Buying a Cat - Suggestions on Breed?

barryk

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Hi!

I'm looking to purchase and care for a cat in my 1-bedroom apartment, however, I have some allergies.


I was wondering if there are some appropriate cats for my potential allergy condition, and space in my home?


Note, however, that my allergies aren't terrible, as they have improved dramatically with age.



Any help would be great!


Thanks.
Barry
 

miagi's_mommy

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why not adopt a cat from your local shelter or rescue?
there are millions of cats needing homes all over the world. what breed do you have in mind?
 

jenny82

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I don't know how true this is, but my friend thinks that Siamese cats are good for allergies because they don't shed very much.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Jenny82

I don't know how true this is, but my friend thinks that Siamese cats are good for allergies because they don't shed very much.
I'd vote for Siamese of course.
But, seriously, why not try a Sphynx rescue?
 

lisasha3

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Originally Posted by BarryK

Hi!

I'm looking to purchase and care for a cat in my 1-bedroom apartment, however, I have some allergies.


I was wondering if there are some appropriate cats for my potential allergy condition, and space in my home?


Note, however, that my allergies aren't terrible, as they have improved dramatically with age.



Any help would be great!


Thanks.
Barry
I would look at your local shelters and rescues first to see what they've got and to see how your allergies bother you.
I'm sorry to say I don't know if one breed is better than other, but I myself have minor allergies and all I can tell you is (and many will disagree with me probably) - I seem to be bothered more by short haired. The shorter the hair, the tougher the time I have and I wonder if it's because it's easier for the dander to surface, easier for it to come off, and easier for you inhale it. As I said though - this is just me personally. Keep in mind it's not the fur you're allergic to, it's the dander (just and FYI)
As a side note - some things you can do to minimize allergies is invest in a good hepa air cleaner, brush your cat regularly, get a good vacuum (with hepa filter), make your bedroom the "cat-free" zone if they are really bad so that you can sleep in peace. Also, I cover my furniture with some blankets and wash them once a week. This keeps the dander off the furniture (the fur too) and then I just remove them if expecting company.
Good luck to you!
 

lionessrampant

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How about adoption at a local shelter? That way you can look for an individual whose specific make-up is appropriate for th allergy problem. Although breeds can be more predictable, there is no guarantee your cat will adhere to a standard. There's no substitute for visiting a shelter and finding exactly the individula you want, in any color, shape or size (or level of dander production!)

Also, keep in mind that good nutrition is a HUGE factor in how much a cat will shed and how much the dander will affect you. I'd definitely suggest a top-of-the-line wet food diet like Evanger's, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Nature's Variety Prairie or Innova/Innova EVO, if not a raw diet (but raw diets are certainly NOT for everyone, it's a lot of work and you have to do a TON of research and be really willing to do it exactly right)

WHat will likely happen is the allergies will be awful t first and you'll slowly adjust to the cat and become immune or semi-immune. I think you'll find this will improve any other allergies you have. It helped my outdoor allergies a ton and I've heard of this being the case with a lot of other people. I'm not aware of any studies to this effect, but there's pretty sufficient anecdotal evidence!


Happy adopting!
 
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barryk

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Hey guys.

Thanks for all the feedback - it's appreciated!

When I grew up with my parents, they adopted one cat every three years or so.


Anyway, I'm looking to raise a cat from scratch. I don't want to adopt. However, I may adopt a second cat in a year.


Has anyone heard anything good about allergies and Burmese cats?


Thanks again!
Barry
 

wookie130

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I'm not sure that there's any true "hypoallergenic" breed of cats...Burmese included, although they are beautiful kitties. My advice to you would be to get whatever type of kitten you want, and treat your allergies very systematically. I have HORRID dog allergies, and own 2 large breed dogs, and 3 cats. I take a prescription allergy medication daily, brush all of cats and dogs, and vaccuum like a mad woman. I also make sure that the dogs are bathed once monthly, although that is not recommended with cats. I'm living proof that a person with terrible allergies can live with animals...I've learn to adapt to the ANIMALS, and I think it's worked well.
 

tigerontheprowl

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First of all, on behalf of all the members WELCOME TO TCS!!!


Second, I would recomend that you go hang around at your shelter with some of the breeds that you are interested in and see how bad your allergies get. That should give a better idea of what breed you would be most comfortable with.
 

miagi's_mommy

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you can still adopt a kitten from your local shelter or rescue and start from "scratch"
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by Jenny82

I don't know how true this is, but my friend thinks that Siamese cats are good for allergies because they don't shed very much.
Not to detour you from Siamese or anything in any way. But that is not true. My siamese sheds worse than my long hair (even with regular brushings.) It honestly depends on the indivudal cat. Some people do better with shorthairs/ some with longhairs. It has more to do with the saliva they use when grooming themselves than the actual fur.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by BarryK

Hey guys.

Thanks for all the feedback - it's appreciated!

When I grew up with my parents, they adopted one cat every three years or so.


Anyway, I'm looking to raise a cat from scratch. I don't want to adopt. However, I may adopt a second cat in a year.


Has anyone heard anything good about allergies and Burmese cats?


Thanks again!
Barry
Burmese are excellent cats- and for the most part have a lovely personality,etc. However...they do shed. (now it may be less or more than some breeds...but having fostered quite a few burmese kittens, i can definitely attest to the fact that they do shed. ) However, what may trigger your allergies with one breed may not so severly with another. I suggest that whatever kitty you decide on- you spend some time in the same room with them and just hang out for a little while- see how your allergies react to that cat...see if it is something that can be managed with help from your allergist.
 

kluchetta

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Well, I've heard - and I don't know if it's true - that Ragdolls inspire less of an allergic reaction than other breeds. But you'd have to check that out. The original creator of the breed made some strange claims that weren't all true.

