Allergies....
Allergies ......
Dear visitors to our website,
Time and time again we receive inquiries from potential buyers who suffer from allergies and hope that a Sphynx might be the response to their prayers. Unfortunately this widespread belief cannot be backed!
The allergy is not caused by contact with the animal's skin (and even Sphinxes have a slight fluff), but the reaction is caused by the saliva and the danders of the cat. Cats groom their coat by licking with the tongue so that the saliva is found all over the cat's body. This goes just as well for Sphynxcats. Also danders can be found all over the body.
As the consistendy of both the saliva and the skin depends on race-specific variations, it might indeed be possible that somebody is allergic to a domestic cat, but not to a Sphynx. Very often there are no reactions to Persian cats or Exotic Shorthairs - although this might seem hard to believe. In my personal case it's the other way round: I don't have any problems with "hairy cats", dogs or horses, but I do, however, react on the saliva of puppies and also to one of my Sphynx cats, but not to the others.
As a reliable breeder I therefore can only recommend, that if you are aware of an allergic disposition - be it with yourself or your family - to contact an allergologist befor your buy a cat in order to do the necessary tests and get his advice. The most important thing is of course the direct contact in practice with one or even better with several Sphynxes. A very good opportunity for such a test mostly is to attend a show or simply to visit a breeder or a Sphynx owner.
Take this advantage - for the sake of the cat and of your own health!
We are happy to assist you with any furhter question you might have.
The Hair'N'Skin team |
