Lovers of Turkish Angora cats, would you like to know if this breed is hypoallergenic?
Turkish Angoras are one of the world’s ancient natural breeds that originated from the Ankara region in Turkey. They’re said to be descendants from African wildcats, and they were documented as early as the seventeenth century! An interesting fact we learned about these cats is that they may have been responsible for mutations like long hair or white color we see today among domesticated felines.
For people with cat allergies, it can be hard to know if this breed is safe for your home. That’s why we’re committed to allergy sufferers to confirm if Angora cats are hypoallergenic or not.
We have also prepared a list of tips that can help you manage allergies and the spread of allergens within your home if living with a cat.
So let’s dive right in…
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Are Turkish Angoras Hypoallergenic?
Unfortunately, the Turkish Angoras are not considered to be hypoallergenic. Even though they shed less than other cat breeds, they can still affect people with severe cat allergies. If your allergies are on the mild end, you may find that you’re ok around Turkish Angoras. Despite their long hair, allergies are more frequently triggered by dander and the proteins found in cat saliva rather than the hair itself. So that’s why it also depends on your sensitivities whether you’ll react to this breed or not.
The Turkish Angora is proof of common misconceptions we often hear about cats and allergies. Many people think that cats that shed less are safer, but that’s not the case with this breed. Other people think that long fur is the biggest issue for cat allergies. But again, it runs much deeper than that.
All cats typically affect allergic reactions, such as breathing and skin allergies. The Turkish Angora can affect both.
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How to Determine If Turkish Angoras Are Hypoallergenic to You?
All pets, including our feline pals, can cause breathing and skin sensitivities, among others. To determine if a cat is truly hypoallergenic to you, it also comes down to your sensitivities and if you notice a reduced likelihood of your allergies flaring up.
We have rated the Angoras for both below but this isn’t a concrete number since the likelihood changes from allergy sufferer to allergy sufferer.
As one of the main allergies caused by cats, breathing allergies can be triggered by airborne allergens like fur and dander. And with a high dander production rate, Turkish Angoras can cause severe allergies in sensitive individuals.
Skin sensitivities, on the other hand, are generally triggered by exposure to dried saliva on the cat’s coat. These can be managed more easily, provided you upkeep proper grooming and house cleaning habits.
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Do Turkish Angoras Shed a Lot?
Fortunately, the answer is no. Turkish Angoras are low to moderate shedding cats with no seasonal blowouts. Since they are also not double coated, you shouldn’t expect to see clumps of hair all over your place. Weekly grooming and brushing can help you keep their shedding levels under control.
Angora cats are renowned for their beautiful long silky coats. The length of fur on their coat varies, with the longest hair being found on the ruff on their neck, tail, and the upper hind legs.
Despite a popular belief that long fur triggers more allergies, it’s actually not the case. All cats, including short-haired breeds, produce allergens that are worse for sensitive individuals. Dander, dried saliva and outdoor allergens can all get trapped in a cat’s coat and these get released during shedding.
Therefore, you should be ready to groom this cat regularly if you plan on bringing one home.
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Turkish Angora Saliva and Dander Exposure
The main worry for people with skin allergies is the allergy-causing protein found in these beauties’ saliva, urine, and dander.
Turkish Angoras have a moderate to high dander production rate. And without proper grooming, the dander you find throughout your home can be detrimental to allergy sufferers. Not only are dander particles lightweight and easily airborne, they can also get trapped in soft furnishings, triggering both breathing and contact allergies even if your cat isn’t physically present.
Dander isn’t the only concern.
The proteins in dander (that are really what cause the allergic reactions) are also found in saliva, urine and other substances your cat secretes. Despite cats not being big droolers, they tend to lick themselves clean, leaving a thin film of dried allergens all throughout their coat.
It’s a good thing that Turkish Angoras don’t shed that much because this is the most common way people come into contact with cat saliva (other than touching a cat of course!) Given that they also have longer, heavier fur, it’s likely most of the saliva on their coats will settle on the floor as they shed. However, it’s still possible for soft furnishings and textile surfaces to also trap cat saliva as your cat wanders throughout your home.
All in all, you can combat both dander and saliva allergies with proper grooming and house cleaning measures, so let’s get into these next.
Grooming and Coat Maintenance
Turkish Angoras are single-coated creatures that love taking care of a huge percentage of their grooming needs. Therefore, they should only be washed when necessary.
But, washing them with the wrong shampoo can affect the health of their coat and skin. The wrong shampoo can end up drying their natural skin oils resulting in a high dander production rate — so make sure you go for the good stuff instead of cheap products with harmful ingredients.
Turkish Angoras have a soft silky coat that is less prone to matting or tangles. Therefore, you should just brush them once or twice every week. It’s best to take care of their coats using a slicker brush or a fine-toothed comb. Make sure you wear protective gear as you brush their coats (like a mask and gloves) as you’ll be jostling the trapped allergens in their fur!
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In Love With the Turkish Angora and Want One Anyway? Tips for Managing Allergies
Turkish Angoras are beautiful and highly intelligent creatures, so we get it!
Nonetheless, the fact remains that this breed still produces allergens and can trigger allergies. So, we have prepared the following tips to help you manage the spread of allergens in your household. With proper preparation and training, you can live allergy-free with your dream cat breed.
Training a Turkish Angora
One of the best solutions for curbing the spread of allergens in your household is proper training. With proper training, your cat can learn to avoid doing certain things or visiting particular places in your home. Turkish Angoras are quite intelligent; therefore, we recommend the following. Train them to:
- Avoid licking you or anyone in your home
- Always stay out of your bedrooms
- Minimize outdoor adventures by training them to always stay within your home’s borders
- Keep off the textile surfaces in the house
- Teach them how to use the kitty litter properly
Fortify Your Residence
Cats are generally playful creatures that tend to get mischievous when there is no one looking. They can get into any area when there is no one at home. So, we recommend that you fortify your home with the following:
- A good quality air purifier
- HEPA filters
- Vacuum cleaners with a pet hair attachment
- Make sure you have your allergy tabs in the house
- Replace some of the textile surfaces in the house
It pays to keep up regular cleaning practices as you never know where your cat has been during the day. Having a quality duster and sweeper on hand that collects dirt and pet hair can be very effective towards reducing pet allergens in your home. We have received excellent reader feedback regarding the Swiffer products, so we have listed the duster and sweeper here:
Final Thoughts
All cats, even the hypoallergenic ones, can trigger allergies in highly sensitive individuals. Therefore, as a cat lover, if you bring home a Turkish Angora you should always be looking for a better way to fortify your home and fight allergies. The above tips can help you live peacefully with your feline pal.
Spending time around a Turkish Angora before bringing one home can also help you determine if you can peacefully coexist under the same roof or not. Your unique sensitivities play a big role in whether a Turkish Angora cat will be hypoallergenic to you or not!
