Oda the cat is a seven-year-old Devon Rex from Estonia.
Before she found her forever home, she was a breeding cat, made to get pregnant so that her kittens could be sold when they came of age.
Her current owners had been looking for a Devon Rex cat because one of them suffered from bad pet allergies.
Although they wanted to adopt a cat, they struggled to find a cat that wouldn’t trigger an allergic reaction.
And so, as a compromise, they were determined to buy an older Devon Rex cat rather than a kitten, as even an older purebred wouldn’t be as sought after.
A rare breed
For people who love cats, having a cat allergy can be a living nightmare.
Cat and dog allergies are generally the same, they both occur when a person’s immune system is oversensitive.
An allergic reaction occurs when a harmless foreign protein of a cat’s dander (dead skin cells) or saliva comes into contact with an oversensitive immune system.
The immune system tries to fight the foreign protein, causing the swelling and/or itching of membranes, which results in symptoms such as a stuffy nose and inflamed eyes.
However, for those that can’t live life without a feline friend there are some breeds of cats that shed less, and so produce fewer allergens.
One of those breeds is Devon Rexes, like Oda
No one could be allergic to Oda
Oda is a tiny little lady, she is only around 4.5 to 5.5 pounds in weight (2-2.5kg).
This could be a result of her past as a breeding cat, but Devon Rexes also tend to be petite cats so it’s hard to know.
Either way, her current owner shared that the breeder they purchased Oda from was quite reluctant to let her go.
And it’s easy to see why.
Since welcoming Oda into their home, her owners haven’t had any bad allergic reactions, as they would with other cats.
At worst they would feel some small discomfort if they got Oda’s fur in their eyes, but that wouldn’t be ideal for anyone!
Cats like Oda give hope to those suffering from cat allergies, just because you have them doesn’t mean you could never have a cat!
Sometimes it just takes finding the right one.
