Hypoallergenic by natureThanks to the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) ancestors of Bengals they normally have silky, single layer coats (pelts) that require minimal maintenance. Because they only have a single layer of fur as opposed to two or three (like regular domestic cats), that means less saliva adheres to it. This means less reaction in the majority of people with cat allergies. Normal domestic cats have two to three layers of fur which are courser and due to this, their fur holds onto more saliva which causes allergic reactions for some.
Something we noticed from a litter earlier this year is that longhair carrying Bengals can cause more of a reaction than kittens that do not carry the gene. Gerald carried longhair and passed it down which was a huge factor in choosing to retire him. My son has a test confirmed moderate allergy to cats (tested because we got a regular domestic cat in 2014 that we ended up rehoming). He cannot hold a regular cat for more than a minute before his symptoms become intolerable (very red itchy eyes, pouring sinuses, itching, & headache). If he lives in a house with one he develops a persistent cough. He has been living with our Bengals since the beginning of 2017 with no cough and is even able to handle our Bengal cats and kittens without symptoms or minimal symptoms when kittens are in the throws of the fuzzy stages. There is no guarantee that all people with a cat allergy will be nonreactive, but we are happy to schedule a visit if you want to see how you react. We can also mail a scent cloth for a $5 fee if you are long distance and want to test whether you will have a reaction. It should be a good indication whether the kitten of interest will cause a reaction. |