Kitty Advice.... 1st time pet owner maybe

[D&T]

I didn't want to threadjack anyones kitty thread, but hope you can help me. I've been reluctant to get a kitty for our family since I've never grown up with any pets other than fish. DH on the other hand, have always had a cat in his home. DH's sister has a long haired and I was so allergic to her, the momemt I stepped into their house I would sneeze, throat swell up and eyes starts to water even though I did not see her at all! DH's mom had a short hair (not sure what kind) and I was ok around him, never had a problem. Well we're looking into getting a kitty for our family specifically a Bengal cat.

Anyone have input on these cats for a small family -
allergy problems? should I seek medical advice for this first ?
I have no idea what to expect? just some pep talk or advice of any kind would be appreciated. Thanks!
what to choose? Female vs Male?

 

[RhubarbPie]

My fiance is pretty allergic to kitties, but he has 3 kitties at his parents' house and we have 2 at our apartment. He just takes a lot of zyrtec As far as allergies, I guess it just depends how much you want a kitty. For us, we're totally obsessed and in love with our kitties - we'd do anything for them. Relatively, we spend more money on their food and toys than we do for ourselves. So when FI's eyes get red and itchy and he can't stop sneezing, its worth it to him so we can have the kitties. If you're so allergic that your throat will close and you'll need to go to the hospital, then its probably not the best idea. If its mild allergies that you can deal with, then you just have to think about whether the allergies are worth it. For us, we'd rather be stuffy and have itchy eyes for ever if it means getting snuggle with our little fur balls forever!

Regarding a bengal, are you planning to adopt? I know that there are "purebred" adoption services out there for abandoned/surrendered purebred kitties (like bengals) but they are often more rare than rescues that accept any kitty. You should definitely consider adopting a kitty - there are so many beautiful, sweet little kitties in need of a home. If you want to tell me where you're located, I could probably help you find a place to adopt a kitty in need of a forever-home.

 

[D&T]

Thanks RhubarbPie!
Yeah, its not severe allergy, I'm ok with Short haired (bengals- thought I read up that they are shorthaired? I might have to do more research) but I'm in AZ Phoenix Metropolitan area. That would be great if you know of someplace. We've seen a few breeder and have talked to one, but I don't really know what to expect as this would be my first time of owning a pet.

 

[ChloeTheGreat]

For allergies, short hair is better. For some reasons, females are better. And light colored fur is better.
Also, you may want to look into Russian Blues. That breed is considered "hypoallergenic" (although no pet is REALLY hypoallergenic)
Good luck finding a kitty!

 

[D&T]

Thank you Chloe for your advice! I'll check into the other kitty you mentioned as well

 

[random_thought]

Also, you may want to look into Russian Blues. That breed is considered "hypoallergenic" (although no pet is REALLY hypoallergenic)
Good luck finding a kitty!

Wow, that is really interesting. We got a russian blue first and neither dh or I had any issues. Then we got the little hell raiser lol! I'm not really sure what breed he is but has black hair and medium length hair and occasionally my nose will get itchy if I have more than my fair share of snuggles So there might be some truth to that!

 

[D&T]

Also, you may want to look into Russian Blues. That breed is considered "hypoallergenic" (although no pet is REALLY hypoallergenic)
Good luck finding a kitty!

Wow, that is really interesting. We got a russian blue first and neither dh or I had any issues. Then we got the little hell raiser lol! I'm not really sure what breed he is but has black hair and medium length hair and occasionally my nose will get itchy if I have more than my fair share of snuggles So there might be some truth to that!

RT- do you have to brush your Russian Blue a lot? I just read up on the some of the shorthaired breeds (Cat Fancier's Assocition) and this cat has a double thick coat which required more brushing? i have no idea.
I also looked at the Korat breed, and seems more to mesh with my family. I"m a bit confuse with the breeds, I think I need to visit with each of these breeds. I thought we wanted a Bengal cuz, they sure are purdy.... but seems a bit energetic and requires a bit more attention though

Thanks all for your input

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I would ask to cat sit your MIL's short hair for a week or two. You may have been able to handle short visits, but who knows what a 10 day cat dander bombardment can do.

I would also talk to your doctor about what allergy medication you can take to handle the allergy. Your allergy may be manageable by an OTC medicine or you may have to go with a prescription medicine, both of which you're looking at like 15 years of medicine.

I really hope you find a companion that your family can love on.

Good luck.

 

[ChloeTheGreat]

I fostered a Russian Blue mutt for 6 weeks that I had rescued. I did not notice him shedding at all. He had a beautiful coat and was very sweet. I was so happy when he found a loving forever home.

