According to British animal shelters, flat-nosed cat breeds, which have been in high demand in recent years due to their popularity on social networks, are now the victims of a wave of abandonments due to their health problems.
“It is thought that the rise in their popularity may be due to the fact that they are so prevalent on social media and celebrity culture […] “People find their physical characteristics that actually cause them pain adorable,” lamented Alice Potter, a British cat welfare expert at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). according to The Telegraph on Monday.
According to the British newspaper, the organization has seen a 92% increase in abandoned Persian cats in recent years, a flat-faced cat breed popularized on social media by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian.
The problem is that these “cartoon” features that make them so popular, including their “large eyes, dome-shaped skull, flat nose, and retracted chin,” would serve to compromise their overall health, particularly would lead to breathing problems, eye problems and grooming problems or even problems during childbirth, the expert noted.
And for these reasons, many owners would prefer to let go of their companion after a few years.
Still, these breeds are growing in popularity, while demand for listing British Shorthair cats has increased by 66% in the last decade, according to data from the Governing Council of Cat Fancy (GCCF), The Telegraph reported.
The organization urges breeders and buyers to prioritize animal health over appearance.
“[Leur popularité] increases demand and unfortunately results in more and more cats being bred with characteristics that can lead to suffering […] In some cases it can be a turning point [des activités comme] Eating, climbing, playing – and everything cats naturally love to do – in daily combat,” Ms. Potter continued.