Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds: Which is Your Favorite?

Did you know that cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies? If you've always wanted to adopt a feline friend but suffer from cat allergies, these cat breeds are great for you.

A hypoallergenic cat breed is a special breed of cat that presents a low risk of causing an allergic reaction to their human. This means that they have fewer allergens than most cats.

They are most especially good for folks who love cats and want one or two but can't seem to be around one without breaking into sniffles, sneezes, hives, getting itchy eyes, or even asthma attacks.

What an allergic person actually reacts to are the proteins found in the cat's skin and saliva. When the cat grooms itself, it spreads flakes of its skin into the air, which lands on the skin and other things in the room. They are then breathed into the respiratory tracts of nearby humans.

A person who’s allergic will have a reaction, but doctors don’t know why some people are allergic to cats and others aren’t. By the way, a cat doesn't have to be in the house for this to happen. The allergenic proteins are potent for months after a cat has left the premises.

One of these proteins is the fel d 1 protein (all cats produce this protein), and the two cats that have less of this protein than other cats are the Siberian and Balinese. Male cats have also turned out to produce three to five times less protein after they have been neutered, causing fewer allergic reactions.

Someone wrote that cats are angels with fur, and it’s very true. They are beautiful but mysterious and otherworldly. A person knows that their dog loves them. Their cat? Who knows? Who cares? The cat sticks around and is a source of pleasure.

As one Pickles cartoon put it, Roscoe the dog watches his person feed and take care of him every day and thinks the human must be a god. When Muffin the cat notices how her person takes care of her, she thinks that she, the cat, must be a god.

Here is a list of some cute hypoallergenic cats for people with allergies:

Balinese

This cat reminds people of the old-fashioned apple-head Siamese cat with its darker points on paler fur. In the past the Balinese was chunkier and had a much longer coat than the Siamese cat. Now, it’s much leaner though it still has a long coat and bushy tail.

Its claim to being one of the hypoallergenic cats is that it doesn’t shed much and has a single coat which feels silky when touched. It has a lovely, wedge-shaped head, brilliantly blue eyes and large pointed ears. Like the Siamese, it comes in seal point, lilac point, chocolate point and blue point types.

It’s also a long-lived cat and can live between 18 and 22 years.The Balinese cat shares another trait with the Siamese in that its vocal and demands attention. It loves to interact with its human.

Like other Siamese type cats, the Balinese is the cat for cat people who want the loyalty and affection of a dog. This kitty is perfect for cat allergy sufferers.

Cornish Rex 

This small, frolicsome cat likes few things better than to be the object of its human's attention. It is affectionate and loves to play. Fetch is just about its favorite game.

Most cat's fur has a total of three layers: a top layer of "guard hair", a middle layer of "awn hair", and a bottom layer of "down hair" make up the fur of most cats. The bottom layer of the Cornish Rex is downy. Unlike other rex cats, this implies they shed far less hair and are thus less likely to distribute allergy-inducing proteins.

Though some folks think that the Cornish Rex is a bit odd looking, it reminds other people of the sacred cats of ancient Egypt. It has unusual wavy fur, a head shaped like an egg, enormous ears and spindly legs.

The Cornish Rex comes in many colors and doesn’t shed its curly fur, and produce fewer allergens than other breeds. Perfect for humans with cat allergies!

Sphynx

Sphynx cats are curious, sweet-natured but very energetic, this medium-sized to large cat resembles the Cornish Rex, but it’s hairless or at most has a fine down over its body. It is well-muscled, with huge bat ears and is available in many colors and patterns. It has a characteristic pot belly, hearty appetite and a loud voice.

Sphynx cats need to be with their humans, likes to perform and doesn’t do well when left alone for long stretches. They produce fewer allergens compared to other cat breeds. Great for people who wants clingy cats and people with allergies.

They are a hypoallergenic breed and the lack of cat hair means that the Sphynx cat needs to be swabbed down once a week to cleanse the skin of the sebaceous oils that would otherwise be absorbed by fur.

Russian Blue

This robust but elegant cat is unusual among cat breeds people are unlikely to get allergies from. It has a thick, double coat whose hairs lie at a 45 degree angle. That means that if a person traces a pattern into the coat with their finger, it will stay there until it is smoothed away.

As the name suggests, the Russian Blue Cat has a lush, dense coat that is blue and shimmers like some precious metal in the right light. The eye color is also striking. As a kitten, they're yellow, but they turn to stunning emerald green as the cat ages. Just like in other cats, Russian Blue Cats shed, but not as much.

The Russian Blue enhances its beauty with a sweet temperament, and some owners say that the cat even has a subtle and mysterious smile. It loves to play fetch and craves the attention of its people.

This kitty can be left home alone for a while but is happy to be a cherished member of the family when everyone is together. If you have cat allergies, but wants to have a cat, the Russia Blue is a good fit for you.

Siberian Forest Cat

This is a big, hefty cat that can weigh as much as 26 pounds. Despite being one of the non-allergenic cat breeds, it has a lustrous, heavy coat and a thick undercoat. Its name gives a clue as to why it has so much fur.

It’s ideal for folks who adore big, furry cats but who are allergic. The Siberian is an affectionate and smart cat and likes to play around in water. 

Javanese

Image By Starjely (talk) - self-made, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Javanese cats are sleek and elegant cats, they are not from Java and they are also a member of the Siamese family. This means it has those vivid, slanted blue eyes, is loud and loves to be loved by its human.

It also loves to eat and needs to be kept active. This isn’t hard, for the Javanese is easy to train and loves games. It has more of a color than the Balinese cats or Siamese cats and can be red, tortie, lynx or cream. Javanese cats are definitely one the best cat breeds for people with kitty allergies.

Bengal House Cat

 The patterns on the coat of this cat makes people think that it is not quite tame. Of the non-allergenic cat breeds, the bengal house cat is the only one gotten by successfully crossing a wild cat, the Asian leopard cat with a domestic cat.

The result is a big, muscly cat with a broad head, big, round mascaraed eyes, small ears with round tips and a dense, soft coat with leopard spots. Not only that, a lot of these cats have a characteristic called glittering, where the coat looks like it was dusted with gold.

Bengal cats are not particularly cuddly, but is energetic and likes to be around their humans, especially children. They are also very intelligent cats. Like the Siberian cat, this cat likes water and even likes to fish. So if you have cat allergies, this cat is good for you.

Always remember that daily brushing, specially for cats with very thick coats, will help keep your cat's coats healthy, especially the undercoat, as well as minimize allergens.

People who are allergic to cats should not despair. There’s a great variety of beautiful, intelligent and affectionate hypoallergenic cats to choose from. Here at Animal Hearted, we can't decide which is our favorite, they are all just so cute!

Which one is your favorite?

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