Do You Actually Need to Buy Hypoallergenic Cat Food

Sometimes, you have to wonder if the pet food manufacturers make up a market for their "specially formulated" pet foods on their own. For instance, what is with all the hypoallergenic cat food that's all over the place now.

They first sell you cheap, mass-produced pet food that's full of all the ingredients that cats are not supposed to eat. Then the food produces all these undesirable allergies and intolerances in your cat. Finally, they tell you that your cat seems to be oversensitive to its food, and they try to sell you hypoallergenic cat food. That's what they call making money hand over fist.

But what are we talking about here? What do they put into hypoallergenic cat food (or dog food) that's supposed to not aggravate anything in your cat?

Well, if it's hypoallergenic pet food, they claim that since animal proteins are the main culprits, they take that completely out. Instead, they use a lot of hydrolyzed chicken, soybean oil, cellulose and starch.

The advertise their products as having no intact animal proteins, in fact; the hydrolyzed chicken is supposed to make sure that no proteins in there is intact and in their natural form.

What is this "hydrolyzation", anyway? What kind of process is this? Well, let's just say that you wouldn't ever want to eat anything that was "hydrolyzed". It's a process where they chemically treat meat, and grind it up until it's a completely homogeneous paste. They then treat it under heat and pressure so that its completely neutralized and sterilized.

Unless you actually buy cheap pet food that's made out of stuff that cats and dogs were never supposed eat in the first place, it's not likely that your pets will never develop any allergies at all.

If you do have to feed your cat inexpensive cat food, at least, make sure that you don't stick with one brand for a long time. If you switch brands often, your cat will get different kinds of proteins sources.

It's very important actually that cats are just fed food that's meant for cats. Cats are not meant to eat meat or rice - filler that is abundantly used in cheap cat food.

You need to make sure that your cat food contains lots of moisture, lots of regular muscle meat, just a little bit of fruit and vegetables, and some animal fat. When a cat is fed a natural diet, there is no way that it's ever going to become allergic to anything.

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Hypoallergenic Cats - How to Find A Cat That Does Not Bother Your Allergies So Much

Many people have been asking about the existence of hypoallergenic cats. The truth is that there is no such thing as true hypoallergenic cats. Despite this fact, there are some that tend to be less difficult on the allergies than most others. While there is no such thing as true hypoallergenic cats, a company is claiming that they have genetically produced the first true hypoallergenic kitty. Reviews from several people are reporting that this is the case, but it will be years before most people can afford one of these.

Here are a few tips to finding cats that will not bother your allergies as much as most.

1. Get A Siberian Cat. Many experts will tell you that these cats are naturally hypoallergenic. They are great lovable cats that are prominently found in Russia, but you can get them in the United States too.

2. Bathe Your Cat Regularly. Cats hate water. They absolutely despise it. They will run around in the rain outside, but they do not want to be near any streams or lakes. Despite all of the stereotypes regarding cats and water, it is entirely possible to get one to stand in a bathtub for a bath. The cat will have much less dander and shed less if you can train them to appreciate a bath. After you have bathed your cat a few times, they will get used to this activity and will not fight you at bath time.

3. Get Any Short Haired Cat. Short haired ones tend to be closer to hypoallergenic cats than others. The hair that they shed will not show up in your carpet as much as other cats and you may find that the cat agrees with your sinuses.

4. Try to get used to the cat if you really want him. Our bodies react differently to allergies. Many people have reported that they do not have as many problems with allergies after they have been around the same cat for a few weeks. I know that this has been the case for me, as I got used to the cat that was bothering my allergies. Now he can sit on my lap every day, and I do not have any problems with him.

In the future, we will likely see more and more hypoallergenic cats as science improves. It remains to be seen if the cats genetically produced are truly hypoallergenic, but the early results appear to be promising. As these cats become a part of the cat population, it is expected that the cost of a true hypoallergenic animal will go down considerably.

If you really want a new four legged furry friend now, you should look into the options available to you today.

Kevin Highfill writes about pets [http://www.online4pets.com/] and pet related topics at [http://www.online4pets.com/].

