The claim: Dark-coloured cats cause more
allergies than those with lighter coats.
The facts: Cats are among the most common cause
of allergies, affecting twice as many people as dogs do. The
sources of these allergies are proteins found in feline dander,
urine and saliva.
However, some scientists suspect that the darker a cat's coat,
the greater the likelihood it will cause allergic reactions.
Scientists showed this in a small study in 2000, involving 300
patients with allergies. They found that people with dark-coloured
cats were two to four times more likely to have moderate to severe
symptoms as those who either owned cats with lighter coats or did
not own a cat. Additional studies found that female cats produce
less animal allergen than male cats.
However, the colour association is not conclusive, said Dr
Clifford Bassett of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, an author
of the study. A later study published in The Journal of Allergy and
Clinical Immunology found that the colour of a cat's coat had no
effect on how much allergen it produced. Dr Bassett said he and a
colleague were planning a larger study.
He advises patients who are allergiv and want to keep their cats
to take several measures. If avoiding contact is not possible,
allergy shots are effective, along with medication. He also
recommends using air filters, keeping the pet out of the bedroom
and bathing it often.
The bottom line: Dark-coloured cats may cause
more allergies but the link is not conclusive.
Extracted from Mind Your Body dated 9th Sep
2010
