Hypoallergenic Siberian Cats?

Research has shown that all cats produce some Fel d1,
but some cats produce considerably less than others. The
Siberian Cat breed is thought to produce some of the
lowest levels of Fel d1. There is strong anecdotal evidence
from Siberian breeders and owners to support this theory,
but scientific data is currently limited. The UC Davis
University of California has  now begun researching the
hypoallergenic nature of Siberian cats and cats can be
tested for the level of Fel d1 in their saliva.

The Siberian Research Inc has found a strong correlation
between allergen levels in cat saliva and allergic reaction
experienced by cat allergy sufferers. They have found
that this trait for lower Fel d1 levels found in Siberian cats
is genetic and is thus passed on to offspring.

You must remember that "hypoallergenic" means having
a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction, as
opposed to the term "non-allergenic" which means
having no tendency to provoke an allergic reaction.
Therefore, some individuals allergic to Fel d1 will still
react to the Siberian breed. Whether you react will
depend on the severity of your allergy and the level of Fel
d1 produced by the particular Siberian cat. It may also
depend on the time of year and the amount of other
allergens you are coming in contact with. The histamine
response that your body produces when it attempts to
counter an "invading" protein, has a cumulative effect in
your body. So if it is hayfever season and you are affected
your histamine levels will be up, then if your carpet is
dusty that adds to the trouble, then if you eat high
histamine food (yeast, aged cheese, processed meats etc)
or drink alcohol) these add up too. Eventually you reach
your tipping point where your body can't break down the
histamine quick enough and your allergies start playing
up. It is therefore important to use techniques to reduce
your allergies even if you adopt a low allergen cat.

The Basics of Cat Allergies
A number of different allergens have been identified in
cats, but only one of these, called "Fel d1", is specific to
cats alone; the others can also be found in other mammals
such as dogs, hamsters, and horses.

The Fel d1 protein is created in the saliva, skin and anal
glands of the cat. It is spread onto the cat's fur during
grooming and once dry, it easily becomes airborne. It is
not therefore the cat's fur that you may be allergic to and
hence long haired or short-haired and even hairless cats
can all cause reactions in allergic individuals.

The Fel d1 production is regulated by the cat's hormones.
It used to be thought that females produced lower levels of
Fel d1 than males however recent research has dispelled
this myth and it has been showed that both male and
female Siberians can produce very low levels of the
allergen. The level of Fel d1 does however increase as the
cat matures and hormones increase and thus
spaying/neutering will reduce the allergen levels
produced by the cat. The increase of Fel d1 with age may
explain why some people adopt a kitten only to find that
they are allergic when the kitten grows up! That said,
when living with a cat the repeated exposure to cat
allergens may also reduce an individual's reaction to the
cat. It is thought that high levels of exposure to the
allergen may induce the production of "regulatory T
cells" in the body.

If you suffer from allergies to other animals as well as
cats, chances are you will still have an allergic reaction to
a cat that has a low level of Fel d1 as it is likely one of the
other proteins that you are reacting to. The Siberian
Research Inc, a not-for-profit corporation, believes that if
you are allergic to cats and not any other animals you are
most likely only allergic to the Fel d1. They believe that
Fel d1 accounts for around 60% of allergic reactions to
cats.
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ANTI-ALLERGY DIET
Saliva test ranges in Siberians: 0.08 mcg - 32 mcg
Very low saliva levels:         0.1 mcg - 1.0 mcg
Low saliva allergen level:    1.0 mcg - 2.0 mcg
Med. saliva allergen level:   2.0 mcg - 4.0 mcg
High saliva allergen level:   4.0 mcg - 16 mcg

Fur test ranges in Siberians:  5 mcg - 1300 mcg
Very low fur levels:              10 mcg - 50 mcg
Low fur allergen levels:        50 mcg - 100 mcg    
Med. fur allergen level:   100 mcg - 200 mcg
High fur allergen levels        200 mcg - 600 mcg
SIBERIAN ALLERGAN LEVELS:

Provided by Siberian Research
Siberian Research Link