Allergies to cat hair are now extremely widespread. Cats' coats frequently cause discomfort and problems for people who are allergic to them — colds, itching, rashes and hives that are not easy to resolve and which are further complicated by the specific symptoms of allergic asthma. The allergy is triggered by the allergen Fel d1, which originates in the feline's sebaceous glands and saliva. It is present on the coat and in salivary secretions and is released in large quantities into the surrounding environment regardless of how clean the animal is. Its small size and particular stability make it possible for it to be transported and spread — primarily via clothing and hair — even in environments not directly frequented by the household cat.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), alongside pharmacological treatments appropriate to the severity of the respiratory symptoms, represents the only option for patients who do not wish to give up living with their animal in order to minimise the risk of a progressive worsening of their clinical condition, particularly in respiratory terms. Unfortunately, however, in many cases the only possible alternative is to remove the cat responsible, with all the consequences that entails. But now it seems that a solution to the problem may be at hand.

Read also: Il siberiano, il gatto raccomandato per gli allergici al pelo felino

Cat hair allergy: now there is hope

A group of researchers at the University of Zurich has developed a vaccine against cat hair allergy to be administered to the cats themselves. The results appear promising: the vaccine is expected to be available on the market within three years at the latest. It was tested on 70 cats with positive outcomes — allergic symptoms were reduced and owners were able to start stroking their four-legged friends. What is more — and more importantly — the vaccine had no side effects on the animals whatsoever.

"In the current state of affairs, there is no certainty that feline breeds exist that do not produce Fel d1, which is the protein with the strongest allergenic potential produced by cats and responsible for 90 per cent of human allergies," explains Dr Luca Carletti, veterinary surgeon. "Only the Siberian cat appears to cause less discomfort to allergic people, and some individuals have in fact shown no allergic reactions of any kind in the presence of this breed."

It is precisely this breed that has been the subject of several specific studies regarding the hypoallergenic properties of its coat, although at present nothing definitive is known on the matter. The allergy vaccine should in any case be available on the market within a couple of years, giving all those allergic to cat hair back the joy of being able to live with their favourite animal, stroking and pampering it.