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Originally Posted by ALToronto
Are hairless cats non-allergenic, or is it something other than hair that causes allergies? And how warm do you need to keep the house for a hairless cat?
Luigi is so cute, but we do have cat allergy issues in the family.
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@ALToronto, actually, hairless cats and allergies are a double edged sword! Most people assume that because they have no fur—they are hypoallergenic, that isn't the case.
Most people who have cat allergies will actually be much more allergic to a hairless cat because, the lack of hair means more exposure to the protein in their saliva that triggers an allergic reaction. It's not the fur that people are allergic to, contrary to belief—the allergen actually comes from the saliva.
Whereas a cat with fur will have fur of course to absorb and hide the protein, that simply isn't the case with a hairless.
Now with that all being said, there are reports of people who are allergic to cats being able to coexist with a hairless cat because there are claims that they produce a different allergen vs. a furry cat.
I will say that I have seen it work both ways with Luigi. For example my friend David who has a moderate cat allergy can not be near Luigi. He immediately has respiratory issues, and on the other hand my friend Chris who has cat allergies doesn't have any reaction being around him.
Because of the lack of hair they require a great deal of grooming. Without anywhere for the oils and dirt to go, they must be bathed weekly, at a minimum biweekly. I suppose this helps with allergies as well.
As for heating the environment, a general rule of thumb I use is... If I'm cold he is cold and if I am hot he's hot... Since we both are all skin! LOL.
He does however, live for a heating pad hahaha. I have them all over the place and it's like kitty heaven for him. He can't resist a hot pad no matter how hard he tries.
He also wears clothes lol.
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