THE BEST CAT BREEDS FOR PEOPLE WITH ALLERGIES

If you or a fellow cat lover suffers from allergies, don’t despair. While fully hypoallergenic cats don’t technically exist, there are breeds that may cause fewer allergy symptoms than others. For this reason, these breeds are usually better for people who suffer from allergies.

Here they are, in alphabetical order, along with some basic attributes:

Balinese

Life Expectancy: 18 – 22 Years
Temperament: Highly Intelligent, Agile, Athletic, Loving

Bengal

Life Expectancy: 10 – 16 Years
Temperament: Highly Intelligent, Incredibly Active, Playful, Affectionate, Gentle

Burmese

Life Expectancy: 18 – 25 Years
Temperament: Highly Intelligent, Affectionate, Extremely Loyal, Fun-loving, Single-minded

Colorpoint Shorthair

Life Expectancy: 12 – 15 Years
Temperament: Highly Intelligent, Playful, People-friendly, Extremely Affectionate, Outgoing

Cornish Rex

Life Expectancy: 10 – 15 Years
Temperament: Extremely Intelligent, Friendly, Highly Sociable, Clownish, Attention-loving

Devon Rex

Life Expectancy: 9 – 15 Years
Temperament: Home-loving, Friendly, Affectionate, Intelligent, Loyal, Alert, Playful, Good with Children and Other Pets

Javanese

Life Expectancy: 8 – 12 Years
Temperament: Highly Intelligent, Endlessly Interested, Active, (Slightly Less) Demanding than the Siamese

Ocicat

Life Expectancy: 10 – 15 Years
Temperament: Friendly, Sociable, Very Intelligent, Affectionate, Energetic, Dog-friendly, Stranger-friendly

Oriental Shorthair

Life Expectancy: 10 – 15 Years
Temperament: Talkative, Enthusiastic, Inquisitive, Sociable, Attention-loving, Highly Intelligent, Loyal

Russian Blue

Life Expectancy: 15 – 20 Years
Temperament: Gentle, Sweet, Loving, Very Playful, Intelligent, Curious

Siamese

Life Expectancy: 15 – 20 Years
Temperament: Friendly, Sociable, Affectionate, Attention-loving, Trusting, Playful, Intelligent

Siberian

Life Expectancy: 10 – 18 Years
Temperament: Friendly, Adventurous, Dog-friendly, Easygoing Yet Playful, Affectionate, Highly Intelligent

Sphynx

Life Expectancy: 8 – 14 Years
Temperament: Outgoing, Mischievous, People-orientated, Attention-loving, Talkative, Highly Intelligent, Playful

Essentially the above breeds release less dander (flakes of skin in an animal’s fur or hair which can trigger allergies) than other cats . Often, however, people are actually allergic to a protein (Fel d 1) found in cat saliva which is spread to the haircoat during grooming. Siberian and Balinese breeds produce less of this protein.

BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO BEING A PET PARENT, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH, SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND SPEND TIME WITH THE BREEDS YOU’RE CONSIDERING.