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Source: Cucco |
The world’s first hypoallergenic cats have been born through the techniques of American scientists, opening the doors of homes and the arms of millions of animal lovers who have long suffered from allergies.
Priced at $4,000 each, these hypoallergenic cats are certainly not cheap. However, the biotechnology company behind the project believes that pet owners will be happier having the opportunity to cuddle these adorable animals without triggering sneezing or breathing difficulties.
Allerca, a company based in San Diego, announced that they have created these cats using a technique known as gene isolation. After identifying the genes in cats that produce proteins known to cause allergic reactions in humans, they selectively bred these cats over several generations to produce a “super cat” that is hypoallergenic.
The company stated that customers could expect to acquire their beloved pets by early 2007 and plans to breed approximately 10,000 hypoallergenic cats annually by 2009. Currently, around 30 million people in the United States suffer from various forms of cat allergies.
However, experts also warn that it is essential to monitor the long-term health of these hypoallergenic cats to ensure that the modified genes do not lead to unforeseen side effects.
T. An
