Allergic to Cats? New Cat Food Reduces Cat Allergens

Love cats but you or someone in your household suffers from cat allergies? Managing cat allergens is a struggle for the one in five adults who are sensitized to cat allergens. To help keep cats and the people who love them together, Purina has introduced a new cat food designed to assist in the management of cat allergies. The culmination of more than a decade of research, Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is the first cat food to reduce the allergens in cat hair and dander.

“Many people think that cat hair is the root of their problem,” explains Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD, immunologist for Nestlé Purina Research and lead investigator on the research that led to the development of Pro Plan LiveClear, “but it’s actually what’s on it—the major cat allergen called Fel d 1, a protein that cats produce naturally in their saliva.”

All cats produce Fel d 1, regardless of breed, age, hair length, sex or body weight. When cats groom, Fel d 1 gets on the hair and skin through the saliva, and eventually into the environment.

The key ingredient in Pro Plan LiveClear is a specific protein sourced from eggs. When cats eat LiveClear, the protein binds to the Fel d 1 and safely neutralizes it in the cat’s mouth.
By reducing active Fel d 1 in the cat’s saliva, it reduces the allergen that is transferred to the cat’s hair and dander when they groom, ultimately reducing the allergen in the environment.

Pro Plan LiveClear was shown to reduce the allergens in cat hair and dander by an average of 47 percent in as little as three weeks when fed daily.

Cat safety was critically important when developing the product. “As a cat lover and veterinarian, my focus is on the health and safety of the cats under my care. The beauty of Pro Plan LiveClear is that it reduces cat allergens in cat hair and dander without impacting the physiology of the cat,” explained Kurt Venator, Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina. “Because scientists don’t know exactly why cats produce Fel d 1, our goal was to neutralize it rather than inhibit its production.” A six-month safety study also showed that the egg product ingredient coating the LiveClear kibble is completely safe for cats to eat. The action happens in the cat’s mouth, but once swallowed, the ingredient is digested like any other protein.

This complete and balanced dry cat food is meant to be fed daily and comes in three formulas—Adult Chicken & Rice, Adult Salmon & Rice, and Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Turkey & Oat Meal. With this groundbreaking approach to cat allergen management, the quality of life for allergic cat owners and the cats they love just got better!