But I do love my Ragdoll! They are very sweet.
 

starryeyedtiger

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I posted this in another thread...but since you mentioned you have allergies, i thought it might help you out here before you adopt a kitty


Before adopting a cat, I would go to the shelter/breeder, wherever you plan on adopting from for a few hours and see how you there and what kind of reaction you have around the cats your interested in. It would be worse to adopt one and bring it home, only to have to return it. So before adopting, see what your reaction is around the cats you're interested in. As far as reducing your symptoms, there are things you can do in correlation with your allergist to help reduce your symptoms. - If you do adopt a cat, be sure to brush it daily...this helps reduce shedding and dander....and as a result, the cats will not have to groom themselves as much (people are actually allergic to something in a cat's saliva, not their fur.) So the less they are licking their fur, the less problems it will likely cause. You do not want to bathe a kitty too often, as it can dry out their skin and make it irritated, resulting in medical problems. Also, you want to vaccume and dust frequently to reduce allergens. There are high quality air filters you can buy which absorb many pollutents, allergens,etc,...those will help improve the air quality in the house and reduce your reactions. Also, air purifiers can help as well./ Talk to your doctor about Singulair and Zertic..those are great as far as allergies go- there may also be something you can do as far as allergy shots go. Many members here on TCS have a cat allergy too- many of them will wash their hands after they pet their cats, before touching their face or eyes. That might help. Also- you want to keep an allergy room in your home that you can go into when your allergies act up. Do not allow the cat in there- it should be you "room" when your allergies act up and you needs to get away for a breather- be sure to keep that room very tidy and clean it frequently- it is a good idea to have an air purifier in there. Your allergy doctor may be able to give you some more suggestions as well. I hope you are able to find the perfect kitty for you
- you sound like you would give a sweet kitty a wonderful home! Also, one more thing to mention- there are numerous wonderfull breed-specific rescues that have purebreeds in and out of their shelters. These places are excellent for adopting a specifc breed that has captured your eye- and you would be giving a needy cat a home
I highly recommend looking up www.petfinder.com -type in the breed of cat you're interested in as well as the area in which you live- they can often match you up with many excellent rescue groups
Just a thought! Goodluck!
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by BarryK

Hi!

I'm looking to purchase and care for a cat in my 1-bedroom apartment, however, I have some allergies.


I was wondering if there are some appropriate cats for my potential allergy condition, and space in my home?


Note, however, that my allergies aren't terrible, as they have improved dramatically with age.



Any help would be great!


Thanks.
Barry
Barry, do NOT get a Hmmie like mine if you have alergies as these require combing several times a day or there will be hair over your house. However; in defense of my cat, I will say that there are no hairs aroung my house at all because I brush him with vigor several time a day. I do have the time to do this, but if you have a job, etc., I am afraid that you would not be able to keep the loose hair count down and it would affect your alergies, so go with the shorthairs! Barry, I bet you could come to my house and not be affected. Nobody else has been. It takes a lot of my time, but I give it; for others this would not be a good choice.
 
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barryk

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Wow guys! I can't express the thanks for all the help for this!

It's appreciated!


I guess, what I'm going to do is buy a cat book, and take a look at all the breeds, and then pick one from there...


Does anyone have any good illustrated cat book suggestions?


Thanks!
Barry
 

wookie130

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Well, rather than recommending a book, I would suggest checking out a few "Cat Fancy" magazines from your local library. This mag tends to focus more on pedigree kittens, and also showcases a "gallery of breeds" in each issue, along with the names and contacts of breeders across the country.

Again, I wouldn't rule out a shelter kitten. You'd still be raising a kitten, and there are more purebreds that land in shelters than you may think. Heck, just the other weekend, I spotted a BLACK purebred Maine Coon KITTEN at my local humane society...if any potential adopters have any brains at all, they'll snatch that gorgeous baby up in a flash!!! I think it would have been easy for many people to mistake this kitten for a black domestic longhaired kitten, but being the Maine Coon fanatic that I am, there was NO MISTAKING that she was a purebred...the feet, ears, headshape, body structure, everything was pedigree. Earlier in the fall, there were two purebred Bengal kittens in the shelter. Unbelievable to me, but it definitely happens more than a lot of people realize.

I think you'll have to embrace the fact that with any cat that you adopt, you're going to struggle with your allergies. Like I mentioned before, there are no hypoallergenic cats...even the Sphynx (who truly isn't "hairless") Just be willing to do whatever it takes to be able to give your kitten a LIFELONG home...take medication, buy a hepa filter air system thingy, vaccuum like a crazy person, brush the cat daily, etc. Because of my allergies, I've truly had to adapt to the cats, and that's fine. Every day I spend with my trio (and the two dogs, who I'm actually more allergic to) is worth all of the "trouble" I have to put myself through.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by BarryK

Wow guys! I can't express the thanks for all the help for this!

It's appreciated!


I guess, what I'm going to do is buy a cat book, and take a look at all the breeds, and then pick one from there...


Does anyone have any good illustrated cat book suggestions?


Thanks!
Barry
"Cats for Dummies" is an incredable book!!!! (not saying you're a dummy- it's just the title of the book
)/ It is a wonderful reference and it answers many of the questions people interested in cats may have! I highly recommend it- you can rent it at your local book store
Also "The Cat Bible" is an excellent guide as well. Good luck! Let us know if you have any questions


Also- check out www.aspca.org (or .com i can't remember which at the moment
) They have excellent tips on cat proofing your home, as well as numerous other good tips and ideas!
 

kluchetta

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Well, I searched Amazon for a long time and couldn't find the one I have, and like so much. I think it's just called "The Cat" and it's got great photos, and some very good explanations of cat genetics. I'd go to the library if I were you.
 
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