Savannah cats are extremely popular, and allergies will concern many would-be owners. But are Savannah cats hypoallergenic?
Key Takeaways
- Contrary to some beliefs, Savannah cats are not hypoallergenic. They produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur, and urine, which is responsible for triggering allergic reactions in humans.
- While you can’t control the Fel d1 protein production, you can manage the shedding of your Savannah cat through regular grooming and a balanced diet. This will help in limiting the spread of allergens in your home.
- If you’re allergic but still want to own a Savannah cat, there are several steps you can take to minimize allergic reactions. These include regular vacuuming, changing to solid flooring, using air purifiers, and frequent washing of hands, clothing, and bedding.
- While no cat breed is entirely hypoallergenic, some breeds shed less and produce fewer allergens than others. If allergies are a concern, consider breeds like the Sphynx, Burmese, or Russian Blue.
Table of Contents
- Why Do Savannah Cats Cause Allergies?
- How To Own A Cat When You’re Allergic?
- How To Reduce Savannah Cat Shedding
- How To Minimise Allergic Reactions?
- Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
- Are Savannah Cats Hypoallergenic? Summary
Why Do Savannah Cats Cause Allergies?
Like all cats, Savannah 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.
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.
How To Reduce Savannah Cat Shedding
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 brushing your cat.
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
This brush is very effective and a favourite for cats who dislike brushing. It’s a perfect size, removes a lot of fur and leaves 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, 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 present 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 Savannah 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 Savannah cats shed and how to minimise it.
Are Any Cat Breeds Hypoallergenic?
No cat breed is completely hypoallergenic, but some breeds, such as Savannah 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 Savannah Cats Hypoallergenic? Summary
Savannah cats are not hypoallergenic.
Like all cats, Savannah cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine. This protein is what triggers allergic reactions in humans.
Savannah 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
Savannah cats shed, but not as much as other cat breeds. Their short, tight coat sheds less than longer-haired cats.
Read More: Do Savannah Cats Shed?
Yes, Savannah cats can make great house pets. They are intelligent, active, and social animals that can form strong bonds with their owners.
Many Savannah cats are affectionate and enjoy cuddling with their owners. However, each cat has its individual personality, so it’s important to spend time with a cat before adopting it to ensure it’s a good fit for your lifestyle.
Savannah cats don’t require any special care beyond what other cats need. They benefit from regular grooming to keep their coat healthy and reduce shedding.
Related: Are Savannah Cats High Maintenance?
Yes, Savannah cats use litter boxes like other domestic cats. They are generally easy to train to use a litter box.
Some Savannah cats are known to be very intelligent and curious, and they may be able to figure out how to open doors. It’s important to keep them safe by installing childproof latches or keeping doors closed.
Related: Are Savannah Cats Destructive?
The lifespan of a Savannah cat is typically 12 to 20 years.
Savannah cats should eat a high-quality, balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs. Choosing a food appropriate for their age and activity level is important. F1 and F2 Savannah Cats may need a diet of raw meat.
Consult with a veterinarian for specific recommendations.
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