Cats
Cat Breeds
Have allergies but want cats? Consider these breeds.
By
Franny Syufy
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Franny Syufy
Franny Syufy is a cat expert with over two decades of experience writing about feline anatomy and medical conditions. She is a professional member of the Cat Writers' Association, won the prestigious PurinaOne Health Award for her writing. Franny has also authored two books on cat care.
Learn more about The Spruce Pets'Editorial Process
Updated on 04/15/24
Reviewed by
Alycia Washington
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Reviewed byAlycia Washington
Alycia Washington is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with nearly a decade of experience as a small animal emergency veterinarian. She currently works as a relief veterinarian for various emergency and specialty hospitals. Dr. Washington recognizes the importance of education and also works as a freelance veterinary writer.
Learn more about The Spruce Pets'Veterinary Review Board
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If you have mild cat allergies and want to be a cat parent, it's still possible to adopt the right feline friend to join your family—simply choose from hypoallergenic cat breeds. Cat allergies are caused by a protein called Fel d 1. When cats groom themselves, Fel d 1 gets on their fur and dander, exposing you to it. While no cat is truly free of allergens, breeds referred to as hypoallergenic have lower levels of the Fel d 1 protein, making them a potentially better option for people with allergies.
Learn more about these 14 hypoallergenic cat breeds.
Tip
Most people who have cat allergies aren’t allergic to a cat’s fur but rather the proteins in their saliva, urine, and dander (skin flakes). Consistently cleaning the areas of your home where your cat spends a lot of time can help reduce some of these allergens.
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Siberian
Because of their triple coat, you might be surprised to learn that the Siberian is considered hypoallergenic. The Siberian cat's claim in the hypoallergenic department stems from the belief that this breed produces relatively little of the Fel d 1 allergen compared to other cats. However, there still is little scientific proof of this. These cats have very thick coats, though they don’t tend to mat or tangle. Weekly brushing is usually all they need.
Breed Overview
Height: 9 to 11 inches
Weight: 10 to 20 pounds
Coat and Color: Moderately long to long hair; triple coat; course to soft; any color or pattern
Life Span: 10 to 18 years
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Siamese
The popular Siamese is also supposed to be a low-allergen cat breed, though there is no definitive scientific evidence to that point. These curious cats sport a low-maintenance coat that doesn’t shed much and only needs weekly brushing. But they generally love to be around their favorite humans as much as possible, which might trigger some people’s allergies.
Breed Overview
Height: 8 to 10 inches
Weight: 8 to 10 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; seal, chocolate, lilac, and blue; colorpoint
Life Span: Up to 12 years
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Bengal
If you have allergies, a Bengal can be a good option to consider because, even though they produce the same amount of Fel d 1 as other breeds, their low-maintenance and low-shed coat means they don’t need to groom as much. These wild-looking cats are very affectionate, smart, and playful, with a high energy level.
Breed Overview
Height: 13 to 16 inches
Weight: 12 to 20 pounds
Coat and Color: Short or long hair; brown tabby, seal mink tabby, black silver tabby, seal silver lynx point, seal sepia tabby, seal silver sepia tabby, seal lynx point, seal silver mink tabby
Life Span: Up to 15 years
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Russian Blue
The Russian blue is generally an even-tempered cat breed that anecdotally is good for people with mild cat allergies. Their plush, shimmering coat is somewhat low-shedding and typically only requires weekly brushing. In fact, these quiet and gentle cats often love sitting with their favorite humans to be brushed.
Breed Overview
Height: 8 to 10 inches
Weight: 8 to 12 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; steel blue
Life Span: Up to 20 years
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Sphynx
Although sphynx cats are commonly described as "hairless," they do have a fine, downy fuzz that feels almost suede-like when stroked. Like all cat breeds, sphynx cats produce dander. But if bathed frequently—which the cat needs anyway to remove excess oil from their skin—the dander's presence can be minimized.
Breed Overview
Height: 8 to 10 inches
Weight: 10 to 12 pounds
Coat and Color: Peach fuzz; any color and pattern
Life Span: 8 to 14 years
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Devon Rex
The Devon rex has a wavy coat that doesn’t tend to shed much, which minimizes the spread of dander and other allergens in your home. These cats are outgoing and playful, and they prefer to be involved in what their humans are doing. So, they aren’t the right choice if you’re away from home a lot.
Breed Overview
Height: 10 to 12 inches
Weight: 8 to 10 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; any color
Life Span: 9 to 15 years
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Cornish Rex
Some people believe the short, wavy coat of the Cornish rex doesn't tend to shed as much dander as longhaired cats or cats with dense coats. Rex cats only have a fine undercoat and no topcoat at all. These cats are generally very intelligent and active, with a lot of energy and a preference for being the center of attention, so they aren’t ideal for those looking for a low-maintenance cat.
Breed Overview
Height: 12 to 14 inches
Weight: 6 to 10 pounds
Coat and Color: Short, curly hair; blue, brown, black, chocolate, cream, red, smoke, and lilac in various patterns
Life Span: Up to 20 years
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Javanese (Colorpoint Longhair)
The Javanese resulted from a cross with a Balinese and colorpoint shorthair, creating a Siamese-like cat with long hair and a wider coat color range. These cats don’t have an undercoat, meaning they don’t shed much and only need a weekly brushing. Thus, they spread fewer allergens, which might work for people with mild cat allergies. They also have a great personality; they’re talkative, intelligent, outgoing, and playful. They want a lot of attention, though, so be sure you have the time and energy for this breed.
