When I got Fitch as a baby my skin would welt up but I never experienced breathing problems. Just everywhere his feet or fur touched me I'd get raised itchy, itchy bumps. His fur is shorter and more bristly then my MF's. When he hit 6 months he started marking things. I had no idea he was intact due to the incompetency of the specialty pet store where I got him. He even still had stitches in. I thought the skin reaction was due to him being Canadian! I neutered him and to this day I still get little welts and if I smooch on his face a lot, which I do he has the most smootchable muzzle pouches, I get breakouts on my face. They're unsightly but I love snorgling him. Kristina Borgstrom missing Ivan and Django [Posted in FML 6377]