Is Cat Hairs Harmful?

Question
Hello Jessica,

I heard that Cats hairs are harmful, I got a 2 months old Russian kitten and he is very hairy. people are saying you can get asthma because of cat hairs goes in food and goes through our nose.

Can you please let me know if it is True or Not.
Please give me some brief regarding the same.

I will be very thankful to you :)

Answer
Hi Rizwan,

What you are hearing is not true. Cat hairs are not harmful to most people.

There are some people who are allergic to cats. It is found that most of these people are allergic to a protein in the saliva of cats, and because cats groom themselves with their tongue, this protein is found on their fur. So people who are allergic to cats will get itchy eyes and will sneeze if they are close to a cat. It is uncommon for someone to be so allergic to a cat that they will have asthma problems because of it, but it does happen.

But the whole truth is that a cat won't GIVE you any of these problems. This is an allergy, and it's something that your own body will decide whether you are around a cat or not. But in fact, science shows that your chances of getting allergies are less if you have a cat. Having a pet helps your body develop healthier immunity to pets and other allergens.

Best wishes,
Jessica