Animal welfare groups are raising concerns over the rise of a disturbing new cat breeding fad known as "Bullycats," which has recently gained traction in the UK.
These cats, resembling hairless Sphynx breeds but with shortened legs and heavily wrinkled skin, are being bred to satisfy the demand for extreme body shapes that are trending on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Naturewatch Foundation, a charity that investigates illegal pet trading, is leading the calls for public awareness, warning of the severe health risks that these cats are likely to face. “It’s shocking to see that these poor cats are starting to appear in the UK,” a spokesperson from Naturewatch said.
“We’ve seen extreme breeding practices in the dog world, and now it appears that people are exploiting cats for the same reasons—profit and social media likes. Bullycats are an animal welfare disaster unfolding before our eyes, and this kind of breeding is just cruel.”
The Bullycat trend, which is believed to have originated in the United States, mirrors the rise of similarly exaggerated dog breeds, such as pocket and exotic bully dogs.
According to Naturewatch, Bullycats face a host of welfare problems due to their unnatural appearance. These problems include mobility issues, chronic skin infections, and a significantly shortened lifespan compared to other cats.
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor of Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), told the Daily Mail that, “the RVC has spent years documenting the suffering inflicted on dogs through selective breeding for extreme body shapes.”
“It is heartbreaking to see this same approach now being applied to cats. Bully Cats are likely to experience the same health issues we’ve documented in Sphynx cats, such as sunburn due to hairlessness and joint problems caused by dwarfism,” O’Neill said.
According to O’Neill, a study by the RVC found that Sphynx cats live an average of 6.7 years, far below the 11.7-year average for cats in general, due to the genetic mutations they carry.
“Deliberately breeding for these traits is condemning these animals to lives filled with unnecessary suffering,” he added.
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