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Allergy-free Cats For Sale At $3,950 Each
Medical News Today ^ | Sept. 25th, 2006 | Christian Nordqvist

Posted on 09/26/2006 1:23:10 AM PDT by CommonSense1stOverParty

If you are allergic to cats, would like to have one and have $3,950 spare, this may be your lucky day. Allerca Inc., California, USA, says it has managed to breed the world's first hypoallergenic cats. People who are allergic to cats and buy one of these will not experience sneezing, red and itchy eyes or asthma - except in very acute cases.

The company says that as soon as the news got out people rushed to place orders and now there is a waiting list.

The company tested thousands of cats, looking for those tiny few that do not have glycoprotein Fel d1. Glycoprotein Fel d1 is what triggers allergic reactions in humans - it can be found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat. On finding a decent number of cats that did not carry glycoprotein Fel d1, the scientists selectively bred them.

The kittens of these selectively chosen cats do not produce human allergic reactions - they are hypoallergenic cats.

The company stressed that their cats are not the result of genetic engineering. About one in 50,000 cats do not carry Glycoprotein Fel d1 - it was a question of finding them and breeding them, there was no genetic modification.

It is estimated that about one third of all humans are allergic to cats. The market for hypoallergenic pets could be huge.

The company says its cats are friendly, playful and affectionate. They have cats in several coat colours and patterns. The coat is "medium-long, with low maintenance and minimal shedding."


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: allergies; cats; hypoallergenic; kitties; medical; precious
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I'm so thankful that I'm not allergic to cats or dogs. Esp now b/c then I'd have to make the decision of if I wanted to spend this kind of $ for a pet.

Photo from Allerca of 3-wk-old allergy-free kittens.

*People who dislike cats were rats in their previous lifetime.

*Real Men Like Cats.

1 posted on 09/26/2006 1:23:12 AM PDT by CommonSense1stOverParty
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty

I detest cats.


2 posted on 09/26/2006 1:28:02 AM PDT by Hannibal Hamlin
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty

All I need to do is convince mine it isn't cool to pounce on me from the top of the fridge, he thinks he is a panther jumping on an elk.


3 posted on 09/26/2006 1:29:55 AM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER (MAY I DIE ON MY FEET IN MY SWAMP, BUAIDH NO BAS)
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty; Slings and Arrows

Allergy-free Cats

4 posted on 09/26/2006 9:13:41 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: martin_fierro; Slings and Arrows; Glenn; republicangel; Bahbah; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; etabeta; ...
I'm waiting for treachery-and-sadism-free cats. I ain't holding my breath.


5 posted on 09/26/2006 9:23:23 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("Burglar drops dresser, shot in chest, fills drawers." --Titan Magroyne)
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty

I would never pay for p....


6 posted on 09/26/2006 9:24:36 AM PDT by N. Theknow ((Kennedys - Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat - But they know what's best.))
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To: N. Theknow
I would never pay for p....

One way or another, you'll pay.

I mean vet bills, of course. *innocent_look*

7 posted on 09/26/2006 9:28:18 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("Burglar drops dresser, shot in chest, fills drawers." --Titan Magroyne)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Philanthropy doesn't fit in much anywhere any more, does it?


8 posted on 09/26/2006 9:32:44 AM PDT by Lady Jag (People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.)
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To: Lady Jag

They're running a business, and they've got a right to make an honest buck. It's still a better deal than the $50,000 cloned kittens


9 posted on 09/26/2006 9:35:09 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("Burglar drops dresser, shot in chest, fills drawers." --Titan Magroyne)
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To: SWAMPSNIPER

Used to have a cat that at the ripe old age of 3 years decided she liked to lay on the top of open doors. The vet was surprised and said she should have outgrown that by then.


10 posted on 09/26/2006 10:19:00 AM PDT by Jaded (does it really need a sarcasm tag?)
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty
Ummm, I've read that the Siberian breed of cats is often hyped as naturally hypoallergenic. The theory is that they already lack the gene that makes most other cats allergenic to many humans. They're long-haired, but several breeders' websites I've seen state that they have placed many of their kittens with people reported to be allergic to cats.

