INDOOR Biotechnologies
has received several enquiries concerning cat allergen (Fel d 1) levels
in Siberian cats and other cat breeds. In September 2000, a cat lover
sent the company four samples from different cat breeds to be tested
for Fel d 1 through our INDOOR Allergen Analysis Service. These were
hair samples collected by the client and the results have been posted
on various web-sites as below:
"Recent News
- Results for testing of Fel d1 in fur samples"
These
tests were performed in Dec 1999, by an independent lab in
Virginia
Indoor Biotechnologies, 1216 Harris St, Charlottesville, VA
22903. The
results are as follows:
Sample
#
|
Breed
|
Fel
d 1 (µg/g)
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
male neutered, mixed breed
|
62,813
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
male
neutered, Siberian
|
2001
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
female,
Abyssiannian, neutered
|
385
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
female
neutered, Siberian
|
206
|
|
|
|
|
INDOOR
Biotechnologies comments:
First, the Fel
d 1 results are in micrograms per gram sample (µg/g, not mg/g,
as posted on various websites). The results have been interpreted to
indicate that the Siberian and Abyssinian cats have considerably less
allergen than mixed breed house cats, and that females have less Fel
d1 than males.
This web posting
is creating lots of interest, though INDOOR Biotechnologies did not
carry out research on the samples and was not responsible for collecting
the samples or validating the results. The company would not provide
recommendations on pet ownership based on the results provided under
these circumstances. The results do not provide convincing scientific
data that Siberian cats are "hypoallergenic" and it is unfortunate
that they have been widely disseminated on the web and used by breeders
of Siberian cats to promote the breed.
The levels of allergen
found in the Siberian samples (200 - 2000µg/g) are high and indicate
that these cats produce significant amounts of allergen. Part of the
confusion is created by the fact that the results of the mixed breed
cat are exceptionally high, for reasons that are unclear and were not
investigated at the time. The samples used for analysis were disposed
of and cannot be re-tested. We do know from previous published studies
that Fel d 1 is conserved in big cat species (lions, tigers, leopards
etc) so it seems unlikely that the gene is lacking in strains of domestic
cats.
|