Teddy is our resident house gadget geek. He is our man in the frontline, following consumer trends to help him identify the best up and coming tech to review for HouseFresh. When he’s not tinkering with new gadgets, he composes and records his own music at home.
It’s no secret that cats make pretty awesome pets. Their laid-back lifestyle makes them loveable, while their independent nature makes them easy to care for. Yet, for many people, the allergens they produce are enough to turn them from feline friends to feline foes.
As many as 3 in 10 people have pet-related allergies and statistically, you’re twice as likely to be allergic to cats than dogs. If you’ve suffered from any of the following symptoms after being around a cat, the chances are you have an allergy:
☑️ Sneezing or a runny or stuffy nose
☑️ Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
☑️ Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing
☑️ Watery, red, or itchy eyes
☑️ Skin rash or hives
The root cause of cat allergies comes from the proteins (i.e. dead skin, hair, and saliva) they shed. Although these particles are often so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye, air purifiers can capture them with a HEPA filter, which can trap particles as small as 0.3 microns.
As cat allergens range between 2.5 and 10 microns in size, HEPA filters will readily eliminate them from your domestic environment.
How We Picked Our Top Choices
Our goal is to recommend air purifiers that will help with your cat allergies issue. We know most lists like this one are put together by writers who have not even seen the air purifiers IRL. Well, that’s not us.
Not only have we researched what triggers cat allergies and why, but we’ve also purchased each of the air purifiers on this list with our own money so we could carry out our 3-stage performance tests.
When choosing our selection, we used all this data to uncover the air purifiers which would be the most effective at removing cat allergies from the air in your home. We looked specifically for the following:
- High-performance HEPA filter – A HEPA filter will be able to deal with the many particles that cause cat allergies, so we have recommended those units that have high-quality HEPA filters.
- High CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that many air purifiers have too weak a CADR for average-sized rooms so we focused on those with the highest figures.
- Electricity Costs – An issue with cat allergies will mean you will need to keep your air purifier running 24/7 and costs can quickly add up so we chose units that had a high level of efficiency.
- Performance to $ Ratio – We don’t mind air purifiers that cost more if they can clean more air and so have made sure only to recommend air purifiers that provide good value for air cleaning performance.
The Top 3 Air Purifiers For Cat Allergies
| Why You Should Trust This List Unlike other sites, we know these units are up to the job simply because we’ve used them. We’ve purchased each of these products with our own money, used them in our own homes, and put them through our three-stage performance test: Stage 1: Air cleaning performance – We light an incense stick inside our 705 cubit ft home testing room and let it burn till the smoke fills the room. We turn on the air purifier at its top speed and track PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 levels with an air quality monitor. Stage 2: Energy consumption performance – We plug in the air purifier through an electricity usage monitor to record energy consumption in watts at the lowest and highest speeds available in the unit. Stage 3: Noise levels performance – We use a sound level monitor to record sound levels in decibels emitted by the air purifier when running at its highest and lowest speeds. |
1. IQAir Healthpro Plus
The IQAir Healthpro Plus is a feat of engineering when it comes to removing allergens from the air in your home. Its Pre Max pre-filter and HyperHEPA filter will make light work of trapping all that nasty cat dander that sets off your allergies, leaving you with fresh, clean, cat-free air. This unit may look huge compared to most on the market, but that’s to house its big HEPA and packed activated carbon filters.
You may need a bit more room to house this unit, but if you have more than one cat, it will relieve those allergies in no time.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 25 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HyperHEPA and V50-CELL gas and odor filter |
| Recommended room size: | 450 to 1125 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 300 CFM (510 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 28H x 18W x 16D inches (71H x 38W x 41D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 35 lbs (16 kg) |
| Filter life: | 4 years |
| Noise level (low – high): | 25dB – 69dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $165.04 per year |
| Warranty | 10 years |
What We Really Like:
👍 It contains 5lbs of carbon to remove cat odor
👍 Has a filter life of 4 years
👍 It’s rigorously tested before it leaves the factory
👍 Comes with a 10-year warranty
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Would like to see app connectivity
👎 We would like to see a smaller version
2. Alen BreatheSmart 75i
Alen has a great line of air purifiers to take care of your cat allergy needs, but we’ve gone for the BreathSmart 75i for larger rooms. With the size of the True HEPA filter on the 75i, you’ll no longer have to worry about being in the same space as your furry friend.
