Are Savannah Cats Hypoallergenic? Must Read!
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Savannah cats are not hypoallergenic, but there is plenty you can do to make living with one easier if you are allergic.
Key Takeaways
- Savannahs are not hypoallergenic, whatever you may have heard. They produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine, and it triggers allergic reactions in people.
- You can’t control how much Fel d1 a cat produces, but you can manage the shedding of your Savannah cat with regular grooming and a balanced diet, which limits how far allergens spread.
- If you are allergic but still want a Savannah, vacuum often, switch to solid flooring, use an air purifier, and wash your hands, clothes and bedding frequently.
- No cat breed is entirely hypoallergenic, but some shed less and produce fewer allergens. If allergies are a concern, look at the Sphynx, Burmese or Russian Blue.
Why Do Savannah Cats Cause Allergies?
Like all cats, Savannahs produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine. That protein is what triggers allergic reactions in people.
When cats shed fur, groom themselves and use the litter box, they spread Fel d1 around your home, and you react if you come into contact with it.
Living With a Cat When You’re Allergic
You can’t control how much Fel d1 your cat produces, but you can limit how far it spreads. A main route is shedding.
How much your cat sheds depends on their breed and on things like diet, health and the season. Long-haired cats tend to shed less than short-haired breeds, but their fur tangles easily and is harder to groom. Short-haired cats tend to shed more and are much easier to groom.
How To Reduce Savannah Cat Shedding
These are the ways to cut down on shedding.
Brushing Helps With Shedding
Regular brushing is one of the best ways to reduce shedding. It takes out the hairs that were about to fall out anyway, so they end up in the brush instead of on your carpet, furniture and clothes. How much brushing a cat needs depends on the breed.
Brushes to Consider
This brush is a good size, pulls out a lot of fur and tends to go down well with cats who dislike brushing. If your cat won’t tolerate a normal brush, a grooming glove can help them get used to being handled.
Diet
Feed a good-quality, balanced diet. Most commercial cat food has a suitable balance, but a cat can still end up short of a nutrient. Vitamins A, E and B are needed for healthy fur, and without enough of them a cat can shed more than usual.
Cats also need plenty of protein for a healthy coat. Some dry foods have less than wet foods, which often have a higher meat content. If your cat is shedding heavily, a mix of wet and dry, or all wet food, may help. It can take some trial and error to find the food that suits their coat.
Stress and Shedding
A stressed cat may shed fur in clumps. The cause is often not medical.
Moving house can stress a cat, and so can bringing a new cat into your home (tips on introducing a new cat), especially one of the rescue cats with a difficult past. Loud noises do it too: loud music, heavy traffic noise and thunderstorms. If your cat is shedding a lot, try turning the background noise down.
Reducing Allergic Reactions
Change clothing and bedding regularly
If your cat sleeps on your bed, stopping that makes a big difference for allergy sufferers. Washing bedding and clothes often helps too.
Vacuum regularly
Clearing cat hair and other particles from floors and surfaces stops allergens building up.
Clean out litter tray often
Whether your cat is indoor or outdoor, cleaning the litter box often reduces allergens in the area and stops them being carried through the house.
Wash hands regularly
Clean hands spread fewer allergens onto your household items.
Use an air filter
Air purifiers remove particles and loose hair from the air before they settle on your clothes, furniture or bedding.
Look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter, which captures airborne allergens, dust and other fine particles. This model from Levoit is a budget-friendly choice.
Change carpets to solid flooring
A lot of the hair a Savannah sheds ends up on the floor, and carpets hold on to hair and other particles far more than solid floors do.
Even frequent vacuuming doesn’t get it all out, so swapping carpet for solid flooring is an extreme step but an option for an allergy sufferer that wants to keep cats.
If you’re keeping the carpet, it can seem like no amount of vacuuming gets rid of the hair. A handheld carpet scraper helps: it brushes the cat hair up out of the carpet so you can vacuum it, and it’s surprising how much comes out.
Read this article for more on why Savannahs shed and how to cut it down.
Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
No cat breed is completely hypoallergenic, but some produce less Fel d1 and can be better for people with allergies. Breeds that shed less fur can also suit allergy sufferers better.
Cat Breeds Which Shed Less
Pattern Doesn’t Change the Protein
Savannahs are not hypoallergenic. Like all cats, they produce Fel d1 in their saliva, fur and urine, and that protein triggers allergic reactions. Their coat pattern is in the family of tabby cats (more on tabbies here), but that makes no difference to the protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
They shed, but less than many breeds. The short, tight coat sheds less than a longer-haired cat's.
Read More: Do Savannah Cats Shed?
They can. They are intelligent, active and social, and form strong bonds with their owners.
Many are affectionate and enjoy cuddling, but each has its own personality, so spend time with a cat before adopting it.
Nothing beyond what other cats need, though regular grooming keeps the coat healthy and reduces shedding.
Related: Are Savannah Cats High Maintenance?
Yes, they use litter boxes like other domestic cats and are generally easy to train.
Some can. They are intelligent and curious and may work out door handles, so fit childproof latches or keep doors closed.
Related: Are Savannah Cats Destructive?
Typically 12 to 20 years.
A high-quality, balanced diet suited to their age and activity level. F1 and F2 Savannahs may need a diet of raw meat. Ask your vet for specific recommendations.
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