It is estimated that 25% of people around the world have some degree of allergy to a cat. Studies have shown that early exposure to animals (which researchers now suggest can have a protective effect), where you live and whether you experience asthma and / or hay fever can all influence the development of allergies to animals.

Research done independently in the U.S. and Sweden show that cats are the single biggest trigger for asthma; causing reactions in 30 to 40 per cent of asthmatics. In our evolving world, it is fair to expect that the incidence of allergic disease will grow and so will the number of people reacting to animals.

Most cat allergies result from a reaction to the Fel-D1 glycoprotein; a protein which is naturally produced exclusively by cats. These tiny particles, which are smaller than dust, can float around in the air in your home for months. Siberian cats produce lower levels of Fel-D1 than other cat breeds and therefore cause less reactions.

When they reach maturity, each of our cats is tested for the level of Fel-D1 they produce and our cat program is based on breeding only those cats whose levels are the lowest.

The Symptoms:

The range and severity of the symptoms vary greatly from one person to another. Symptoms include red, watery eyes, nasal congestion, itchy nose, ears, eyes, throat and skin, sneezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightening, chronic sore throat, coughing, wheezing, plugged ears, frequent bouts of bronchitis and skin which is covered with rashes and hives.

Interesting film clip.... Click on the picture at right to see Dr. Oz discussing pet allergies and the Siberian cat.

To put it simply, for an allergy sufferer, a cat can cause pure misery. While some people don’t experience a problem unless they touch a cat and then touch their eyes, there are others who merely have to enter a place exposed to cat allergens to have an asthma attack.

Treatment:

Most people consider the best course of action is avoidance. If allergies are not severe, vigorous cleaning routines, hepa filters, allergy shots, antihistamines and prescription drugs are options but they are time consuming, expensive and who wants to be on drugs for the duration of the cat’s life?

The Allergens:

The culprits setting off these reactions are four proteins found in dander, saliva and oil that hair follicles secrete to protect the fur and skin. The main culprit by far is a glycoprotein called Fel D1. A cat’s natural instinct to constantly groom itself greatly adds to the problem. As a cat licks its fur it coats it with Fel D1 from its saliva. The allergen then dries and being about ten times lighter than pollen or dust, it breaks off and floats throughout the environment adhering eventually onto everything. This is why even cats which are short haired or even hairless still cause allergic reactions as they emit the allergy-causing proteins into the air from their skin, glands, dander, urine and saliva.

Robert Wood, director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland says, "It has been known for a long time that a small number of cats are very low allergen producers, producing just one-thousandth of the Fel D1 of a normal cat". These cats are termed to be hypoallergenic.

What does hypoallergenic mean?

Hypo means “below normal” or “slightly”. The word "hypoallergenic" is is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions. Hypoallergenic pets still produce allergens but they produce fewer allergens than others of the same species.

For many generations now, we have been testing to find cats with the lowest possible Fel D1 allergen level and have selectively bred these cats to produce the lowest possible offspring. We can now offer an exciting new alternative to people who suffer from cat allergies.

Although we do not claim to be the perfect answer for everyone, our successful placement is more than 90%. While there is one prominently advertised company claiming that their cats do not produce any allergic reaction in allergy sufferer, they still call their cats hypoallergenic and not non-allergenic (having no allergies).

Our adult cats have been scientifically proven to be hypoallergenic. Upon acceptance of a deposit for a particular litter, we can / will provide a buyer with written proof of the allergen level of the parents. Allergy levels run in lines so a kitten from two cats with very, very low allergens will also have a low allergen level.

Contract:

Our contract is available upon request. It is a straight forward contract written mainly to protect the health and well being of our cats and kittens.

Price:

Our traditional Siberians run between $975.00 and $1100.00 and our color points are $1,200.00. There is a $200.00 non-refundable deposit which is applied towards the price of the kitten. The balance is due three weeks before adoption. Our normal wait time is one to six months after a deposit is accepted. We do not accept more deposits on orders than we feel we can fill within a six-month period.

Price includes:

• 20 page handout on kitten care with details on living with allergies
• Two-year genetic guarantee
• Kitten can be returned for any reason during the first two weeks of ownership
• Lifetime guidance and back-up

Our Location:

Although we are a cattery based near Farmersville, Texas, we specialize in supplying Siberian kittens to the State of California. We mostly use Continental Airlines. They are the leaders in live cargo transport in the United States and their Safe Pet Program is fantastic. In all the years that we have used Continental we have never had an "upsetting" incident. Most of our breeders come all the way from St. Petersburg or Moscow, Russia and we have never had a problem even with that long distance.

The shipping cost is $250.00 for a single kitten and if we can double two kittens to a carrier the price drops to $125.00 per kitten. From the Dallas / Fort Worth airport we can fly kittens into Los Angeles, Ontario, Sacramento, Santa Ana, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.

We Spoil Our Kittens...

Our kittens are raised with both children and dogs. They live in our house and sleep in our beds. From the time they are tiny they are individually held each day, rocked and cuddled. From the age of four weeks onwards, each kitten receives a daily body massage. This involves holding the kitten on its back and starting at the ears, massaging each part of its body. By the time we have worked our way from the head, to the neck to the back and then the hind paws, the kitten is a limb little purring lump of happiness. When they leave our home our kittens are extremely well socialized and are trusting little creatures.