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BirchGrove
Siberian SiberianCats@gmail.com 1. What is a hypoallergenic cat? A hypoallergenic cat causes less of an allergic reaction in individuals allergic to cats. 2. Why is a cat hypoallergenic? Cats that are low in the Fel d1 protein are considered to be hypoallergenic. This protein is produced in the saliva and skin of cats. However, there are other allergens produced by cats that people can react to. SiberianResearch Inc, a non-profit corporation founded to support the health of the Siberian cat, has an informative article on feline allergens. Please read this article to better understand feline allergens. 3.
Is the Siberian cat really hypoallergenic? Some Siberian cats are
hypoallergenic. Breeders are starting to test saliva and fur at laboratories
to find out the levels of their breeding cats. 4. Are BirchGrove Siberians hypoallergenic? Yes, we have tested our three breeding cats to determine the Fel d1 allergen level. They are all well below reaction levels and are not likely to cause reactions in individuals sensitive to Fel d1. We also remove cats from our breeding program if they test high. 5. Do I still need to test with your cats if I am allergic to Fel d1 and want to buy a BirchGrove kitten? I strongly recommend a home visit. Once you sign up on the waiting list, you will be invited to visit at a mutually convenient time. A home visit should be several hours long and you will be exposed to adult Siberian cats that are proven to be low in Fel d1. If you are unable to visit here, it is possible you could visit with a local adult Siberian who has tested low in the Fel d1 allergen. 6. If I am an allergy person, what else can I do to improve my chances of success with a Siberian cat? Several strategies will help: keep the litter box in the garage or an isolated room vented to the outdoors, bathe your cat once or twice a month, and use the Allerpet product to wipe down your cat. Febreeze Allergen Reducer has also received good reviews. 7. How successful are you with placing cats in allergy homes? We have been very successful. If you are only allergic to the Fel d1 protein, we expect you will do well with one of our cats. 8. What if I have an asthmatic reaction to cats? Will a Siberian cat still work for me? While some asthmatic people have done very well with a Sbierian cat, many have not. If you have asthmatic reactions to cats, proceed very cautiously. Talk to your allergist beforehand, visit with adult Siberians several times, and consider building up your immunity step by step with an allergist's assistance before adopting a Siberian kitten. |