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Hypo Allergenic Pets

Allergies and Asthma are a common concern for families today considering pets, my family included. However, there are some animals available that are hypo-allergenic. This DOES NOT mean that that they are non-allergenic. Hypo-allergenic simply means that they produce fewer allergens, and people with slight to medium strength allergies may be fine with these pets. People with severe asthma and allergies may still have allergic reactions when around pets. In this case, you are better off looking for a pet that is entirely hairless, as there is little to no dander involved.

If you know you are allergic to pets, but not sure on the specific animals or the strength of your allergies, I would recommend getting an allergy test. That way you will know for sure what animals you are allergic to, and this will help you learn what to avoid. If you want to learn the strength of your allergies, although it may not be enjoyable if you aren't an animal lover at heart, I have found the easiest way to determine the strength of your allergies is to meet with these pets directly. If you have chosen this method, remember to bring plenty of Kleenex, and keep an allergy medication on hand just in case.

Make sure not to jump into the test too quickly. Do not approach the pet right away, allow them to approach you. You need to know whether you can stand to be in the same house as the pet before you actually handle him/her. If after sitting in the same area as the pet for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour you are still comfortable, then try handling the pet. Cuddle, play, or brush the pet to see how well you react to the animal's dander. If you are okay with handling the pet, than that breed may be okay for you. Remember that each pet within the breed is different, if you are okay with one cat, you may not be with another. When purchasing a pet you need to spend some time with him/her first to determine how allergic you are to him/her specifically.

Hypo-Allergenic Dogs -- Hairless Breeds

If you have your heart set on a dog, and your allergies are moderate, there are several breeds available that may be ideal for you. There are hairless breeds of dogs that should be the easiest to deal with. They look slightly different from a coated dog, however will still provide the same love and affection to the family. Some breeds of hairless dogs include:

Chinese Crested (this breed can be coated or hairless)

American Hairless Terrier

Mexican Hairless dogs (this breed can vary in size from 10 to 50lbs)

Peruvian Hairless dogs

These dogs may require special care, as they are more susceptible to acne or sunburn. Their skin can become dried out fairly easily, however this can be treated with a moisturizing cream. Although this seems to be extra effort, these dogs are known for being clean and easy to wash, and they are also less likely to catch fleas and other parasites than coated dogs.

Hypo-Allergenic Dogs -- Coated Breeds

There are both large and small breeds of coated hypo-allergenic dogs. The smaller hypo-allergenic dogs are extremely energetic, active and intelligent. Because they are intelligent, they are known to get bored easily and can find more creative ways to entertaining themselves. Some common breeds of smaller dogs include:

Shih Tzu

Poodle and Poodle Hybrids (shih-poo, malti-poo, terripoo, poogle, etc.)

Terriers (Jack Russell, Kerry Blue, Silky, Soft-Coated Wheaten, etc.)

Lhasa Apso
Beagle

Bichon (Frise, Maltese, Bolognese)

Schnauzer

All of these dogs are single coated, therefore produce less allergens. If you are considering one of these breeds, be sure to test yourself around them. I personally have a poodle hybrid (shih-poo) and yet can't be around Terriers or Beagles. Also remember that each dog is different and a terrier that a friend or family member has may be different to deal with.

Hypo-Allergenic Cats

Hypo-allergenic cats do not exist, however there are hairless cats. Hairless cats are very rare, with the most common type of hairless cat being the Sphynx (or Canadian Hairless). These hairless cats are very expensive, however, can be excellent pets. They need to be bathed weekly as they don't have hair to absorb their natural oils. Other than that, if socialized properly they can be as loving and affectionate as an everyday cat.

Although there are no hypo-allergenic cats, people can adjust to regular cats, as every cat has a different dander. If you find a cat whose dander you can deal with. They may be an acceptable pet.

Alternatively, if you are a cat lover and want to have a regular kitten, there are medications that an owner can take to adjust to the dander. These medications must be administered by a doctor, and are generally an injection. For more information on the medications available, speak to your family doctor.

Other Hypo-Allergenic Pets

Each pet has different allergen triggers, therefore you can solve allergy problems with other animals...

Please visit our website for more information on Hypo-Allergenic Pets.

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