Vaccine could cure cat allergies, study suggests

Sniffly-nosed kitten-lovers rejoice: A new vaccine could soon banish allergies to cats.

The vaccine isn't ready for prime time yet, but a new study finds that the shots are safe, researchers reported March 31 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. They're also effective at reducing allergic reactions, the researchers reported.

About 10 percent of people are allergic to cats. Currently, the only solutions are to stay far away from felines or to get multiple injections of kitty allergens to help the body build up a tolerance. But that process can take years, wrote McMaster University immunologist and study researcher Mark Larche.

Larche and his colleagues developed the vaccine by isolating the protein shed by cats that causes the most allergic reactions. They then used blood samples from people with cat allergies to determine which segment of the cat protein binds to and activates immune cells. (An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system interprets benign substances, such as cat dander, as invaders and launches an attack.)


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Stress can make cats ill: study

Researchers hope cat owners and vets will look at a sick cat's environment before deciding on euthanasia.

In a three-year study, Ohio State University researchers found healthy cats showed signs of illness when stressed and sick cats became healthier when stress levels were reduced.

The 20 sick cats in the study were all diagnosed with a chronic pain syndrome that affects a cat's bladder and were scheduled to be euthanised.

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The researchers say about 1.5 per cent of house cats have lower urinary tract diseases and many pet owners can't stand the messes that come with them.

As a result, they say millions of sick cats are euthanised or turned over to shelters every year.

To cats, stress might be unwanted attention, a dirty litter box or strange noises.

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