Bengal cats - better for people with allergies?

[mungojerry]

My best friend is always round at mine and she loves my cat Biscuit (who is a British Shorthair) despite the fact that she is allergic to cats. Her allergy isn't too bad, but after a while she does get quite wheezy.

She really wants to get a cat and has been asking my advice... I've heard that Bengal cats are better for people with allergies, but I dont know anyone who owns one. Does anyone here know if that's true?

[dandysmom]

I'm sorry to say that it's unfounded; here's a link that will explain it more fully. The only hypoallergenic cat is the Siberian Forest cat.

http://f1hybrids.com/bengal-cat-allergies/

[angieh]

Or a Sphinx?

[dandysmom]

No with a qualification, Angie:

[/URL] Although Sphynx cats are sometimes thought to be [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic"]hypoallergenic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphynx_%28cat%29#cite_note-4) due to their lack of coat, this is not always the case for cat-specific allergies. Allergies to cats are triggered by a protein called Fel d1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fel_d1), not cat hair itself. Fel d1 is a tiny and sticky protein primarily found in cat saliva and sebaceous glands. Those with cat allergies may react worse to direct contact with Sphynx cats than other breeds. However, conflicting reports of some people successfully tolerating Sphynx cats also exist.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphynx_%28cat%29#cite_note-5) However, these positive reports may be cases of desensitizing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_allergy#Desensitizing), wherein the "hairless" cat gave the owner optimism to try and own a cat, eventually leading to the positive situation of their own adaptation.

[angieh]

Well I never Eileen! Although I did wonder about dander causing allergies. Personally, I would never feel quite comfortable with a nude cat!

[dandysmom]

I hate to say it, but they do look grotesque to me, poor little things...:-(

Hey, mungojerry, didn't mean to hijack your thread!

[angieh]

I've just looked up Siberian forest cats - they are gorgeous! And there's a UK breeder with kittens!!!

http://www.siberianforestcats.co.uk/

[dandysmom]

OMG, they are stunning! That silver tabby!!!

[Kim]

I hate to say it, but they do look grotesque to me, poor little things...:-(

Hey, mungojerry, didn't mean to hijack your thread!

I have to agree with you on this Eileen

[Velvet]

Loratidine is very good at controlling allergies :)