Man CURES his cat allergy with bizarre pet food hack - and doctor explains why his method actually works

Does your beloved pet make your teary-eyed and sniffly? It could mean you're one of the 49 million Americans who are allergic to animal fur. 

But one TikToker thinks he has stumbled upon a DIY cure for the condition. In a clip posted to the video-sharing platform, one Phoenix-based content creator claimed that he used to be allergic to his cat until he started putting egg white protein powder into his pets' cat food.

'When I Googled this it's 93 percent effective, or something like that,' he says. 'I've spoken to some vets about it...I hope this helps somebody as it did for me.'

While it might seem like fluke, allergy specialist Dr Zachary Rubin has taken to TikTok to explain the science behind this 'cure' - and says it actually works. 

It's estimated that around 15 percent of Americans suffer with pet allergies, a total of almost 50 million.

 'The vast majority of people who are allergic to cats are allergic to one particular protein that is mainly found in cats' saliva, skin cells and urine called Fel d 1, which is shorthand for felis domesticus 1,' he says in a TikTok video that's so far had 2.6 million views.

'This was the first protein discovered by scientists that could create allergy symptoms in humans. 

'Scientists later figured out when chickens are exposed to cats on a regular basis, they produce a protein called IgY antibodies.'

Dr Rubin explains that these antibodies can bind to Fel d 1 cat allergy proteins and 'essentially neutralize it.

'This protein is passively transferred into egg yolk,' he says, adding that pet food brand Purina Pro Plan has created a type of cat food that utlilizes this mechanism.' 

He adds that studies have shown that when cats are eating this food regularly everyday for four weeks, they have a 50 percent reduction in the amount of allergy proteins in the animals' saliva. 

 However, Dr Rubin adds that, while there is some science behind an approach like this, there is no guarantee that the chickens who produced the eggs in your powder were exposed to cats. 

Without cat exposure, the chickens won't produce the allergy-fighting antibodies.

Other anti-allergy treatments for cats include shampoos, sprays and powders for pet hair which aim to neutralize the proteins that trigger symptoms.

Nasal sprays, decongestant medication and immunotherapy injections are also effective for preventing symptoms.