With 5 speeds to choose from, auto mode, and an air quality monitor, you’ll know exactly when the air is more polluted than usual and be able to correct it.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 24 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | True HEPA H13 filters with activated carbon pellets |
| Recommended room size: | Up to 1,300 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 347 CFM (589 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 27H x 18.5W x 11.5D inches (68.58H x 46.99W x 29.21D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 12.2 kg (27 lbs) |
| Filter life: | 12 – 15 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 49dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $47.30 per year |
| Warranty: | Lifetime (with product registration & active filter subscription) |
What We Really Like:
👍 Touch controls are easy to operate
👍 Filter is simple to replace
👍 If your cat knocks off the front panel, the unit will auto shut off
👍 You can purchase different color front panels
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 This unit is on the expensive side
👎 It could weigh a little less
3. Smart Air S
If your style just cannot be compromised by sterile-looking air purifiers, take a look at this cute little unit. The Smart Air S removes airborne allergens from your home using its 3-speed high-efficiency fan and rigorously tested HEPA filter. This unit doesn’t rely on fancy gadgets and features to do the job.
What makes this unit for me is its beautiful beechwood legs. It would sit perfectly next to your family of houseplants – and for a bonus, your cat can sit on it.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 29 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H12 HEPA and optional activated charcoal filter |
| Recommended room size: | 430 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 185 CFM (315 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 13H x 13W x 14.3D inches (33.02H x 33.02W x 36.32D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 23dB – 52dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $45.20 per year |
| Warranty | 1 year |
What We Really Like:
👍 There’s only 1 dial to operate
👍 Its price is very competitive for its CADR
👍 Filter replacements are inexpensive
👍 It looks great!
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 We’d like it to come with an activated carbon filter as standard
👎 Maybe just 1 smart function would be nice
4. Levoit Core 600S
What can I say, the Core 600S is a powerhouse! It’s the best ‘performance for price’ unit we’ve tested. If you’re troubled by cat allergies or pollen allergies, or live in an area prone to pollution, this unit will leave a wave of clean, fresh air in its wake. This unit uses Levoits’ AirSight Plus™ technology to give you up-to-date air quality data, so you know when to crank that powerful fan up.
It may not be the most attractive unit on the market, but hey, concentrate on the fact you can breathe next to your cat…and you could always pimp it with stickers.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 15 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 True HEPA filter with Activated Carbon |
| Recommended room size: | 635 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 410 CFM (697 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 12.3 x 12.3 x 23.6 inches (31.3 x 31.3 x 60 cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 26 – 55 dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $51.51 per year |
| Warranty: | 2 years |
What We Really Like:
👍 High CADR at budget cost
👍 Connects to Levoit app
👍 Uses minimal energy in sleep mode
👍 Has a control lock feature in case of adventurous felines
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Would be cool in different colors
👎 The app could use an update
5. Coway Airmega 300
A unit I’ve had in my home for a while now, the Airmega 300 from Coway is a beast in a box. There are four different fan speeds to choose from, or you can leave it on auto mode, so the unit does all the work. You can monitor air quality with its colored LED ring on the front, which changes to indicate air quality in real time. Like when you stroke your cat and release dander into the air.
This little guy will work tirelessly to clear your room of allergens without making a noisy fuss. You can also remove the pre-filters to vacuum when they’re full of cat hair.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 26 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | Activated Carbon, Green True HEPA, Washable Pre-Filter |
| Recommended room size: | 628 – 1,256 sq ft |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 285 (Smoke), 306 (Dust), 339 (Pollen) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 13.6W x 21.2H x 13.6D inches (34.5W x 53.8H x 34.5D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 21.4 lbs (9.7 kg) |
| Filter life: | 9 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 25dB – 69dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $165.04 per year |
| Warranty | 5 years from date of the original retail purchase |
What We Really Like:
👍 You can turn the display lights off
👍 Filters are easy to replace
👍 Has a timer
👍 Filters are on both sides of the unit for maximum cleaning
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Its little feet will mark carpet floors
👎 Plays an on/off jingle, which is kinda dumb
6. Honeywell HPA300
There’s a reason Honeywell describes themselves as the doctor’s favorite. Their powerful motors and high-efficiency filters make light work of cleaning rooms of allergens. The HPA300 doesn’t try to impress with smart features, it does it by being hardworking and effective. Unfortunately, you will notice that it does consume more energy than most to power that mega fan but that energy is not wasted.
