Purina Pro Plan debuts allergen-reducing cat food

Purina Pro Plan is looking to help pet parents help manage cat allergens.

The St. Louis-based company is launching Purina Pro Plan LiveClear in April, which is a cat food that aims to reduce the allergens in cat and hair dander.

“Many people think that cat hair is the root of their problem,” Ebenezer Satyaraj, immunologist for Nestlé Purina Research and lead investigator on the research that led to the development of Pro Plan LiveClear, said. “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.”

A key ingredient in Pro Plan LiveClear is a specific protein sourced from eggs, which binds to the Fel d1 produced by felines and neutralizes it in the cat’s mouth. By reducing active Fel d 1 in the cat’s saliva, the allergen transferred to the cat’s hair and dander when they groom is reduced, the company said.

“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,” Kurt Venator, chief veterinary officer at Purina, said. “Because scientists don't know exactly why cats produce Fel d 1, our goal was to neutralize it rather than inhibit its production.”

In addition, a six-month study showed that the egg product ingredient coating the product’s kibble is safe for cats to eat, the company said.

Purina Pro Plan LiveClear will be available for purchase at Chewy.com, PetSmart, Petco, Pet Supplies Plus and other pet specialty retailers in three formulas — adult chicken and rice, adult salmon and rice, and adult sensitive skin and stomach turkey and oatmeal.

The product will launch in other markets later in the year.