7 Best Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds

Believe it or not, its not actually the hair itself that most people are allergic to, but proteins that are secreted by the skin (Fel d1 protein) and present in the cat’s saliva (Fel d4 protein). While there are no 100% hypoallergenic breeds, there are non-shedding cats that don’t shed nearly as much hair and dander as other breeds. These rarely cause allergic reactions, and can often be a great option for people who normally suffer around pets. We would advise spending some time with a cat of the specific breed you’re thinking of getting before you commit, to see if it will work for you and your family. Here is a list of our top 7 favourite hypoallergenic cat breeds.

#1 - Sphynx

A hairless Sphynx Cat with a hypoallergenic coat

The Sphynx cat is famed for being hairless which gives it a unique look but also some special care requirements. If you suffer from allergies a Sphynx cat could be the perfect cat for you. This is because the allergenic proteins in the cat’s saliva can’t get trapped in a Sphynx cats fur, because they don’t have any.

#2 - Cornish Rex

A Cornish Rex Cat with a beautiful tabby coat walking through the grass

Most cat’s fur is arranged in 3 layers; a top ‘guard’ hair, a middle ‘awn’ hair and a bottom ‘down’ hair. The Cornish Rex possesses only the bottom undercoat of down hair which means that they are not only very soft but they have a lot less hair than other cats. This means they shed a lot less hair and are therefore less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

#3 - Devon Rex

A young Devon Rex Cat with a hypoallergenic coat

The Devon Rex shares the same coat type as the Cornish Rex possessing only the soft down hair that makes up most cat’s undercoats. However, the Devon Rex has even less hair than the Cornish Rex and also sheds very little. As with the Cornish Rex this means they are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

#4 - Oriental

A black Oriental Shorthair Cat with a hypoallergenic coat

Oriental Shorthairs have a short, fine coat and shed very little. For best results you need to brush your Oriental regularly to help remove any loose hairs and so further reduce the amount of hair it drops.

#5 - Russian Blue

A Russian Blue Cat with a hypoallergenic coat cleaning itself

Russian Blues don’t have any special coat qualities that make them hypoallergenic but they do produce less Fel d1 - the protein that cats secrete from their skin which a lot of allergy sufferers are allergic to.

#6 - Balinese

A tabby Balinese Cat with a hypoallergenic coat

The hypoallergenic tendencies of the Balinese cats follow the same principal as the Russian Blue - their skin produces less Fel d1 which means that they are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

#7 - Siberian

A Siberian Cat with a hypoallergenic coat balancing a leaf on its head

This one may surprise you… When you see a Siberian with its beautiful long coat it can be easy to think that this breed of cat will be a nightmare for allergy sufferers. However like the Russian Blue and Balinese - the Siberian’s skin produces less Fel d1 than most other breeds so is considered hypoallergenic.

Bonus - Bengal

A Bengal Cat with a hypoallergenic coat

Many breeders and owners make claims that the Bengal has hypoallergenic properties. Although there is no evidence that they produce less Fel d1 protein, the main argument for why they are supposedly less allergenic is that their short pelt-like coat sheds a lot less hair than the average cat coat and so is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

There are many more hypoallergenic cats out there, so if this wasn't enough for you, use our cat directory to find your favourite.

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Comments

Jasper, 30 December 2023

My Devon Rex's are the most cuddlest cat's I've ever experienced. My daughter has cat allergys but is fine with them. A well behaved Devon starts with the breeder who instills good behavior early and also has a deep knowledge of the breed. With any issue we have had, she gives us advice that hasn't been wrong at all. Quality(Dr Gary Best Breed) cat food with raw chicken hearts and gizzards keeps them healthy. Costco cat food was causing bowel issues and our breeder has had customer lose cats to kidney failure or severe kidney stones. Once we swapped food out 1st Devon's litter box biscuits went back to normal.

Jorden, 29 January 2022

All my family has sensitivity to cats. Domestic short hair are the worse. However we have learned in my case and my mom can be around in close quarters the Persian, Russian blue, and main coon. My sister only the Persian . We plan on adding a cat to our family in a year or so and having seen there are other breeds that are non allergenic opens up many more options than before. This site is a nice find.

Jenai, 24 March 2021

beautiful cats

Yvette, 27 March 2020

Is there a cat that has both the down hair and a low fel9l oils in there coat. ..

An Omleteer, 26 January 2020

A long time ago, my father became allergic to cats and forbid me from having another one. I researched and found that Ragdoll cats are hypoallergenic as well. I got one and my father never had an issue with it. None of my friends with allergies were ever bothered by her coat. They have long silky hair and don't seem to have the dander that causes the allergies. I would highly recommend them.