Attention People with Cat Allergies: You Can Own One of These Breeds!

It's a tough life, being a cat lover who can't seem to get close to a cat without breaking out into a fit of sneezes. Cats make relatively independent and affectionate companions, and, unlike dogs, they don't need daily walks.

Thankfully, there's a solution for cat lovers who don't love the effects that cats have on their allergies: hypoallergenic cat breeds. Well, "hypoallergenic" is a bit of a misnomer - there are no truly hypoallergenic breeds of cats. But there are breeds of cat that produce lower levels of the Fel d 1 protein, which is a protein that makes some people uniquely allergic to cats and not other animals. Fel d 1 protein is found in a cat's skin, saliva, and urine, according to Smithsonian magazine. Most people think that they're allergic to cat dander or hair, but in reality what they're allergic to is the cat's saliva, because when cats groom themselves they transfer the Fel d 1 protein to their hair, which humans can then get on their hands by petting the cat.

But even if you don't pet a cat, the Fel d 1 protein can cause problems. Dr. William H. Miller, a professor of dermatology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, told Smithsonian, “As the cat grooms, it covers itself in its saliva which will become aerosolized (turned into vapor) when dry. That, coupled with the cat’s habit of covering every square inch of the house, makes cat allergen very widespread."

So cats that are thought to be "hypoallergenic" either produce less of the Fel d 1 protein (the Siberian and Balinese breeds fall into this category), or they have very short hair that holds less of the Fel d 1 protein, according to PetMD. Here are 13 cat breeds that are thought to be somewhat "hypoallergenic," or at least better for people with allergies.