Breed Overview
Height: 18 to 20 inches
Weight: 5 to 10 pounds
Coat and Color: Fine, silky without downy undercoat; lynx point, tortie point, or solid point in cream, fawn, smoke, cinnamon, and red
Life Span: 10+ years
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Balinese
The Balinese is nearly identical to the Siamese cat breed in most regards, except for their long coat and full plume tail. Despite their coat length, the affectionate and active breed is known for being a low-shedder and just needs a weekly brushing. These cats also might have less of the Fel d 1 protein that causes allergies than many other cats.
Breed Overview
Height: 6 to 7 inches
Weight: 8 to 12 pounds
Coat and Color: Long hair; creamy white with various color points
Life Span: 12 to 20 years
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Oriental
The Oriental is a cross of several cat breeds, including the American shorthair, Abyssinian, and Siamese. These athletic, playful, and intelligent cats are moderate shedders that require brushing a couple of times a week. Rubbing them with a damp cloth also can help to remove dead hair and dander to minimize allergens.
Breed Overview
Height: 8 to 10 inches
Weight: 6 to 12 pounds
Coat and Color: Long hair; white, black, chocolate, blue, caramel, red, fawn, apricot, cream, lilac, and cinnamon in colorpoint, tortoiseshell, bicolor, tabby, or solid
Life Span: Up to 15 years
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Burmese
Burmese cats don’t shed much, so they aren’t as likely to trigger allergies, and they also don’t require a lot of brushing. These friendly and affectionate cats have high exercise needs, and they are very playful. They enjoy being around people, and love to cuddle. They’ve even been compared to dogs because they are so devoted to their humans.
Breed Overview
Height: 9 to 13 inches
Weight: Up to 14 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; champagne, blue, platinum, and sable variations
Life Span: Up to 18 years
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Snowshoe
A hybrid of the American shorthair and Siamese, the Snowshoe has four white paws, a colorpoint coat, and a personality similar to the Siamese. These are very friendly and affectionate cats who get along well with dogs and other cats. They’ll also “talk” to you and can be quite vocal and demanding of attention. Their short coat doesn’t shed much, so they might be an option for those with mild allergies.
Breed Overview
Height: 8 to 13 inches
Weight: Up to 12 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; colorpoint with blue or sable points, white chest, white paws, and white parts of the face
Life Span: Up to 15 years
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Ocicat
The beautiful and wild-looking Ocicat is vocal, playful, friendly, and energetic. You can even teach them to do tricks. They might be a good choice for those with allergies to cats because they don’t shed much. Brushing their coat often will also help keep the hair that does shed from getting all over your house.
Breed Overview
Height: 9 to 11 inches
Weight: Up to 15 pounds
Coat and Color: Short hair; lavender, silver, blue, fawn, chocolate, or cinnamon
Life Span: Up to 15 years
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Selkirk Rex
While the Cornish rex and Devon rex are typically high-energy cats, the Selkirk rex is much more laidback. But like the other rex cats, this breed also has a wavy coat that sheds minimally. Brushing at least a couple of times a week is ideal to remove dead hair and tangles, as well as to limit this cat's ability to spread allergens.
Breed Overview
Height: 9 to 11 inches
Weight: 9 to 16 pounds
Coat and Color: Short or long hair; any color in various patterns
Life Span: Up to 15 years
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Is There Such a Thing As A Hypoallergenic Cat?
Anecdotal reports claim some breeds might be less likely totrigger allergies. This is in part thanks to their lower-than-average amount of shedding, but most importantly, it comes down to the allergenic proteins that naturally occur in their bodies.
There are a variety of hypoallergenic cats with unique temperaments and appearances, so before welcoming your new pet, it's important to learn about each breed's traits to ensure they're compatible with your household.
Tips For Owning a Hypoallergenic CatTips For Owning a Hypoallergenic Cat
Do plenty of research into hypoallergenic cat breeds to figure out which one is truly right for you. Learn about each breed’s behavioral tendencies, personality, and more. Once you have a breed that you’re interested in, try to meet one of those cats in person to see how you react to them.
Maintain a Clean Home
Even if your cat is considered hypoallergenic, it’s still best to clean your home often to remove any hair and dander that they’ve shed. This can help keep allergic reactions at bay.
Brush Your Cat Often
Brushing your cat to remove loose fur can help prevent it from ending up throughout your home and accumulating over time. Set a schedule to brush your cat regularly, such as once a week or more often.
Consider Your Cat's Diet
Certain cat foods are marketed as helping to reduce allergens, but talk to your veterinarian if you aren’t sure if those foods are right for your pet.
Breeds to Avoid
High-shedding cat breeds tend to be worse for people with allergies because the allergens get trapped in their coats and spread wherever they lose their fur. Some of these high-shedders include:
- Persian
- Maine Coon
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Himalayan
- Manx
- Cymric
The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bonnet B, Messaoudi K, Jacomet F, et al. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen.Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. 2018;14(1):14.
