Bengal cats are extremely popular, and allergies will concern many would-be owners.
But are Bengal cats hypoallergenic?
Key Takeaways:
- Bengal cats are not hypoallergenic; they produce Fel d1 protein, which triggers allergic reactions in humans.
- While they may produce less Fel d1 than some other breeds, Bengal cats still aren’t a perfect fit for those with severe allergies.
- Owning a Bengal cat with allergies isn’t impossible; strategies like frequent grooming and home cleanliness can mitigate allergic reactions.
- No cat breed is entirely hypoallergenic, but some, like Siberians, may be better suited for allergy sufferers.
Read on to discover tips for reducing allergens in your home and why Bengal cats might still be a manageable choice for those with mild allergies.
Table of Contents
- Why Do Bengal Cats Cause Allergies?
- How To Own A Cat When You’re Allergic?
- How To Minimise Allergic Reactions?
- Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
- Are Bengal Cats Hypoallergenic? Final Thoughts
Why Do Bengal Cats Cause Allergies?
Like all cats, Bengal cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine. This protein is what triggers allergic reactions in humans.
When cats shed fur, groom themselves and use the litter tray, they spread the Fel d1 protein around your home, which can cause allergies if you come into contact with it.
Bengal cats may produce less Fel d1 protein than many other cat breeds.
This makes them better suited to people who suffer from allergies but are not considered hypoallergenic.
Read More: Are Bengal Cats High Maintenance?
How To Own A Cat When You’re Allergic?
You cannot control how much Fel d1 protein your cat produces, but you can limit how much it spreads around your home.
One of the main ways it is spread around is by your cat shedding.
The amount your cat sheds will depend on their breed and factors such as their diet, health, the season and other reasons explained below.
Long-haired cats tend to shed less than short-haired breeds. However, grooming longer-haired cats can be more difficult as their fur easily tangles.
Short-haired cats tend to shed more but are much easier to groom.
There are ways in which you can try to reduce the amount your cat sheds:
Brushing Helps With Shedding
One of the best ways to reduce excessive shedding is by brushing your cat regularly.
Brushing removes longer hairs and ones ready to fall out anyway. This will prevent fur from falling on your carpet, furniture and clothing.
Cats will need brushing in different amounts depending on their breed.
You should brush your Bengal cat at least once weekly to remove dead hair and keep its coat in good condition.
Brushes We Recommend
These brushes are very effective and a favourite for cats who dislike brushing. They are a perfect size, remove a lot of fur and leave your cat’s fur soft and fluffy.
For cats that don’t like normal brushes, these gloves can be helpful to get your cat used to being groomed.
Diet
Cats should always be fed a quality, balanced diet.
Although most readily available cat food will have a suitable balance of ingredients, it is still possible for cats to become deficient in specific nutrients. Vitamins A, E and B are necessary to produce and maintain healthy fur; when a cat does not get enough of these, they can shed more than usual.
All cats need plenty of protein to maintain healthy fur. Some dry foods have less protein than wet foods, which often have a higher meat content. If your cat is shedding excessively, switching to a mix of wet and dry food or entirely to wet food could improve this.
Many different food options are available, so experimenting with different ones can help find the right food for your cat to improve their coat and reduce shedding.
Stress and Shedding
If your cat is stressed, it may shed large amounts of fur in clumps.
There are many reasons your cat could be stressed, and it doesn’t always mean something is medically wrong with your cat.
Cats can become stressed from changes in location. Bringing a new cat into your home can be a stressful time. Read here for tips on introducing a new cat into your home. This is especially true for rescue cats with issues or a troubled past.
Loud noises can be stressful for cats. This can include loud music, excessive traffic noise and thunderstorms. It can be helpful to try and reduce background noise if you notice your cat is shedding lots of fur.
How To Minimise Allergic Reactions?
Change clothing and bedding regularly
If your cat sleeps on your bed, stopping this will make a big difference for allergy sufferers.
Washing and changing the bedding and your clothing more frequently will also help.
Vacuum regularly
Removing cat hair and other particles from your floors and surfaces will help prevent a build-up of allergens for you to come into contact with.
Clean out litter tray often
Outdoor cats may not use a litter tray, but if they do, or your cat is an indoor cat, cleaning out their litter tray often will reduce the allergens in the area and prevent them from getting carried through the house.
Read More: How Often Should You Change Cat Litter?
Wash hands regularly
Cleaning hands often will reduce the spread of allergens onto your household items.
Use an air filter
Air purifiers remove harmful particles and flying loose hair from the air before they can settle on your clothes, furniture, or bedding.
In our view, Philips make the best air filters. The Philips 3000i continuously detects and removes allergens from the air and is extremely effective with high-grade HEPA filters to remove 99.97% of airborne allergens, pollen, dust and other particles.
Philips air filters are expensive, and a more budget-friendly option would be this model from Levoit.
Change carpets to solid flooring
If you have a Bengal cat, you’ll know that most of the hair they shed ends up on the floor. Carpets can hold and build up hair and other particles much easier than solid floors.
Even vacuuming often doesn’t remove all of this from the carpet easily, so while an extreme step, changing for solid floors could be an option for an allergy sufferer that wants to keep cats.
If you have carpets in your home, it will seem like no matter how much you vacuum, the hair doesn’t go away!
Related: Cat Hair Is Ruining My Life!
That’s where a handheld carpet scraper comes in handy. This little tool will easily brush all of the cat hair out of your carpet so you can vacuum it up. You will be amazed at how easy it is and how much hair appears when you use it.
We love these little tools and use them regularly to keep our carpets cat hair free!
Read this article for more about why Bengal cats shed and how to minimise it.
Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
No cat breed is completely hypoallergenic, but some breeds, such as Siberian cats, produce less Fel d1 protein and can be better choices for people with cat allergies.
There are also some breeds of cats which shed less fur than others. These can be better choices for people with allergies.
Cat Breeds Which Shed Less
Are Bengal Cats Hypoallergenic? Final Thoughts
Bengal cats are not hypoallergenic.
Like all cats, Bengal cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine. This protein is what triggers allergic reactions in humans.
Bengal cats are a specific breed with a fur pattern associated with the group of tabby cats (read more about tabby cats here). They are no different to other cats in producing this protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bengal cats are generally considered to be high-maintenance pets. They require daily playtime, mental stimulation, and regular grooming to maintain their physical and mental health.
Bengal cats shed for various reasons, including seasonal changes, stress, poor nutrition, and certain health conditions. It is important to address any underlying issues to minimize shedding.
Read More: Do Bengal Cats Shed
Bengal cats may produce less Fel d1 protein than many other cat breeds. This makes them better suited to people who suffer from allergies
Keeping a Bengal cat indoors is not cruel as long as its physical and mental needs are met. Bengal cats can be highly active and require plenty of play time and mental stimulation, which can be provided indoors.
Bengal cats can be affectionate and enjoy cuddling, but their level of affection varies from cat to cat. Some Bengals prefer to play and explore rather than snuggle.
Like all cats, Bengal cats have the instinct to scratch. Providing them with appropriate scratching surfaces and discouraging them from scratching furniture can help minimize damage.
Bengal cats have an average lifespan of 10-16 years but can live longer with proper care and nutrition.
Read More: How Long Do Bengal Cats Live
Some potential cons of owning a Bengal cat include their high energy levels, the tendency to be vocal, the need for mental stimulation, and strong hunting instincts.
Bengal cats can develop hip dysplasia, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), progressive retinal atrophy and PK deficiency.
Early-generation male Bengals are also likely to be sterile.
Read more: Are Bengal Cats Sterile?