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| Sensitivity to animals, especially to cats, is one of the most frequently seen allergies. In fact, millions of North Americans suffer from cat allergies. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, chronic sore throat and/or scratchy throat, coughing, wheezing, itchy skin, red, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, itchy nose and sneezing. Research has revealed that Fel D1, a small protein found only in cats, is produced in the sebaceous glands of their skin and saliva and is responsible for 60% to 90% of allergic responses to felines. The biological function of this protein is completely unknown at this time. Cats groom themselves constantly and spread their saliva across their fur in the process. There, the saliva ladened with Fel D1 dries, and because it is several times lighter than air, floats throughout the cat's environment. The Siberian produces lower levels of Fel D1 and, therefore, provokes less allergic reactions than do most other cats and can be said to have hypo-allergenic qualities (having a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction). The only definitive testing, knowing if your allergies will tolerate this wonderful breed, is exposure to the fur of an adult Siberian cat. We strongly advise that, for those people with cat allergies and/or asthma, especially those purchasing from long distances away, to avail themselves of our fur sampling service. For a minimal fee of $25.00, an allergen kit can be sent out to you. This kit contains the fur from four adults along with several pages of instructions on how to test your reaction to the Siberian cat. |
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