Did you know that cats who are a common cause for allergies affect 2x as many Americans as dogs do?!? If you have allergies I'm sure this is not new news, but this maybe... According to the New York Times Health Section "The sources of these allergies are proteins found in feline dander, urine and saliva, making all cats capable of provoking reactions. But some scientists suspect that the darker a cat's coat, the greater the likelihood of it inducing allergic reactions." What?! The darker the coat the more sniffles and sneezing?? How can this be? Well, in 2000 a study was conducted in which 300 people were monitored for their allergies and scientists found that people with dark colored cats were 2 to 4 times more likely to have moderate to severe allergy symptoms. It also found that female cats produce fewer animal allergens than male cats The article then continues on to say "The color association is not conclusive, said Dr. Clifford W. Bassett of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, an author of the study. A later study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that the color of a cat's coat had no effect on how much allergen it produced" Nonetheless the coat color of your feline is something to take in mind when getting a new kitty - the darker the fur the more severe your allergic reaction may become.
