Are Siamese Cats Hypoallergenic? What You Need To Know
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Anyone with allergies who is drawn to a Siamese should know where the breed stands.
Siamese cats are not hypoallergenic. Like all cats, they produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine, and that protein is what triggers allergic reactions in people. Below: why Siamese cats cause allergies and what you can do about it.
Why Do Siamese Cats Cause Allergies?
Like all cats, Siamese cats produce the Fel d1 protein in their saliva, fur and urine, and it is what triggers allergic reactions in people.
Siamese cats are a specific breed, and a different thing from tabby cats (read more about tabby cats here).
Shedding spreads the protein around the house. When cats shed fur, groom themselves or use the litter box, Fel d1 ends up around your home, and you can react to it if you come into contact with it.
How To Own A Cat When You’re Allergic?
You can’t control how much Fel d1 protein your cat produces, but you can limit how far it spreads around your home.
One of the main ways it spreads is by cat shedding.
How much your cat sheds depends on breed and on things like diet, health and the season, covered below.
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 but are much easier to groom.
You can try to reduce how much your cat sheds:
Brushing Helps With Shedding
Regular brushing is one of the best ways to cut down shedding.
It removes loose and long hairs before they land on your carpet, furniture and clothes. How much brushing a cat needs depends on its breed.
Brushes to Consider
These brushes work well, and they suit cats who dislike being brushed. They are a good size, remove a lot of fur and leave the coat soft and fluffy.
A glove can help get your cat used to being groomed.
Diet
Feed your cat a quality, balanced diet.
Most commercial cat food has a suitable balance of ingredients, but a cat can still end up short of specific nutrients. Vitamins A, E and B are needed for healthy fur, and a cat that doesn’t get enough may shed more than usual.
Cats also need plenty of protein for healthy fur. Some dry foods have less protein than wet foods, which often have a higher meat content. If your cat sheds a lot, switching to a mix of wet and dry food, or to wet food entirely, could help. There are many foods to choose from, so some experimenting may be needed to find one that improves the coat and reduces shedding.
Stress and Shedding
A stressed cat may shed large amounts of fur in clumps. There are plenty of reasons a cat might be stressed, and it doesn’t always mean something is medically wrong.
Moving house can stress a cat. So can bringing a new cat into your home, especially for rescue cats with a troubled past.
Loud noises are stressful too, including loud music, heavy traffic and thunderstorms. If your cat is shedding a lot, try reducing the background noise.
How To Minimize Allergic Reactions?
Change clothing and bedding regularly
If your cat sleeps on your bed, stopping that will make a big difference for allergy sufferers. Washing bedding and clothes often helps too.
Vacuum regularly
Removing cat hair and other particles from floors and surfaces stops allergens building up.
Clean out the litter box often
Whether your cat is indoor or outdoor, if it uses a litter box, cleaning it often reduces the allergens in the area and stops them being carried through the house.
Wash hands regularly
Washing your hands often reduces the spread of 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.
A purifier with a HEPA filter can cut down the allergens floating around a room. This Levoit model is one budget-friendly option.
Change carpets to solid flooring
A lot of the hair a Siamese sheds ends up on the floor, and carpet holds on to hair and other particles much more than solid flooring does.
Even frequent vacuuming doesn’t get it all out of carpet, so switching to solid floors is an extreme step but an option for an allergy sufferer who wants to keep a cat.
Whatever you do, hair never seems to leave carpet. A handheld carpet scraper helps: it brushes the cat hair out of the carpet so you can vacuum it up, and it is easy to use. You may be surprised how much hair comes out.
Read this article for more on why Siamese cats shed and how to reduce 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 suit people with cat allergies better. Some breeds also shed less fur than others, which can help.
Cat Breeds Which Shed Less
What It Means If You’re Allergic
Siamese cats are not hypoallergenic. Like all cats, they produce Fel d1 in their saliva, fur and urine, and that protein is what triggers allergic reactions in people.
They produce the protein just as other cats do. Siamese cats are a specific breed, and a different thing from tabby cats (read more about tabby cats here).
Frequently Asked Questions
Not hypoallergenic, but they may produce fewer allergens than some breeds, and some people react less or more mildly to them. It varies from person to person, so spend time around a Siamese before you commit.
Moderately. They have short, fine coats, which are easier to manage than long hair. Regular brushing helps reduce shedding and keeps the coat in good condition.
They can, like any breed. Feed a balanced diet and watch how your cat responds to different foods. If you suspect a food allergy, ask your vet.
They are often vocal and demand attention, which doesn’t suit every household. They also have high energy levels and need mental and physical stimulation, and their social nature can make them prone to separation anxiety if left alone for long periods.
Typically around 12 to 15 years. Some live into their late teens or early twenties with good care, nutrition and regular vet check-ups.
Many do, especially if they have bonded strongly with their owner. Preferences vary, so respect your cat’s boundaries and handle it gently.
Related: Are Siamese Cats Affectionate?
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