So many people these days suffer from allergies, I am constantly being asked by clients to suggest the best breed of pet to choose. Hypoallergenic pets are breeds ones who produce fewer allergens than others. 

The allergens produced by cats that cause allergic reactions in humans are commonly found on the cats skin and in the saliva.  There is a protein in the saliva that causes sever allergic reactions in humans. The reaction that is experienced is a histamine reaction that is similar to hay-fever. 

Known Hypoallergenic cat breeds

• Oriental Shorthair and the Javanese- both have medium length coats . The Javanese has a single coat the at doesn't mat. The lack of undercoat means there is less fur dropped. 
• Rex- Devon and the Cornish Rex both shed very little fur, and have low levels of the protein that causes allergies. 
• Sphnx- is a hairless cat and thus deemed to be great for allergy suffers.
• Siberian and Balinese- Both have medium length coats, they each have a lower than average enzyme count in their saliva. Great for allergy sufferers.

These breeds as a rule, are the best for allergy suffers. It might be an idea to find out if you are allergic to cat fur or the saliva. This will give you a better idea of which breed is perfect for you. 

There are a few other factors allergy sufferers should keep in mind.

• Dark colored cats tend to produce more allergens than light colored cats. ( No one is sure why this is the case)
• Males produce more allergic proteins than females.
• Un-neutered males produce more allergens than neutered ones. 

I hope these facts help you to choose the perfect cat, as an allergy sufferer it is hard to find the pet that is not going to trigger your allergy. Hypoallergenic pets are a great start, don't give up your dream of owning a pet. It can be possible.

-Dr. Liz