ETA: I call him a "mutt" because it's hard to tell sometimes with cats. He definitely had some Russian Blue, but I doubt he was purebred. Your local shelters have plenty of mutt kitties that need homes, if you don't end up picking a specific breed!

 

[pinkstars]

Oh man, I can relate. I never had cats growing up, only at my grandparents house was there a cat and she wasn't that cuddly. Not until after I was 15, then I developed an allergy and would get itchy and yucky. And those allergies stuck with me.

But this June, my BF and I got our first kitten! I heard that males are better to get because they produce less of the allergen in their saliva. Also light fur and short hair. I also read on the internet that with males, it gets better after they get neutered...in terms of allergen production.
At first I would get a little sneezy with our kitten, but rinsing him with some water seemed to help. That also seems to help with hairs just flying everywhere too. But now he doesn't bother me. He falls in my face in the morning, and I can give him all the snuggles I want no problem now!

I was hesitant to get a cat, and really had to consider what would happen if my allergies got worse(just more medicine I guess.) But game over when we went to go "look" at the kitties, I just couldn't resist him! I'm so happy and so in love with my kitten now! I can't even wait to get home from work to go see him!

So I highly suggest a kitten, even an adorable one off of craiglist or something!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

BENGALS!!!

Ok, I don't know how much you remember of my cat journey, but I am VERY allergic to cats. I never used to be until I met a friend's allergy-monster of a long-haired Persian 3 years ago, and ever since then, I can't stand to be near most cats because I start sneezing, itching, tearing up, the works. BUT I really wanted a cat (I couldn't have a dog in my apt.). So I started looking at "hypoallergenic" breeds.

Side note on the hypoallergenic breeds. It's not the fur, but a protein in their saliva, that triggers allergies. There are no true hypoallergenic (allergen-free) cats, but there are breeds that are known for having lower levels of the protein. Siberians are supposed to one, and Russian Blues another. Anyway, the cat cleans itself, the saliva gets on the coat, dries, turns to dander, and the allergens go everywhere.

So I started to look at Siberians and found a nice cattery about 45 minutes outside of Chicago (Sibano Siberians). Their cats were gorgeous, long-furred sweet beauties, but holy moly, I spent an hour there and nearly died from itching and allergies and tears. So Siberians were out.

I never did look at Russian Blues in person unfortunately.

Anyway, I decided that I wanted a cat anyway and was prepared to deal with the consequences (Zyrtec, allergy shots if need be), and I really really wanted a Bengal after seeing SanDiegoLady's thread about finding a Bengal (Brutus). The details of the INSANE journey (many, many breeders contacted, three fell through before getting my babies ) are here - https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-need-some-help-deciding-bengal-kittens.118351/

So last September I got my two Bengal babies - I have various threads but the one with pics from when I got them to now is here - https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-kittens-are-here.126240/

I have to say, and this is totally anecdotal, but I've had very very little allergy problems since I got them. There may be one day in about 2 months where I'm a bit sniffly but otherwise nothing. I pet them, hold them, rub my face in their fur, lol, and no problem.

Ok as for any specific breed advice.

First, my BIG piece of advice is go find a breeder in your area and hang out for a while. That's probably the best way to gauge how you'll react. I'm very glad I went in to the Siberian breeder and found out I was allergic like heck to them, though many people report no problems. Also glad because I don't really want a long-haired cat because they shed like crazy (my boys are shedding now too, but not nearly as much as a long-haired).

Second, Bengals are very active and energetic, and smart. I think my boys aren't exactly the brightest bulbs in the Bengal spectrum, but they are smart enough to open my freezer while I'm gone and drag out all the frozen food, to open shelves and grab all the food in their and drag them out, climb up shower curtains and yank towels and loofahs down, etc. I got two specifically so that they could keep each other company. My boys are littermates and I highly recommend getting two.

Third, despite their mischievousness and being naughty sometimes, they are total lovebugs. They don't mind being held and picked up (though this depends a lot on how well a breeder socializes the kittens), they cuddle with me, lie on my stomach on the couch, headbutt me for pets, and Kipling yowls at my door every 3 hours in the morning until I get up and give him a tummy rub. I absolutely love love love my boys and I'm so glad I got them.

Finally, there are Bengals in rescues though I wasn't able to find one that worked for me. A lot of reputable breeders will take back kittens (and have that stated in the contract) if someone isn't able to care for them. So if you don't want to pay the full price of a kitten, or want an older cat, asking a breeder for a retired stud/queen or an older kitten is a good bet. Also, finding a reputable breeder is super super important. I worked with Hunters Ridge in Ocala, FL and had the kittens shipped. Lovely cats and kittens but the breeder kind of sucked at communication (a LOT). I can also recommend breeders in PA, TX, Canada and Chicago, and a couple in CA. These are the ones I contacted and communicated with while searching.

