Calm down, calm down, this is not like that. We have several possibilities in terms of sharing our life if we are allergic to cats.
How does cat allergy develop?
Cat allergy is a very common public health problem in human medicine. This allergy is mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) and generally presents with eye problems (red and watery eyes) and nasal problems (secretions, itchy nose…)
Cats develop various antigens that can cause these allergies in people, most of which are caused by the Fel d1 protein . In fact, studies carried out in people allergic to cats, 90% of them have IgE against this protein.
This protein, Fel d1, is excreted in the salivary and sebaceous glands, presenting a high concentration in saliva.
When a cat grooms itself, they spread this protein throughout their body and skin, and it sheds along with hair and dander. This protein is small and highly volatile, so it can remain in the environment and on surfaces such as clothing, sofas, and carpets. Unfortunately, in most cases, allergists recommend finding another home for the cat. What they do not realize is that it is not so simple to relocate a family member to another home.
It is for this reason that veterinarians are regularly asked about the possible complications and solutions regarding this problem.
What options do allergic people have when living with cats?
Many options have been considered in recent years.
- Use sprays on the hair to avoid allergies
- Add brewer’s yeast to food
- Use different tranquilizers to prevent them from producing the substances that cause allergies
- Surgically remove the anal sacs.
- Adopt “hypoallergenic” cats
These strategies, in most cases, are not effective and it is not scientifically proven that they will be.
Are there hypoallergenic cats?
Many times there has been talk of the existence of hypoallergenic cats, due to the absence of hair or the presence of less quantity or length of hair. We have said that the cause of the allergy is the Fel d1 protein, which is excreted by saliva and the sebaceous glands of the skin, and that the highest concentration is found in saliva. In this case, what we can think is that the amount or length of the hair is not going to be a determining factor in this condition.
Sphynx and Devon Rex cats have long been considered less allergenic, precisely because they do not have hair and because, on occasion, there are people who bathe them frequently, which eliminates any possible allergen from the surface of their skin. But, the moment you lick them again, those allergens will come back.
So, as you can see, totally hypoallergenic cats do not exist .
Then what do I do?
Fortunately, there are several lines of research that are having very good results, and that we can currently use.
One of the most studied is based on the fact that “we are what we eat and we excrete what we eat” . There have been studies, for more than 10 years, aimed at preventing the excretion of the Fel d1 protein by cats. This is achieved through a specific diet in which, through a certain protein that comes from the egg, it binds to Fel d1 and neutralizes it. In this way, by eating this type of food daily, you significantly reduce the presence of this allergen in your saliva and, as a consequence, reduce the symptoms of the allergic people you live with.
So now you know what to answer when your allergist tells you to find another home for your cat.
References
Satyaraj, E., 2019. Anti-Fel d1 immunoglobulin Y antibody-containing egg ingredient lowers allergen levels in cat saliva. Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 21(10), 875-881.
