We all have friends or family members who would love to be able to hold or be near cats, but they suffer from allergies to cat dander. They may have symptoms ranging from itchy eyes, sore throats, runny noses, skin rashes or exacerbation of asthma. This has made living in the same household a difficult choice. Fortunately, through scientific progress there is a new diet available made by Purina called Purina Pro Plan LiveClear which may eliminate that allergic reaction allowing EVERYONE to hug their beloved cats.

Researchers discovered that all cats regardless of breed or coat length (even hairless breeds) produce an allergen (protein) in their saliva and skin cells known as Fel d1. This allergen is spread to the hair coat of your cat when they groom themselves. The allergen then is spread throughout the home by shedding of the hair and dander making it impossible to avoid even when the allergic person doesn’t hold or pet the cat.

In studies performed by Purina, a protein derived from eggs was found to bind and neutralize Fel d1. When this egg protein is added to your cat’s diet, the Fel d1 is no longer able to trigger an allergic response in sensitive people. The diet becomes effective after three weeks of exclusive daily feeding. The diet will need to be fed continuously to achieve lasting relief from allergies.

Through firsthand experience we have found this diet to be effective at preventing allergic reactions in previously affected individuals. We don’t know if it will work 100% of the time for all households. The diet is safe for all ages of cats and meets all your cat’s nutritional needs. In a couple of cases where this diet was fed to cats suffering from metabolic diseases, the cats encountered no ill effects. In the future we can expect this scientific breakthrough to spread and be included in a wider array of diets currently available.

The reduction or elimination of allergies to cat dander with diet control is a “game changer”. Kudos to Purina for their research and hooray for cat lovers everywhere!