Are the Selkirk Rex and Devon Rex
hypoallergenic ?
Many allergic families live very comfortably today with a Selkirk Rex or a Devon Rex. We see it year after year, and it is precisely what led us, back in 2016, to offer an at-home allergy test.
That said, no breed can promise a complete absence of reaction for everyone : sensitivity varies as much from one person to the next as cats vary among themselves. Rather than asking you to take our word for it, we would rather let you find out for yourself, at home, how your body reacts to our cats — before the adoption, before the attachment.
What actually causes the allergy : the Fel d1 protein
Cat hair is not what triggers an allergy. The culprit is a protein called Fel d1, produced by the salivary and sebaceous glands. As the cat grooms itself, it deposits that protein onto its coat. The hair then becomes the vehicle : as it sheds, it carries the allergen into the air, onto fabrics, onto every surface.
Two positions exist — and what we ourselves observe
On the question of so-called hypoallergenic breeds, two currents sit side by side. On one hand, many breeders, veterinarians and families report a lower concentration of Fel d1 in certain breeds, the Rex among them, and daily life that is markedly easier for allergy sufferers. On the other, a number of sources remind us that no cat is truly “zero allergen” and that the amount of Fel d1 varies a great deal from one individual to another — sex, neutering and genetics all playing a part. Intact males generally produce the most ; females and neutered cats, considerably less.
We will not settle that debate for you. What we can tell you is what we have observed since 2016, test after test : for the great majority of allergic people who test the impregnated fabric taken from our Selkirk Rex and Devon Rex, the reaction is far milder than the one they describe with other cats — and very often it fades, then disappears completely, over the following days.
We already used this very method back when we bred Bengals, and the success rate of the test remains the same from one breed to the next. It is not the breed that makes the test reliable : it is the way it is carried out.
The coat : the factor rarely discussed
The question isn’t only how much allergen the cat produces, but how much ends up airborne in your living room. The Selkirk Rex’s dense curly coat, like the Devon Rex’s short wavy one, sheds far less than a classic straight coat. The hair stays in the curl instead of scattering into the air, onto fabrics, onto every surface.
One essential point about the Selkirk Rex : only cats carrying the curl — heterozygous or homozygous — offer this advantage. A straight-haired Selkirk, born of the same lines but without the curl, does not. That is why, whenever allergies are a concern in the family, we will always steer you toward a curly kitten.
These elements combine, and that is what explains the comfort so many allergic families find with a Rex. It is still not an individual guarantee : some people, however much they want to, do react.
The only way to know which side you fall on is to test your own reaction. Not a blog post’s reaction, not your neighbour’s : yours.
Our allergy test kit
We ship a test kit directly to your home : a small box closed with the Mon Chat Mouton seal, holding an impregnated fabric inside a protective pouch, and a procedure document setting out what to do, step by step. The fabric has spent more than 24 hours with our Selkirk Rex and Devon Rex, males and females alike, all of them unsterilized : it is therefore loaded with a very high concentration of Fel d1 protein and cat hair.
Choosing unsterilized cats is deliberate : they are the ones who produce the most Fel d1. The test is therefore harsher, on purpose, than daily life with a neutered kitten would be — if you pass it, the margin of safety works in your favour.
This is not a five-minute test. It is lived over several days, in your home, in your real environment. We have offered this service since 2016 and we estimate its reliability at roughly 95 % — which, for a decision of this weight, is considerable.
Shipping is $50 anywhere in Canada. To the United States, expect $70 to $90 on average. In every case the exact amount is confirmed once we have your address ; for any other destination, write to us and we will validate the rate with you.
shipping
your door
$70–90 USA
What you receive
A small sealed box
Discreet, closed with the Mon Chat Mouton seal, ready to be opened whenever you choose.
The fabric, in its protective pouch
Sealed the moment it leaves the cattery, so the Fel d1 concentration reaches you intact.
The procedure document
What to do, step by step : when to handle the fabric, for how long, and how to read what you feel.
How to read your result
No reaction at all
You handle the fabric and nothing happens : no sneezing, no itchy eyes, no tightness in the throat. That is the best possible start. We still recommend extending the test over three days at home, simply to be certain before you commit.
* Never press the fabric directly against your face. It would be a needless shock to your system, and it is hardly hygienic — our cats have groomed themselves on it.
A milder reaction than usual
There is a reaction, but nothing like the one you know elsewhere. Extend the test beyond seven days : you are the one who can judge the gap with your usual reaction. Very often the reaction fades over the days, then stops completely. We can then speak of a small initial shock that your system quickly adjusted to — which is very encouraging for an adoption.
An immediate reaction, as strong as ever
The reaction comes quickly, plainly, with the same intensity as always. The test is conclusive : this is not the right breed for you. It is a disappointing answer, but it is a real one — and it reaches you at the right moment.
* Do not prolong the exposure just to be sure. There is nothing to gain from bringing on a reaction, least of all in a child. Close the pouch and write to us.
Better to have spent a small amount on an allergy test than to have adopted a kitten, grown attached to him, and then had to find him another family. Véronique — Mon Chat Mouton
Frequently asked questions
I’m allergic to cats. Can I still adopt one ?
Possibly. It depends entirely on your sensitivity and on the cat. A mild to moderate allergy is often compatible with a Selkirk Rex or a Devon Rex ; a severe allergy, rarely. The at-home test exists precisely to answer that question in your particular case rather than in the abstract.
How long should the test last ?
At least three days if you have no reaction at all, and more than seven days if you notice a mild one. A strong, immediate reaction shows itself within the first few minutes and makes continuing pointless.
Is the test reliable ?
We have offered this service since 2016 to families everywhere, and we estimate its reliability at roughly 95 %. It does not replace a medical allergy test performed by an allergist, but it offers something no clinical test can : exposure to our cats specifically, in your own home, over several days.
What if the test is positive ? Do I lose a deposit ?
The test takes place before any commitment. That is the whole point : better to spend a small amount on a test than to adopt a kitten, grow attached, and then have to find him a new family.
Should every member of the family be tested ?
Yes — every allergic person in the household should handle the fabric. Reactions vary a great deal from one person to another, even within the same family, and a kitten enters everyone’s life.
How soon will my kit arrive ?
If we have no kit left in stock, preparation takes 24 to 48 hours. You receive a notice as soon as the parcel is ready, along with a tracking number. We do not use Canada Post but a specialized courier, which speeds delivery considerably : the parcel often reaches you the next day or the one after. In practice, expect less than a week at the very most, and sometimes barely two days.
I also have seasonal allergies. Does that change anything ?
Yes, and it matters. Do not run the test during hay fever season or during any other allergic flare-up : your immune system is already heavily taxed and the results would be distorted. Wait for a quiet stretch to get a true reading. Be aware, too, that once the cat is home, even if you generally do not react to your Selkirk Rex or Devon Rex, you may well be more sensitive to him during your flare-ups. That is not a setback : it is an immune system that already has its hands full.
Can the kit be shipped outside Canada ?
Yes. We ship the kit across Canada, to the United States and internationally. Shipping is $50 within Canada and, on average, $70 to $90 to the United States ; the exact amount depends on your address and is confirmed before we send. For any other destination, write to us and we will confirm the rate and the delivery time together.