BRITISH SHORTHAIR: Are British Shorthair Cats Hypoallergenic?

Are British Shorthair Cats Hypoallergenic?

For the cat-allergic cat lover, life is a series of compromises.
If you have your heart set on a sweet, fuzzy feline companion such as a British Shorthair, it can be very disheartening when the mere presence of a cat nearby sends you into a sneezing fit.

Some people attempt to get around the issue with allergy shots, others by seeking out supposedly hypoallergenic cats; I'm not one hundred percent certain how this happened but the British Shorthair somehow acquired a reputation for being one such hypoallergenic cat breed.

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So, Are British Shorthair cats hypoallergenic? Unfortunately, no. I can tell you from personal experience that if you're allergic to cats you'll be allergic to a British Shorthair.

Their fur is short but very thick and -- as any British Shorthair owner can attest -- tends to get absolutely everywhere, even when brushed weekly.
They produce allergens in the same quantities as any other cat and will trigger the same reactions. While the hair itself isn't the issue, the dander and saliva attached to it will make you cough and sneeze.

This breed has many, many delightful qualities but being hypoallergenic is definitely not one of them. This mistaken belief is partly due to the fact that they have shorter hair, which people assume is somehow less allergenic than long hair.

My personal theory is that people read news stories about the supposedly hypoallergenic cat genetically engineered a few years ago and got the wrong end of the stick.

These cats were created by a company that somehow tweaked the animals' DNA so that they would produce less of a certain protein, Fel d 1, in their saliva.
The idea was that the reduced protein levels would prevent the cats from causing a reaction in susceptible individuals.

The last I heard of it, the company responsible was planning to sell the kittens for around three and a half thousand dollars -- rather steep, even for a pedigree cat.

This company used British Shorthairs as their original breeding stock, which seems to have given people the idea that British Shorthairs must be naturally low-allergy felines.

In fact, the breed wasn't chosen for any magical hypoallergenic properties; the company selected the British Shorthair because these cats are easy to get along with. Ethical reservations aside, I can't fault their judgement.

That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed this video "Are British Shorthair Cats Hypoallergenic?", if so make sure to like and subscribe. But If you want to find out:

- How to avoid becoming ill if you own a cat and are allergic.
- What steps can you take to reduce the problem?
- Is there any way you may safely own a cat?