Cats are always a wonderful pet and Siamese are the most loved one. Many people live with pet allergies and cat’s allergies are two times more common as dog allergies.
But when we talk about Siamese cats we wonder if Siamese cats are hypoallergenic? Siamese cats have unique Himalayan genes and that is why they have a long, silky coat which does not make them a good candidate for a hypoallergenic cat breed. It is also seen that Siamese cats cause less allergic reactions when compared with other cat breeds.
Proteins are responsible for many allergic reactions. In cats, FelD1 protein is the allergen which is found in cat’s urine, saliva and skin. This protein irritates humans in a variety of ways. Because of this protein, many people suffer from feline allergies.
According to researchers, about 10% of the population is hypersensitive to this protein. Siamese cats as compared to oriental breeds release less amount of FelD1 protein.
A person can get in contact with this protein when cats lick them. Also, cats like themselves to groom and they put protein into the fur through saliva. When saliva on cat’s fur dries up the protein present in it become air born and a person can easily inhale it.
Also when cats shed a lot they leave traces all over. A person who is allergic can experience symptoms to this allergy-like swollen eyes, closed airways, and massive hives.
Actually hypoallergenic is not the right term. No cats can be completely hypoallergenic and not even the hairless cats. Fortunately, Siamese cats are not heavy shedder and this is the reason they are good to pick for people who are allergic to cats.
Despite the long coat, Siamese shed less and that is the reason it is often counted as a hypoallergenic breed. As we have discussed above that Fel D1 is the reason that gives allergic reaction and Siamese also release this same protein but in smaller quantity.
Shedding is the main reason that causes too much of allergic reaction but we must say thanks to the DNA of the Siamese cats because of which these cats significantly shed less as compared to other cat breeds. The dander is the real culprit that causes many allergic reactions. The Dander exists in the cat’s skin and saliva.
When cats groom themselves then it comes in contact with fur and when the fur shed the allergens become airborne, spreading well, everywhere. Despite having a long, silky coat these cats are good as a pet for many allergy sufferers. The shedding in Siamese is much less than any shorter haired cat breeds. The long silky fur of Siamese helps trap the Fel D1 protein and release of it to the environment is much less.
Also, Siamese releases this FelD1 protein in much less quantity as compared to other cats. With short hair cats, the problem is that this Fel D1 protein moves to the surface of fur more easily and then into the environment which may then cause many allergic reactions.
Grooming your Siamese Cat
Grooming your cat is the best way to lower the allergic level. Some cats do not love to take bath but with Siamese, if you expose them to water at a very young age then they love to take bath. You can even wash their toys and blankets in hot water once a week.
Three baths a week of your Siamese will keep the allergic level low at the home. Regular brushing of your cat’s hair will also reduce the level of hair shedding which is a great way to reduce the allergic level at home.
How to Minimize Cat Allergens
As discussed above grooming your pet Siamese is the best way to reduce the cat allergen but we must also remember that cats usually don’t sit at one particular place and love to roam here and there. In this case, you must establish a no cat zone and that must be your bedroom where you spend most of your time.
Always wash the place where your cat sits regularly and do thorough vacuuming and sweeping of your home once a week. Dust your carpets and wash the hard surface. Do clean your air conditioning system and heating systems too as cat’s hair can go deep inside them.
Without proper cleaning, the cat’s hair can live in the filters and ducts for a very long period. You can even purchase the allergen filters for these systems and should regularly replace the filters.
If you are the one who loves to take your cat in the car then you must be careful with it too. Cats hair can easily stick to car seats and AC ducts so be prepared to vacuum and shampoo the seats and floors.
So if you are the one who loves to pet a cat but is allergic too then following the above steps you can nearly avoid or can easily lower the allergic reaction.
The Conclusion
Since no cat breed is entirely hypoallergenic and not even the Siamese, but Siamese can be considered hypoallergenic when compared with other breeds. Low-level release of Fel D1 protein and low shedding makes them nearly a hypoallergenic.
Also Siamese release a very low level of dander which is also the main reason for many allergic reactions. Even the cats with no hairs or short hairs have some dander but in Siamese dander present in cats coat is also considerably less than most breeds. Thanks to the long silky hairs of Siamese which actually helps trap the allergens in cat’s skin and thus it does not spread all over as compared to other breeds.
It simply means that Siamese does no spread much dander and they are a good fit for an allergy-ridden home. Siamese love to enjoy the human company and if they are groomed with proper care then you can keep your home allergen-free.
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