Posted on 07/20/2013 12:47:13 AM PDT by Daffynition
A small biotech company earned global acclaim when it announced it had produced the world's first scientifically proven hypoallergenic cat. But while it seemed like a godsend to feline fanatics with allergies, an ABC's "The Lookout" investigation explored allegations that company's cats are no more hypoallergenic than other cats.
In 2006, Allerca: Lifestyle Pets , aimed to fill the niche for pet lovers plagued by allergies and touted what it billed as the world's first scientifically proven, hypoallergenic cat, ABC News reported.
Despite price tags ranging from nearly $4,000 to $28,000, Allerca had year-long wait lists for its felines.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedenverchannel.com ...
Slings-a-pings
This looks like a Bengal cat.
I’d sure hate to be allergic to cats.
Some of my best friends are cats :-)
A murky background is reported....
http://www.messybeast.com/asheras.htm
More people need to have an allergy to snake-oil-salesmen, or so it seems.
Most of my family is allergic to cats, so they can’t stay at my home.
The blessings just keep coming. ;^)
O RLY?
They say you can't train a cat....but I know you better..........
Well, if the cat is a Savannah it is not a good example. It definitely has Bengal in it, as a true Savannah cat has spots and this cat has rosettes, just like a Bengal.
Michelle Mills owns F1-Hybrids, and breeds Savannah Cats. Take a look.
http://www.f1savannahcats.com/
You are probably right.
Either breed is beautiful.
LOLOL :-) I love it....
It only seems fair - they can surely train us.
Thank’ee kindly.
As I’ve said on another forum: Simon Brodie is the most brilliant con-artist since Harold Hill. The sheer amount of wildly-successful schemes he’s come up with over the years, and the variety of ways in which he’s fleeced the rubes is absolutely amazing. I’m actually surprised he hasn’t gotten into politics yet.
But if nothing else, I KNOW that someone is going to make a movie about him someday.
Much less expensive would be a Siberian kitten, which might run around $1,000 or a purebred kitten. They are said to naturally lack a protein in their saliva which is very allergenic to humans. Breeders will sometimes send fur samples. Supposedly about 70% of people who are allergic to cats can tolerate Siberians. They are reputed to be doglike in their character. They’re big, long-haired cats with a triple coat.
He certainly has left a wake of unhappy consumers on both sides of the pond!
http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061028/news_1b28brodie.html
Cat-veat emptor!
This guy may be a scam artist, but what he claims to have done is possible, at least in principle. Most people who are allergic to cats are allergic to one specific protein that cats secrete. To make non-allergenic cats, one would only have to “knock out” that one protein so that the cat would no longer make it.
In practice, knocking out a protein might have severe and even lethal consequences, or it might have no effect on the cat. If the protein is essential for life, it may be alterable to be less allergenic.
Technically, I could genetically engineer these cats. I just need about 10 years and a lot of money to do it. Plus, I will need an animal use review board to verify that I am using my cats in an ethical manner. Researchers are ethically required to play with their lab cats and keep them clean and well fed... I could handle it.
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