what makes people allergic to cats

People with cat allergies are allergic to proteins in a cats saliva, urine, and dander (dried flakes of skin) . These proteins accumulate on the fur and skin of the cat during grooming and are then released into the environment as the cat sheds dander, exposing humans to the potential hazard. People with allergies have oversensitive immune systems that mistake harmless things like cat dander for dangerous invaders and attack them as they would bacteria or viruses. The symptoms of the allergy are the side effects of the bodys assault on the allergen or trigger. It is a common misconception that cat fur is the allergen, but it is actually a protein called Fel d 1 found in the cats saliva, urine, and dander. All cats produce allergens, and there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat. The types and amount of cat allergen produced can vary significantly between individual cats, and people may react more severely to one particular cat over another.