There are a lot of people who adore cats but are allergic to them or simply don’t like cat hair. Naturally, they try to find cat breeds that don’t shed.
When you ask people who don’t like cats the reason behind their dislike, most of the time you will hear them complaining about the cat hair. Well, either you have allergies, don’t like cats or looking for a quick response to people giving excuses about not liking cats, cat breeds that don’t shed or shed less than other cats might be the answer you are looking for.
Let’s first clear something up. There is not such thing as hypoallergenic cat because what causes allergies are two proteins (Fel D1 and Fel D4) that are found in cats’ saliva, submandibular salivary glands and sebaceous glands in the skin. There is no cat without saliva and there is no cat without these glands so they all produce those allergens.
The reason why people blame hair for their allergies is simply cats’ love for grooming themselves. When they lick their hair, they spread the proteins in their saliva and on their skin all over their fur and although the hair itself is not originally an allergen, it becomes one.
The good new is the cat breeds that don’t shed hair or shed little do not spread those allergens as much as the shedding cat breeds. While allergies of some people are not triggered due to low exposure to these proteins, some others may show fewer or milder symptoms.
Whether you have allergies or you like wearing all black outfits like myself but don’t like cat hair all over your shirt, one of these breeds might be the one you are looking for.
1 – Sphynx
When you ask what cat breeds don’t shed, the first breed that comes to mind is often the Sphynx. According to CFA it is also one of the most popular cat breeds. Sphynx is a naturally hairless cat due to a naturally occurring genetic mutation. Well, it may have some hair on its nose and back of its ears along with a peach-fuzz like fur on its body but this is as close as it gets to hairlessness.
But this doesn’t mean that they are maintenance-free. The Sphynx needs a bath every few weeks because just like us all cats’ skin excretes oil and with no hair to absorb the oil, you need to help your little friend about it.
2 – Peterbald
Peterbald is a relatively new breed from Russia. As the name suggests, it originates from St. Petersburg and it is hairless. While a small portion of this breed may posses very short hair, even the ones with that little amount of hair don’t shed or shed very very little. Just like the Sphynx, the Peterbald requires occasional baths.
This is one of the best non shedding cat breeds and it is an affectionate, loyal and social little friend. They love attention and are likely to follow you around the house. Like all other hairless breeds cold weather can be an issue for these felines.
3 – Russian Blue
The Russian blue is a gentle cat that is easy to train. Although they have a dense coat, they shed very little and only two to three weeks once or twice a year and if you groom them properly, there shouldn’t be any issues with hair. Also they are more on the allergy-friendly side thanks to their low production of Fel D1 protein and tehy definitely have the right to bein our list of cat breeds that don’t shed.
The Russian blue is famous for its gorgeous gray-blue color, green eyes and loyalty to their owners. They are very intelligent cats who love playing and are fast runners. Although they like attention from their humans, they tend to be shy against strangers.
4 – Siamese
The next breed in our list of cat breeds that don’t shed is one of the all time favorite cat breeds. The Siamese is the visualization elegance with its blue eyes, sleek and slim figure and seal, chocolate, blue and lilac point colors. They are attention seeking and one of the most vocal cats. They are often described as having dog-like nature. They have a tendency of following their humans around and enjoy playtime especially if it involves active games such as fetch.
Their short coats are easy to groom and they require minimal care. Since they associate brushing with affection, they generally have no objection to be groomed once a week. Another common way to groom Siamese cats is dampening your hand with water and stroking the cat’s body from head to tail in order to remove the loose hair.
5 – Bengal
A mixture of wild Asian Leopard cat and US domestic cats, Bengal is the only domestic cat breed that has rosettes on its fur like a leopard or jaguar. Their shorthair doesn’t shed much and it does most of its grooming by itself with little or no human aid.
Despite their half wild genes, they are quite affectionate cats and can even become a lap cat if they choose to. The Bengal is very energetic, playful and athletic. You need to show extra attention since, just like any other pet, their behavior can easily turn into mischief or aggressiveness if they can not spend their extra energy.