And you can buy a purebred Siberian kitten from a breeder for somewhere in the range of $700 to $800, give or take a little, which is still a lot less than you'd pay for one of the kittens mentioned in this article. More $$ if you have them ship the kitten to you. Some breeders may have adults for sale for less (retired breeding cats).

11 posted on 09/26/2006 1:11:25 PM PDT by pbmaltzman
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To: pbmaltzman

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing...why pay over three thousand if you can get a Siberian cat for $700-$1,000? I'm allergic and want a Siberian. They're beautiful cats, too.


12 posted on 09/26/2006 2:53:38 PM PDT by Nea Wood (Is cheap, illegal labor worth one life?)
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To: Hannibal Hamlin

They're tall rats.


13 posted on 09/26/2006 2:54:56 PM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty
The Van on the left kinda looks like my kitty, without the folded ears.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

14 posted on 09/26/2006 3:08:44 PM PDT by CarryaBigStick
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To: CommonSense1stOverParty
I wouldn't give you a dollar for 3,950 of them.
15 posted on 09/26/2006 3:13:47 PM PDT by 4yearlurker (12th district Freeper.)
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To: Nea Wood
Someday when I'm out of debt, I will certainly consider a purebred cat of some sort. Siberians seem to be a really great breed, from what I've read; but there are a few other breeds that sound interesting too (Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ragdoll, etc.).

I'm only slightly allergic, so I don't mind being covered in cat hair, and I prefer long-haired cats. ;)

16 posted on 09/26/2006 3:47:01 PM PDT by pbmaltzman
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To: martin_fierro
Allergy-free because he's hairless? Not sure about that. Maybe. I read that hairless cats, like the Sphynx pictured, aren't exactly low-maintenance. Their skin still gives off dander and oily secretions, and you have to wipe it off or bathe them on a regular basis.
17 posted on 09/26/2006 3:48:42 PM PDT by pbmaltzman
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To: Slings and Arrows; PetroniDE; Lady Jag

This cat has florid breakouts.

18 posted on 09/26/2006 4:00:46 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: dead

I hate the way they sneak around. One day they may let you pet it, the next day they'll scratch you. I don't like sneaky people, and I certainly don't like sneaky pets.


19 posted on 09/26/2006 5:30:33 PM PDT by Hannibal Hamlin
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To: martin_fierro; All

martin_fierro,
I'm NOT going to ask what that hand is doing under that cat in your photo. ; )

I don't know what I was thinking when I composed my comments in post 1. I actually left it unfinished.

It should have read as the following:
*People who dislike cats were rats in a previous lifetime, their CURRENT lifetime & forever shall be in ALL future lifetimes. :)-

And the way I've always viewed the statements made by cat haters that they hate them b/c they "sneak around & pounce" are just admitting that the cats are smarter than they. ;)-

But seriously, I realize that I don't know those of you in this thread that are cat haters BUT from every personal experience I've ever had interacting with/knowing folks who hated cats I found EVERY time it was actually the cat haters that were the ones that couldn't be trusted. I know there is usually an exception to every rule...it's just that I haven't run into any such exception in this matter.

I also don't trust those that hate dogs {incl a certain ethnicity that I won't discuss in this "fun" thread}. The only exception I have w/ folks that don't like dogs are the ones who had a personal bad experience w/ one...usually meaning actually getting bitten/attacked by one...& in those cases it's more like fear than hatred.

It is actually the saliva that contains the chemical the article refers to that is the cause of cat allergies. The cats bathe themselves leaving the chem behind then the chem dries & gets on surfaces & into the air. And this is usually the cause & not literally the hair itself.

BTW, Whenever I see Sphinx cats I always want to give them warm clothes even though I dislike the general idea of "dressing up" pets....b/c some people really end-up making their pets look undignified. : )- *Noteworthy exception: "Frank" the Pug from MIB2 actually looked very dignified in the MIB suit...too bad it wasn't on him for very long. : )


20 posted on 09/26/2006 6:45:41 PM PDT by CommonSense1stOverParty (The more I get to know humans the more I love my cats & dogs. =^_^=)
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