USA: Specially bred felines offer new hope for allergic cat lovers

For those who love cats, but are prone to sneezing around them, a solution could be on the horizon. San Diego based company Allerca says it has successfully produced the world's first hypoallergenic cat, something that could allow allergic pet lovers to enjoy cats again. "There's really a need. There's a lot of allergic people out there that really really enjoy pets. One of the primary reasons that cats are unfortunately given up for adoption or go to shelters is because people are really highly allergic. Families can't even have friends over that are allergic. So to share that quality time and still wanting a cherished pet like this from a cat, there is big demand," said Stephen May, spokesperson for Allerca. Joshua, an 18 month old second generation cat is the first cat of its kind. Tests conducted so far with a normal cat and an Allerca bred cat have led doctors and researchers to conclude that Joshua is indeed hypo allergenic. Allerca which is a lifestyle pet company, specializes in providing a pet for people with different lifestyles. May hopes that Allerca can provide a pet option to the 30 million Americans who are allergic to cats. Cat allergies are fairly common and symptoms include watery, itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing and skin rashes. These are reactions to a specific protein, an allergen found in the pet's saliva, urine, or dander. "Through this proprietary testing they have identified the protein which is Fel d1 within the gene and through natural breeding, these are not bred in any other way, except true nature, they are able to isolate and find who happens to be Joshua's parents. They found a female that was low in the Fel d1 and through natural breeding process the offspring are able to have very very low Fel d1 protein," said May, who is also a pet expert. Joshua, the specially bred cat, is waiting to be placed in a home. According to May a number of people are on the waiting list for these special cats. These furry felines, at 4000 (USD) each, do not come cheap. But May believes that this is a reasonable price to pay compared to the joys the cats will bring and other costs that they will help allergic pet owners to avoid. "I know how pet owners really are. And in times of need and passion whether its depression, whether its something traumatic, nothing substitutes the love of a pet. You can't put a price on it. So to some person or some families that may feel that they really can't afford it, its really not our option to say where they spend their money. However, what I can tell you is that it is, if you break it over a period of time, a very small investment," said May. The Allerca kittens which are sold spayed or neutered and come with a micro chip installed as pet insurance, will be available to expectant customers in early 2007.

ITN Source | September 23, 2006

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