Scientists reckon they’re about five years away from creating a ‘gene-edited’ cat which doesn’t cause allergic reactions in their owners.
Its estimated that about 15 per cent of people have an allergy to cats.
Researchers have zeroed-in on a sticky protein called ‘Fel d 1’, believed to cause 60-90 per cent of allergies.
The protein is present in the cat’s saliva and skin and ends up on the cat’s fur when they groom and when they shed.
Using a gene-editing tool called CRISPR, which works like molecular ‘scissors’, they were able to eliminate two genes which produce the protein.
While hairless cats are less of a problem with allergy sufferers, they’re not considered hypoallergenic.
