where I had no other pets as my former cat passed away & former service dog had to be retired; my previous service dog went to live with a family member b/c it was too much for my heart to handle when the time after the grieving process was coming to an end and I had home-training for my current service dog, who I am sad to say doesn't have many yrs remaining as he's an old man now & has outlived the usual number of years for his breed as well as the lifespan of a service dog (He's already 13, almost 14yrs old). They were fast friends & the depression my service dog experienced was gone almost immediately as he returned to eating & drinking at meal time not to mention his enthusiasm to work in leash & harness returned to normal. After my adopted cat was acclimated to my home, I began his bathing routines as he was a kitten though his exact age was unknown as he & his sister along with a few other siblings (the others didn't survive but he & his sister did) after they were left in a box on the doorsteps of the animal shelter sometime in the night when the temperatures dropped into the 20s. My cat is also an old man too so I know his time is running out as well but he still loves his baths & he thoroughly enjoys his kitty massages in the tub of warm water & out of the tub as well.

Living with a Sphynx is possible; hwr, it wouldn't hurt matters if your boyfriend underwent allergy shots to build up his body and desensitize him to the allergies. Any ENT worth his/her salt can do this & it only takes visits for the injections over the course of a couple to a few months & if successful, then it is possible no other injections will be necessary but even if the allergies return, a boosted of the allergy injection a few times a year should take care of any of these problems. It has for the husband of one of my cousins, a best friend, and a friend's children - the latter of which are grown & have successfully had fur-coat animals in their home as pets along with fur-less dogs such as Poodles or Labradoodles (standard size Poodles bred with Labrador Retrievers).

I hope this helps. And just a few other things to remember is to protect the Sphynx cat from sunlight b/c they burn easily much like humans and b/c they don't have fur, it's important to dress them in a knitted sweater for cats/dogs in cooler/cold months along with providing warm or even thermal-heated beds, unless the cat is like ours & plays musical beds at night by switching back and forth with my daughter and me as both beds have electric blankets & he loves to snuggle under the blanket during cool weather. It's imperative for Sphynx cats b/c they have no protection of a coat to stay warm.

Again, hope this helps & I know from experience these cats have done very well in homes where one person or more is allergic to furred animals. Also, Poodles are great in homes with those with allergies although they are not well-tempered for small children but they don't have fur; their coat is actually more akin to a human's hair so few people who are allergic to dogs such as Labs, Goldens, Labradors, Chows, beagles, and other types of fur-coat dogs, are rarely if ever allergic to Poodles.

Answer 4

that is a myth, just not true. it is all the same thing