Siberians & Allergies

Most people that are looking to Siberians do so because of the claims they are hypo-allergenic. I personally do not like to refer to them as hypo-allergenic.The term hypo-allergenic means that they are unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, but this may not be the case with all .Many people are mistaken that it is the hair that causes allergic reactions but it is in fact the saliva that dries onto the hair. The protein associated with most cat allergies is the feld-1 antigenic protein. Siberians have a reduced level of the Feld-1 in their saliva due to a missing protein sequence in their dna. However each person and cat are individuals should be treated as such. Their is more then one protein people allergic to cats, can have reactions too including the feld-4. If you are not allergic to Horses and/or Rabbits, Siberians may be a good choice for you. Some colors of Siberians like reds and color points tend to carry more of the Feld-1 or Feld-4 protein. Please let us know when contacting us if you or someone in your family has cat allergies.

If you are interested in a Siberian for allergy purposes it is recommended to do an allergy test. This can be done by a couple of different methods. You can request for us to send you hair samples from the parents of your future kitten ($10 prepaid thru paypal). We recommend testing with the parents because, kittens have lower levels then they will have as an adult. If you do not live too far you can visit with our cats at a local pet store. Or we can arrange for the parents allergen levels to be tested, here the link to purchase the testing kit . You must also keep in mind that our kings & queens will have more of the protein then a altered cat would have.

(All Allergy tests are done at buyers expense)

You can find more information about Siberians & Allergies on The Siberian Research Website.

Reducing Allergens

Some people, still have allergy symptoms with Siberians. But there are things you can do to help reduce the allergens in your home.

Bath and blowdry your cat monthly, not only will they look great & prevent mats it will remove the Feld-1 protein from the coat.
Feed a raw or high protein wet diet, not only is it the best thing for your cats health. It will help reduce shedding so less hair around the home.
Brush your cat, brushing will prevent loose hair from falling around the house.
Keep your cat out of the bedroom, I personally struggle with this one but it is very important.
Use washable bedding wear your cat likes to lay.
Use Dust-Free litter it is common for allergy sufferers to have problems with litter.
Vacuum often