Chartreux cats are extremely popular, and allergies will concern many would-be owners. But are Chartreux cats hypoallergenic?
Key Takeaways
- Chartreux cats are not hypoallergenic. They produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur, and urine, which is the primary cause of allergic reactions in humans.
- While you can’t control the production of allergens in your Chartreux cat, you can minimize shedding through regular grooming and a balanced diet.
- The blog offers practical tips for allergy sufferers who want to own a cat. Recommendations include regular vacuuming, changing bedding often, and using high-grade air filters.
- While no cat breed is completely hypoallergenic, some breeds like the Sphynx and Siberian are often considered better for those with allergies.
Table of Contents
- Why Do Chartreux Cats Cause Allergies?
- How To Own A Cat When You’re Allergic?
- How To Minimise Allergic Reactions?
- Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
- Are Chartreux Cats Hypoallergenic? Final Thoughts
Why Do Chartreux Cats Cause Allergies?
Like all cats, Chartreux cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine.
This protein is what triggers allergic reactions in humans.
Chartreux cats have different fur patterns, although stripes or dots are usually faint due to their similar coloured fur.
They all have “M” markings associated with tabby cats on their forehead, but these are also much fainter than in other cat breeds due to the colouring.
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.
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. Grooming longer-haired cats can be more challenging 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
Brushing your cat is one of the best ways to reduce excessive shedding.
Brushing regularly removes longer hairs and ones ready to fall out anyway. This will prevent the fur from falling out on your carpet, furniture and clothing.
Cats will need brushing in different amounts depending on their breed.
Brushes We Recommend
These brushes are very effective and a favourite for cats who dislike brushing. They are the 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 the 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, it 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, they 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 location changes. Bringing a new cat into your home can be a stressful time. Here are 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, then stopping this will make a big difference for allergy sufferers.
Washing and changing the bedding and your clothing often 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.
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.
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 highly 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 Chartreux cat, you’ll know that a lot of the hair they shed ends up on the floor. Carpets can hold and build up hair and other particles much quicker 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!
That’s where a handheld carpet scraper comes in handy. This little tool will easily brush all 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.
Read this article for more about why Chartreux cats shed and how to minimise it.
Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
No cat breed is completely hypoallergenic, but some breeds, such as Chartreux cats, produce less Fel d1 protein and can be better 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 Chartreux Cats Hypoallergenic? Final Thoughts
Chartreux cats are not hypoallergenic.
Like all cats, Chartreux cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine. This protein is what triggers allergic reactions in humans.
Chartreux 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
There is no definitive “number 1” hypoallergenic cat as individual allergic reactions can vary. However, some cat breeds often considered better for allergy sufferers include the Sphynx, Russian Blue, and Balinese.
Chartreux cats have a dense double coat that sheds moderately. Regular grooming can help manage their shedding and keep their coat healthy.
Chartreux cats are generally not known for being excessively vocal. They tend to have a softer and quieter voice than other cat breeds.
Chartreux cats can adapt well to both indoor and outdoor environments. However, keeping them primarily indoors can help protect them from potential dangers and ensure their safety.
Chartreux cats are not typically aggressive. They are known for their gentle and calm nature, making them good companions and family pets.
Chartreux cats have an average lifespan of around 12 to 15 years. Some can even live into their late teens or early twenties with proper care.
Chartreux cats are known for their distinctive copper or gold-colored eyes, which complement their blue-gray coat. The orange eye color is a characteristic of the breed.
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