Ok that's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I'm forgetting TONS. If you have anything else you want to know, feel free to ask!

Oh one last thing. So Bengals and Savannahs have a wild ancestor (Asian Leopard Cat for Bengals, Servals for Savannahs) and kittens/cats are classified by how great the percentage of wild blood is in them (F1 = 50% wild, 50% domestic - this is a first-generation cross, F2 = 25% wild, 75% domestic - F1 crossed with a domestic cat, I think). Certain cities have laws forbidding the possession of exotics, including early generation Bengals and Savannahs (like NYC). My boys are SBT (Stud Book Tradition) meaning that are more than generations removed from their wild ancestor, and are classified as domestic cats. Matata has some gorgeous early-generation Savannahs; mine are totally domestic. Price goes up a LOT for early-gen (one of Matata's breeders charges in the thousands for an F2/F3). My babies were $800 each, but of course, even with SBT Bengals, the price can be very high (especially if they're potential breeders). One place I looked at in the Chicago area was asking about $1500/kitten. You don't want to go too cheap, but you don't necessarily have to go super expensive - and I would always ask the breeder about a discount if you decide to take more than one kitten.

Ok that's it for now!

ETA: Ok on the allergies and coat - Bengals have more of a pelt-like fur than regular cats (it's super silky), but I've read that this helps lessen the impact of dried saliva/dander, which helps allergy-sufferers. Also, the male/female question. I'm a proponent of getting males because I love how laidback and affectionate they are, but I've also read that it doesn't matter as much if you neuter/spay early. However, I have heard that female cats can get moody later in life, even after spay, so I prefer to get boys.

And since you're in AZ - hmm...I don't know of any breeders I can personally recommend in AZ, but if you're willing to have them shipped, I would seriously consider Mystre Bengals in TX. They were great - they actually helped me find Bengaland in PA, where I was going to get my kittens (but the waitlist didn't work out) even though they knew I wouldn't be purchasing from them (Mystre). Though the prices are a bit on the higher side. I really really liked Bengaland (and they have some retired males I think available too) but unfortunately the timing didn't work out with us. Again, I went with Hunters Ridge in FL, and I also really liked Legacie in Chicago and Dazzledots and Kanpur in Canada.

ETA 2: Neutered males produce less of the allergen than full males, females less than males (though I forgot what the exact hierarchy is). I also asked about what someone said about black cats producing more allergens than lighter cats (asked the Siberian breeder). Apparently this is true for Siberians, because to get the black coat, breeders cross outside the Siberian lines and bring in outside breed blood and those breeds tend to have a higher amount of the Fel d 1 protein than lighter Siberians that didn't have that outside cross in their bloodlines)

 

[D&T]

Davi , Chloe, Pinkstar, and BEG! thank you all so much for your time and effort in helping me through this process!

BEG- one of my DH's friend just got a savannah! I'm going to have to do a little more research, on breeds, and would definitely if I could sit with one from each to see how I react. I could deal with the occasional allergy here and there, but I really don't want to be living off of meds

The cats are more for my girls really, and since I work full time, I'm not sure i can do a bengal since it seems they are high energy cats. But when we visit the breeder here (we found one, super nice and does shows with her's for the last 13 years) who knows, maybe we'll end up with a bengal!

I really would like to check out a russian blue and a korat for sure.

Sadly my MIL's cat passed away last year so I won't be cat sitting anytime soon

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Davi , Chloe, Pinkstar, and BEG! thank you all so much for your time and effort in helping me through this process!

BEG- one of my DH's friend just got a savannah! I'm going to have to do a little more research, on breeds, and would definitely if I could sit with one from each to see how I react. I could deal with the occasional allergy here and there, but I really don't want to be living off of meds

The cats are more for my girls really, and since I work full time, I'm not sure i can do a bengal since it seems they are high energy cats. But when we visit the breeder here (we found one, super nice and does shows with her's for the last 13 years) who knows, maybe we'll end up with a bengal!

I really would like to check out a russian blue and a korat for sure.

Sadly my MIL's cat passed away last year so I won't be cat sitting anytime soon

Thanks again everyone!

No problem. I think visiting is super important. Granted, I didn't take my own advice with Bengals and decided to just deal with the allergies and got super super lucky in that I wasn't allergic at all to Bengals (weird huh?).

