Queensland scientists are asking if cat allergies may be an evolved defence mechanism, but not all experts are convinced
What’s not to love about a kitten that makes you giggle at its playful capers, or a cat that cuddles its warm body into yours and purrs blissfully while you stroke its soft fur? While many of us relish the company of our feline friends, for others it’s a miserable experience: sneezing, red eyes, hay fever, itchy rash, breathing difficulties and even asthma are some of the allergic reactions cats can trigger in humans.
But is this a defence mechanism that they unwittingly evolved to fend off enemies? That’s what a recent study involving an incredibly cute but atypically venomous primate – the dreamy-eyed slow loris – speculates could be the case. It was a chance discovery by Bryan Fry, associate professor at the University of Queensland, who embraced an opportunity to study the scientifically mysterious venom of the endangered Asian primate in an Indonesian wildlife rescue centre.
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