Where old-fashioned breeding has failed, though, scientists are now turning to biotechnology. In recent years, a suite of sci-fi-esque strategies have been aimed at Fel d 1: a kibble coated in an egg-yolk derivative that neutralizes the allergen, a vaccine that uses cucumber mosaic virus to trick the cat’s immune system, and a gene therapy that deletes the Fel d 1 gene from cat DNA with the CRISPR editing technology. This kibble, in fact, is available on store shelves as Purina’s Pro Plan LiveClear cat food. The vaccine has already been tested on more than 100 cats. And although a viable gene therapy is much further off, scientists have managed to delete Fel d 1 from cat cells in a petri dish.

None of these strategies will eliminate Fel d 1 in a cat completely, but they might reduce allergen levels enough to stave off itchy eyes and sneezing. (Hypoallergenic, by the way, is often used colloquially to mean “allergen-free,” but it technically means only “reducing allergies.”) This reduction may be enough to let allergic owners keep their beloved cats. “I used to, back in my younger days, say, ‘Oh, you really need to get rid of your cat,’” says William Nish, an allergist in Georgia. “That made me very unpopular.” Allergists like him now suggest that cat owners try allergy pills or allergy shots on themselves—and to vacuum with a HEPA filter, bathe their cat regularly, and keep it out of the bedroom.