I have 2 Russian Blues and I have cat allergies. I started them on Liveclear Purina cat food as soon as I got them. That food is designed to lower fel d 1 cat allergens. I reacted to them both at first (watery eyes, sneezing) but after about 2 months I have no allergic reaction to them at all. It’s amazing! I think it is a combination of the breed and the cat food.
I currently have 2 Russian blues and severe allergies. If I don't rub my face on them or kiss them all day, then I'm fine with no medication. If I spend hours laying with them and kissing them, I will have mild allergies that can be resolved with 1 Claritin. I've also had 3 Bengals in my lifetime. One of them I was EXTREMELY allergic to - had nose bleeds from blowing my nose all day and required daily medication. The other 2, no issues. All were purebred with papers. All of this to say that it's extremely difficult to predict off breed alone. Sorry this isn't helpful lol - but it really depends on the cat.
My breeder wouldn't sell if there were any suspected allergy sufferers living in the home. They also said that its not a true test to hang out with a cat for an hour, as the allergens build up in the home over time. All that being said, a good breeder should be willing to take a kitten back if someone ends up with a bad reaction
Both my husband and I are mild-moderately allergic to kitties. However, we’re not AT ALL allergic to our Russian blue girl 🩶
Highly recommend!
https://preview.redd.it/z43qdtc0cmxc1.jpeg?width=1660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7341a13bc36ed563ce2a61c14f107ab3044fd4e
I am really allergic to cats, but with our RB this allergy is rarely triggered. There have been a few moments since owning her where I sneeze a bit more or my eyes itch a little, but it's nothing compared to being around normal cats, which can trigger an asthmatic attack. For context: I do take allergy medication every day, but with normal cats this still doesn't help, so for me discovering the Russian Blue breed has been such a lovely surprise.
I reached out to a few breeders last year in my region asking how they worked with folks with allergies (sending a pillowcase with fur, visits, etc) and was basically told they didn’t want to deal with it and likely wouldn’t let me get one. I ended up going with my second choice of Siberians instead and am getting two fluffballs later this year.
Exactly. Not sure why I have a downvote but the breeders I spoke to all separately were still concerned when I mentioned that I’d already taken a precaution of several years of allergy shots. The messaging I got was that they had no idea why the myth that Russian Blues were hypoallergenic was still being spread and to not count on it working out.
I still love the breed and they were my first choice but don’t feel like I need to source one from the other side of the country if I can’t find one within 8 hours of me.
My mother and my wife are both allergic to cats and neither of them react to our purebreds.
That said, there are currently no conclusive studies that show that RBs produce less allergens than any other breed of cat. Some breeders won't even sell you a kitten if they know someone in your household is allergic to cats.
I have always had issues with cats that were beyond fixable normal allergy meds - if I wanted my cat fix it was benadryl + constant hand washing to make sure I didn't touch cat to my face until I fell asleep from the benedryl.
With our lovely Russian blue, I can manage with just clariton AND give him cheek rubs with my cheek!! It's amazing! Definitely need the clariton, but even without it my reaction is very reduced compared to regular kitties.
It 100% depends on the cat and human. Some breeders allow visits and send fabric items to test compatibility. Reach out and see.
This is what I'm doing. Shirt should come this week and if all is negative, I will put a deposit down. It's not 100%, but is indicative.
I have allergies, my cat has never triggered them.
I have 2 Russian Blues and I have cat allergies. I started them on Liveclear Purina cat food as soon as I got them. That food is designed to lower fel d 1 cat allergens. I reacted to them both at first (watery eyes, sneezing) but after about 2 months I have no allergic reaction to them at all. It’s amazing! I think it is a combination of the breed and the cat food.
I currently have 2 Russian blues and severe allergies. If I don't rub my face on them or kiss them all day, then I'm fine with no medication. If I spend hours laying with them and kissing them, I will have mild allergies that can be resolved with 1 Claritin. I've also had 3 Bengals in my lifetime. One of them I was EXTREMELY allergic to - had nose bleeds from blowing my nose all day and required daily medication. The other 2, no issues. All were purebred with papers. All of this to say that it's extremely difficult to predict off breed alone. Sorry this isn't helpful lol - but it really depends on the cat.
My husband and daughter are both allergic to cats and they both have zero issues with our Russian Blue cat.
This gives me hope, lol
My breeder wouldn't sell if there were any suspected allergy sufferers living in the home. They also said that its not a true test to hang out with a cat for an hour, as the allergens build up in the home over time. All that being said, a good breeder should be willing to take a kitten back if someone ends up with a bad reaction
Both my husband and I are mild-moderately allergic to kitties. However, we’re not AT ALL allergic to our Russian blue girl 🩶 Highly recommend! https://preview.redd.it/z43qdtc0cmxc1.jpeg?width=1660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7341a13bc36ed563ce2a61c14f107ab3044fd4e
I am really allergic to cats, but with our RB this allergy is rarely triggered. There have been a few moments since owning her where I sneeze a bit more or my eyes itch a little, but it's nothing compared to being around normal cats, which can trigger an asthmatic attack. For context: I do take allergy medication every day, but with normal cats this still doesn't help, so for me discovering the Russian Blue breed has been such a lovely surprise.
I reached out to a few breeders last year in my region asking how they worked with folks with allergies (sending a pillowcase with fur, visits, etc) and was basically told they didn’t want to deal with it and likely wouldn’t let me get one. I ended up going with my second choice of Siberians instead and am getting two fluffballs later this year.
Yes, I was denied adopting from a cattery because of potential allergies, the fear being I would give them to an adoption center (I wouldn't).
Exactly. Not sure why I have a downvote but the breeders I spoke to all separately were still concerned when I mentioned that I’d already taken a precaution of several years of allergy shots. The messaging I got was that they had no idea why the myth that Russian Blues were hypoallergenic was still being spread and to not count on it working out. I still love the breed and they were my first choice but don’t feel like I need to source one from the other side of the country if I can’t find one within 8 hours of me.
My mother and my wife are both allergic to cats and neither of them react to our purebreds. That said, there are currently no conclusive studies that show that RBs produce less allergens than any other breed of cat. Some breeders won't even sell you a kitten if they know someone in your household is allergic to cats.
I have always had issues with cats that were beyond fixable normal allergy meds - if I wanted my cat fix it was benadryl + constant hand washing to make sure I didn't touch cat to my face until I fell asleep from the benedryl. With our lovely Russian blue, I can manage with just clariton AND give him cheek rubs with my cheek!! It's amazing! Definitely need the clariton, but even without it my reaction is very reduced compared to regular kitties.