Last week ABC News aired a story about Simon and Allerca on the show The Lookout. If you're interested in learning more about these "hypoallergic" cats, please check out the video:

Part 1: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/case-hypoallergenic-cat-19695208

Part 2: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/man-hypoallergenic-cats-19695238

The show is pretty interesting, but if you prefer the written word, here's a summary:

1) They tested several of Simon's cats against common house cats you can find in a shelter. Simon's cats were no more hypoallergenic than cats you can get for free.

2) They bought a cat from Simon and proved that he just got it from a local dealer.  After denying this fact multiple times, he finally confessed to it.  However, he continued to maintain the fiction that it was a hypoallergenic cat (despite the fact that the dealer claimed nothing of the sort), insisting that he had a "way" to tell when cats where hypoallergenic. I guess it's his superpower.

3) Unsurprisingly ABC News found dozens of customers like me who never got any any cat, let alone the fictional hypoallergenic kind. In contrast, customers who got cats and were somehow happy (placebo effect?) were few and far between.

4) The scientific studies that Simon touts as proof that he can provide hypoallergenic cats have all been refuted.  Not even the scientists quoted in the studies agree with his conclusions.

5) Simon is being actively investigated by U.S. law agencies, but has gone into hiding in London.

Good stuff!

If you're interested in reading another story about an unsatisfied Allerca customer, check out this excellent blog post.