Very allergic to cats. What are my options in terms of getting one?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is struggling with her mental health and thinks this will help her. It’s the only reason I am considering it.

Are there hypoallergenic breeds? Any other tips?

[Anonymous]

Hairless cats?

[Anonymous]

Don’t do it you will be miserable.

[Anonymous]

Consider a small dog? Or look into allergy shots. My sister is allergic to cats, among many allergies, but loves them so she did years of allergy shots and is now fine with her 3 cats.

[Anonymous]

A dog? A rabbit?

[Anonymous]

Don’t. There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat. My friend claimed her breed was hypoallergenic so we went over to her house. My boyfriend and I were both dying from allergies.

[Anonymous]

Get allergy shots, OP.

I’m allergic to dogs; I have two dogs, and I get regular allergy shots.

[Anonymous]

How old is your daughter? Can she cat sit, or volunteer at an animal shelter?

[Anonymous]

Siberian’s are pretty close to hypo allergenic for most people. I think it’s less than 5% of people that are allergic to cats are also allergic to Siberian’s. They produce a very small amount of the histamine in their Saliva that causes the allergic reaction compared to normal cats. They are long haired cats (extremely soft fur), so you do have to put up with lots of hair - but of course, that’s not what people are allergic to. If you speak to a breeder, they can give you a piece of cloth with the cat saliva on it to test whether you are the small percent allergic to this breed. I’m highly allergic to cats but my DS desperately wanted one as a kid, so after extensive research, I found the Siberian cats - went with the neva masquerade variety - and never had a problem from day one. Even one of my best friends who is very allergic to cats - can’t breathe when she walks into a house with a cat - had no reaction over the years. Best decision we ever made and the cat was a lifesaver for our teen the last 2 years of Covid isolation.

[Anonymous]

Hypoallergenic is not the same as completely non-allergenic for all people. Whenever you get a cat, there is a risk of reaction. If you bring the cat into your home, it is then emotionally and logistically hard to get rid of. Pet dander also persists in the home environment for years, especially in upholstered furniture. Even if the animal is confined to a small space, the dander circulates through HVAC and travels through the house on clothing.

It is also important to know that dander doesn’t come from hair. It is small flakes of skin. Even hairless cats, like sphynx, have dander. Some people find them less allergenic, not because of any inherent hair or dander characteristics, but because they have oily skin and need to be bathed frequently.

Allergy shots help. You need to reach the maintenance dose and stay on the maintenance dose for 6-12 months before they make a difference, a 12-24 months process that you want to complete before bringing the cat into your home.

Some people who cannot tolerate cats or dogs due to allergies find that they like keeping rabbits as pets.

[Anonymous]

You should not get a cat. Your allergies will be awful and could lead to the development of asthma. You could explore allergy shots, but these take some time. Are you allergic to dogs? If not, I would consider getting your DD a dog instead.

[Anonymous]

DD is allergic but doesn’t have trouble with a friend’s Siberians (or something similar). That said we went with a dog breed known for being less allergenic. (DD has mild dog allergies but no trouble with our dog.)

[Anonymous]

HYPOallergenic = LESS allergenic. I hate it when people say there's no such thing. Of course there is, since hypo just means less, not absence of.


My asthmatic son and I are very allergic to cats, and we have abandoned our search for one. The closest I came to a hyperallergenic cat were Siberian cat breeders who tested their kittens for Feld 1 protein (the main culprit), once they reached a certain age, and sold them according to those levels. I recall kittens who produced the least amount of Feld 1 were priced at 8K 5 years ago, which seemed like an expensive gamble considering we might still be sensitive, and might also be allergic to other proteins.

So now we have a dog, a parrot, two gerbils, and we foster dogs...

If your daughter would like a smallish pet with soft fur, there are small dog breeds like Eskimos and such. She could also consider rabbits and chinchillas. I know it's not the same thing, but birds are delightful companions. Parrots are very high maintenance and not recommended as first pets, but she could get a budgie. Birds have highly sensitive lungs - please limit the use of non-stick pans in the kitchen, or ventilate really well when using such or harsh cleaning products or hairspray.

[Anonymous]

Don’t get a cat if you’re allergic.

[Anonymous]

I am a cat lover, but severely allergic to cats. It is very sad. I had years of allergy shots and thought I was no longer allergic ... until I adopted a cat. Not only did my cat allergy come back, but it also brought back all my other respiratory allergies. Took meds, went back to the allergist for more shots, but conclusion is that I will always be allergic to cats. I have seriously considered getting one from one of these breeders, who actually allergy tests their Siberians:

http://kittentesting.com/catteries.html