Block cat allergen?

Lots of people are allergic to cats, I'm one of them, so I was surprised to see a "newsletter" turn up in my emails today, it is from Purina and it is about a new cat food (for the cat) that will reduce their production of the allergen. ( Can't link to the newsletter as it seems to be a personalised link but this is a link to a Vet site that is publicising the product: https://veterinary-practice.com/news...o-launch-in-uk)

Quote:

.... Breaking News – a NEW way to manage cat allergens! Spending more time at home with our pets is one of the upsides of lockdown. But if you have a sensitivity to cat allergens, you may have experienced more symptoms than usual. Most people think that these sensitivities to cat allergens are caused by cat hair, but that's not true. This is actually caused by a sticky protein called Fel d 1. Every single cat produces Fel d 1, however, 1 in 5 of us are sensitive to these cat allergens. When cats groom themselves, they spread the saliva onto their hair and with shedding, it gets into the environment, leaving a trail of allergens throughout the house. But at last, we've made an extraordinary discovery! This discovery will help millions of cat lovers with sensitivities to cat allergens get closer to their furry companions and better still, many more people will be able to welcome a cat into their lives. ...

And from the vet site:

Quote:

.... Dr Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD, immunologist for Nestlé PURINA Research and lead investigator on the research that led to the development of PRO PLAN LiveClear, explains, “Many people think that cat hair or dander is the allergen, 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, but at differing levels. When cats groom themselves, Fel d 1 gets on the hair and skin through the saliva and with shedding, it eventually gets into the home environment. Feld d 1 spreads widely and easily, attaches itself to any surface it comes into contact with and remains in houses for over a year or more. 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 neutralises it in the cat’s mouth. By reducing active Fel d 1 in the cat’s saliva, it reduces the amount of the allergen transferred to the cat’s hair and dander when they groom, ultimately reducing the allergen in the environment. ...snip...

I know the allergen is legit and that it is in the saliva but 1) how likely is this to work outside the lab and 2) what potential downsides for the cat - one assume the protein has a function for the cat.

via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/2BC9Y72