What If There Was a Way To Manage Cat Allergens Through Food

As a veterinarian, I’m passionate about pets and the people who love them. With this in mind, I know that many cat-owning households struggle to manage cat allergens. In fact, as many as one in five adults globally are sensitive to cat allergens.

This means some pet owners limit their interactions with the cats they love, as current methods for managing cat allergens often include reducing time spent or activities with the cat, isolating the cat in the home or the heartbreaking decision that no one wants to make — removing the cat from the home altogether.

My colleague and fellow veterinarian Dr. Lauren Pagliughi is one such pet owner. “For a long time, I have had to limit my physical contact with my cats, Daniella and Cecilia, due to my sensitivity to cat allergens.”

These are recommendations that many veterinarians, including myself, do not like to make, because they weaken the human-animal bond.

So, when Nestlé Purina’s team of scientists introduced an innovative method that would transform the way people like Dr. Lauren manage cat allergens — essentially reducing exposure to the major cat allergen, Fel d 1, rather than reducing time spent with the cat, I was excited to be able to share this breakthrough with my clients.

Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is the first cat food shown to reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander beginning in the third week of daily feeding.

After more than a decade of research, Purina scientists unveiled this innovative method at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress 2019.

Nestlé Purina innovation brings you closer to your cat

Dr. Lauren has experienced the benefits of this innovation from both sides of the examination table. “Pro Plan LiveClear has enabled me to develop a stronger bond with Daniella and Cecilia. Now, I can work in my office and allow my cats to snuggle on my lap.”

“Daniella and Cecilia are thriving on this diet, and all of us could not be happier with the positive changes. I can’t wait to share this innovation with other cat owners who are looking for options to reduce cat allergens in their homes as well,” says Dr. Lauren.

Like Dr. Lauren, I look forward to being able to tell more cat owners about this revolutionary approach to managing cat allergens.

We’re already hearing feedback on how owners sensitive to cat allergens can now cuddle with their cats instead of having to avoid direct contact. One owner told us that now she doesn’t just tell her cats she loves them, but she also gets to show them how much she loves them every single day.

At Purina, we imagine a world where nutritional innovation can be life changing. It’s exciting to be part of a team that brings innovation and passion together because it results in breakthroughs like this — with the potential to improve the lives of pets and the people who love them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Kurt Venator, DVM, PhD, Chief Veterinary Officer at Nestlé Purina

Dr. Kurt Venator has worked with Purina for more than 17 years and currently serves as our Chief Veterinary Officer. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University and a PhD in Zoology – Behavior & Physiology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Venator speaks across North America on the topics of small animal nutrition and veterinary medicine. He works closely with many U.S. veterinary schools to create partnerships that foster nutrition education and professional development for the veterinarians of tomorrow.

He also works actively with veterinary clinics across the country to enhance the role of nutrition in clinical practice to help pets live long, healthy lives.

Additionally, Dr. Venator directs the Purina Advisory Council, a 20-member group of world-renowned veterinarians from various medical specialties who help Purina advance pet nutrition, health and wellness across the globe.

He lives in upstate New York with his wife, three sons and three yellow Labrador Retrievers. When not working for Purina, spending time with his family or fly fishing on a winding river, Kurt still finds time to practice medicine.