Honestly, now that my boys are a year old, they've gotten lazier. They'll have spurts where they're super super energetic and chasing each other around and over and on top of furniture and me! And I play with them with the feather wand, etc. and they'll play fight a lot too, but it's calmed down a lot (to the point where I'm exercising them because my big one, Kipling, has a tendency to chubbiness!). I know Portia added a Savannah to her two Bengals and she said Zoe, the Savannah, was far more energetic than the two Bengals. Of course, the Bengals were adults and Zoe was a kitten so that might have had something to do with it!

I hope it's ok to post this since it's another forum (but not a jewelry forum or anything) but I looked through various threads here when I was considering getting mine and after I got them - http://www.bengalcatforums.com/forums/index.php

It's UK based so some things don't translate over as well (like letting cats out to roam and food brands, etc.) but a lot of useful threads on behavior, care, personalities, etc.

Russian Blues, as someone suggested, might be a good mix with lower amounts of Fel d 1 and a shorter coat (versus Siberians). But with any cat, I think if you're getting a kitten and won't be at home because of work, you should consider getting two. I was a full-time student in law school when I got mine and though I was home a lot, I think it helped having two.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Just a thought - can you foster a kitty through the human society first to make sure you don't develop any regular allergic problems? That will help you decided and provide a home for a kitty for a short time.

It may not be fair to adopt a cat knowing there could be problems. JMO... Good luck though whatever you decided. I just brought home a new kitty and love him. Found him on CL. Drove 2+ hrs. to pick him up! lol

 

[doodle]

MC makes a good point about learning what your reaction would be both short and long term. I'm allergic to cats, too, but owning one has greatly lessened my reaction. My mom had five cats when I lived with her, and I was fine. When I moved in with DH and was no longer around a cat daily, my allergy got so bad that I couldn't even breathe and would break into hivesIn my cas when I visited Mom. Now, it's no problem at all (and I have a Maine Coon literally wrapped around my neck snoring in my face right now, haha). It'd be a good idea to actually handle a few breeds, too. Some people are allergic to cats because of the skin dander (usually the sneezing type of reaction), but many also have a reaction to an enzyme in cat saliva that winds up all over them because they bathe so much, and this can cause skin irritations like hives, etc. In my case, the allergy to the dander is no more, but I still have a (much milder) skin reaction when my cat touches my bare skin. Also, if you're considering a breed like a savanna, check your state laws. I know, for example, that they're illegal in Georgia because they're hybrids. Hope that helps!

 

[D&T]

Wow! All great info and advice. I really appreciate all of your help! DH really likes the Bengal...alot! who knows, we'll see what happens when we visit the breeder soon, thanks again everyone!

 

[audball]

From everything I've read re: cats and allergens, I found that the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex breeds produces the least allergen of all cat breeds. They produce less of the saliva/protein and therefore do not spread it around their coat. They also virtually do not shed due to the texture of the coats (the have no top coat, just the undercoat that is soft/wiry/curly). Very smart, very playful, described as dog-like in the personalities. They come in all colors/patterns.

Good luck! Owning a kitty is such a blessing. I've also found (I have mild allergies to cats) that my kitty Darwin (adopted from a shelter, we're not sure what he may be) bothered me most when we first adopted him. Now, nearly 7 years later, he doesn't bother me at all with no medication. I believe your allergies get used to your cat. Other cats still bother the crap out of my allergies without zyrtec.

ETA: More helpful information on how to reduce allergen problems in your home regardless of the breed of cat:

1. Have your cat neutered or spayed, fixed cats produces less allergens. Male cats produce more allergens than female cats. It has been found that the sebum produced by a cat is highest in unaltered males and lowest in neutered males.

2. Washing your cat in plain water can be useful to remove the Fel d-1 from the cat's coat.

3. Ensure your cat does not have fleas as this causes the cat to scratch and to throw more dander into the air, there are Frontline and Advantage equivalents for cats that are put on topically between the shoulder blades once per month.

4. Limit your cat to certain areas of the house. Do NOT allow it in bedrooms.

5. Keep your cat outside for part of the time. A cat enclosure can be built to keep your cat safe outside

6. An air filtration system will reduce the amount of allergens circulated.

7. Ventilate your house. Opening windows and using exhaust fans can help increase air exchange and decrease air borne allergens.

8. Vacuum carpets with a HEPA equipped vacuum cleaner. This will reduce the allergens. Cat dander settles onto carpets and soft furnishings, which act as a reservoir for the allergen, releasing it back into the air when touched. Remove the carpeting, if possible

9. Wool attracts allergens. Try to avoid wearing it.

10. Keep the litter tray in a well ventilated area.