The Cat Did It: Eczema Trouble

Not so very good news for cat lovers out there, especially if you have a young baby at home or are thinking of having one in the near future. A recent study carried out at the University Hospital Gentofte in Copenhagen, Denmark, has analyzed the connection between eczema, a gene mutation, and cats and reached the conclusion that cat exposure at birth may increase a child's risk of developing eczema (a recurring skin condition characterized by skin inflammation, redness, persistent rashes and dryness) during their first year, if the baby has also inherited a gene mutation that makes him or her susceptible to various environmental factors.

Eczema runs in families, so if you or any of your relatives has had it, it's quite possible that your baby will inherit the condition as well - in which case, having a cat around is not a very good idea. The research in question (which looked at 800 British and Danish babies) showed that one of the causes of recurring eczema is a specific mutation in a certain skin protein gene, which is made worse by the presence of a cat. If your baby doesn't have the gene mutation in question, the cat can stay - indeed, some older studies even alleged that the presence of a house pet such as a dog or a cat can actually cut allergy risks.

The discovery of this link between eczema, gene mutations and animal exposure may explain why some people are absolutely fine around cats and others experience eczema and allergy-like symptoms. Exposure to dogs is however completely safe, even for babies with the gene mutation in question. Dr Hans Bisgaard, who led the research team and published its findings the Public Library of Science journal, stated that "the message isn't to kill the cat. If you haven't got the mutation it doesn't matter if you have a cat. But if you have the mutation, a cat has an effect."