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Flat-faced cats bought for social media likes are being abandonedFELINE VERSION OF THE FRENCH BULLDOG
Catherine Lough
Mon, 23 October 2023
Flat-faced felines are increasing popular but their 'cute' features can lead to health issues for the creature
Flat-faced cats bought for their “cute” appearance following social media trends have been abandoned in large numbers, the RSPCA said.
The charity revealed there had been a 92 per cent increase in Persian cats ending up in its care over a four-year period.
Demand for cat breeds with flatter faces, or brachycephaly, in which the shape of the skull is shorter than average for a species, has been fuelled by online trends in recent years.
The RSPCA said owners are attracted to the “cartoonish, baby-like features” caused by flat-faces, which can affect Persians, British shorthairs, Himalayan cats, Exotic shorthairs and Birmans. But it can also cause breathing difficulties, eye problems, problems with grooming, and even issues when giving birth.
Internet sensation Grumpy Cat, believed to be a Persian mix, had a grumpy facial expression caused by an underbite and dwarfism that made her especially popular. She appeared in various adverts in the 2010s, as well as featuring on myriad branded merchandise.
Celebrity owners such as Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian have also posted photographs of their flat-faced pets, which may have also fuelled demand among the wider public.
Alice Potter, an RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: “Unfortunately, Persians and other flat-faced cats have become increasingly popular as people think the physical attributes which in reality cause them to suffer are cute.
“While we know many people love these cats and are very caring owners, breeding for features which compromise basic health and welfare is wrong,” she added.
Catherine Lough
Mon, 23 October 2023
Flat-faced felines are increasing popular but their 'cute' features can lead to health issues for the creature
Flat-faced cats bought for their “cute” appearance following social media trends have been abandoned in large numbers, the RSPCA said.
The charity revealed there had been a 92 per cent increase in Persian cats ending up in its care over a four-year period.
Demand for cat breeds with flatter faces, or brachycephaly, in which the shape of the skull is shorter than average for a species, has been fuelled by online trends in recent years.
The RSPCA said owners are attracted to the “cartoonish, baby-like features” caused by flat-faces, which can affect Persians, British shorthairs, Himalayan cats, Exotic shorthairs and Birmans. But it can also cause breathing difficulties, eye problems, problems with grooming, and even issues when giving birth.
Internet sensation Grumpy Cat, believed to be a Persian mix, had a grumpy facial expression caused by an underbite and dwarfism that made her especially popular. She appeared in various adverts in the 2010s, as well as featuring on myriad branded merchandise.
Celebrity owners such as Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian have also posted photographs of their flat-faced pets, which may have also fuelled demand among the wider public.
Alice Potter, an RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: “Unfortunately, Persians and other flat-faced cats have become increasingly popular as people think the physical attributes which in reality cause them to suffer are cute.
“While we know many people love these cats and are very caring owners, breeding for features which compromise basic health and welfare is wrong,” she added.
The popularity in flat-faced cats surged in recent years, but now many of the animals are being dumped
The RSPCA said the rise in Persian cats being abandoned occurred between 2018 and 2022. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) released data suggesting that British shorthair breed numbers had also surged, with a 66 per cent increase in registrations over the past decade.
Ms Potter said: “Just a few years ago, we had very few Persian cats coming into our care but we’ve now seen a huge increase in recent years as their popularity has boomed. This fuels demand and means that sadly more and more cats are being bred with features which can cause them to suffer.”
She added that the popularity of Grumpy Cat had fed into the vogue for flat-faced felines.
“We know that well-meaning people sometimes feel affection for animals with cartoonish, baby-like features which may be one of the reasons why cats with big eyes, a domed cranium and recessed chins, such as these flat-faced cats, are considered by some to be cute,” she said.
“We think the rise in their popularity over recent years could be due to being seen so widely on social media and in celebrity culture. Grumpy Cat became an internet sensation with meme after meme celebrating his squished features which made him permanently look grumpy.”
‘It can be scary for the cat’
Ms Potter said the more that celebrities and influencers are pictured with flat-faced cats and these images shared on social media the more popular they become with the general public, who see them as sought-after pets, “with little understanding of how these features actually impact their everyday lives”.
She pointed out that these cats can suffer from eye problems and other issues such as struggling to breathe. “This can be scary and debilitating and in some instances can make eating, climbing, playing, and all the things our cats naturally love to do, a daily struggle.”
Ms Potter added that the RSPCA wanted breeders to prioritise animal health and welfare rather than breeding for traits which could cause suffering, as well as pointing out a need to raise awareness among the general public about which physical traits might impact cats’ welfare.
The RSPCA has launched the next stage of its Save Our Breath campaign, aiming to highlight the difficulties flat-faced cats can experience.
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