You get a timer function, filter replacement indicators, light dimmer, and turbo mode for when your eyes are streaming, and the sneezing starts when the King/Queen of the house arrives.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★☆☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 26 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | Activated Carbon pre-filter and True HEPA filter |
| Recommended room size: | 465 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 300 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 20.8L x 10.83W x 22.38H inches (52.8L x 27.5W x 56.8H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) |
| Filter life: | HEPA every 12 months, Pre-filters every 3 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 48.3dB – 71.2dB |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $189.01 per year |
| Warranty | 5 years |
What We Really Like:
👍 Honeywell are a well-regarded brand
👍 The HEPA filters can last up to 1 year
👍 Comes in a cool matt black color
👍 Doesn’t take up much floor space
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 The controls aren’t as responsive as touchscreen ones
👎 Could be a little quieter on full speed
Buying Guide: Air Purifiers for Cat Allergies
It’s a known fact that pets produce dander that can trigger allergies in many people. In chronic asthma sufferers, it is even easier to trigger symptoms, with the potential to instigate an acute asthma attack.
If you have allergies that leave you sneezing and experiencing all sorts of respiratory problems, buying a quiet air purifier may help you breathe easier.
| 🤔 How do you know if you have a cat allergy? After encountering a cat, having come into contact with its dander, urine, or saliva, you’ll start noticing symptoms: – Rash or hives around the upper chest, face, and neck areas – Inflammation of the eyes – Stuffy nose – Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing |
Air purifiers remove allergens and tiny particles, such as dust, pollen and pet dander, and keep your home smelling fresh. However, not all air purifying units are created equal.
Some models work better than others and are better placed to remove pet dander. The nature of the room where the purifier is placed also impacts the effectiveness of these devices. That is why before buying an air purifier for car allergies, it’s essential to understand its capabilities and limitations.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that many air purifiers have too weak a CADR for average-sized rooms. That is why it’s essential to look at air purifiers with high CADR scores that will remove pet dander quickly from your home air.
What to Look for When Buying an Air Purifier for Pet Dander
Here are the things to consider when buying a purifier for dander.
1. Room Size
Consider the size of the room you’re putting your air purifier in and how much your cat(s) spend in that room. Many purifiers range in capacity from 100 to 1,000 square feet or more.
If you have many cats that play around the room frequently, you’ll need a large purifier to work effectively. Also, consider the air purifier’s CADR rating. Opt for a purifier with a higher CADR rating to effectively clean the dander in larger rooms. Otherwise, not all dander will be removed.
2. Filters
You’ll want to look for filters that can remove particles as small as 0.03 microns. For these, we recommend HEPA filters. These filters do an excellent job of removing dander, and with regular use, they last three to five months longer than regular filters.
Since HEPA filters can trap microparticles like pollen, dust, and pet dander, they’re suitable for most residential settings. Make sure to clean the filters regularly, as pet hair will stick to them and can reduce the airflow, resulting in a less effective air purifier.
3. Sound Levels
Pay attention to how loud your purifier is since excessively noisy models can scare away pets. We recommend buying a quiet air purifier. The best quiet air purifiers produce less than 50 dB of noise at max fan speed. In addition to noise levels, look for a purifier that has a “sleep mode.”
4. Odor Removal
Worried about pet odor? Look for an air purifier with activated carbon filters, as these are designed to remove odor from your home. Activated charcoal can trap gasses and odors in its material and will need to The best air purifier for odor removal will have “odor control” settings for better results.
Wrapping Up
Pet dander, if not removed, can trigger allergies. The best air purifiers for pets can help remove these allergens and improve indoor air quality. When choosing an air purifier for pets, consider the unit’s CADR rating, noise levels, and filters, as well as whether the unit can remove odor from your home.
🤔 So… Which air purifier is best for you?
Whether you are already on medication or seeking an alternative method to combat cat allergies, a quality air purifier with the right technology can make life more comfortable. Air purifiers specifically targeting these allergies effectively clear the air of smaller particles, capturing every allergen so that you can breathe better day and night.
The right purifier can ensure that you and your furry friend will live in harmony as much as possible. If your symptoms are typically mild, a purifier may ensure you don’t have to use any medication, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, while you’re in your own house.
Therefore, it’s important to address the purifying technology and overall quality of each purifier before you settle for one. We hope our reviews will help you narrow down your options so you can enjoy your cat and your home.
Last update on 2023-08-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API