2023-10-24 10:35:06
Flat-nosed cat breeds, in great demand in recent years due to their strong popularity on social networks, are now the victim of a wave of abandonments due to their health problem, according to British animal shelters .
“It is thought that the rise in their popularity might be due to the fact that they are seen so widely on social media and in celebrity culture […] People think their physical attributes, which actually cause them pain, are adorable,” lamented Alice Potter, a British cat welfare expert for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). according to “The Telegraph” on Monday.
In recent years, the organization has noted a 92% increase in abandonments among Persian cats, a breed of flat-faced cat popularized on social media by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, according to the British newspaper.
The problem is that these “caricature” features that make them so popular, including their “large eyes, dome-shaped skull, flat nose and recessed chin”, would contribute to compromising their general health, notably causing breathing problems, eye problems, grooming problems or even problems during birth, noted the expert.
And for these reasons, many owners would prefer to let go of their companion following a few years.
But despite this, these breeds continue to grow 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), a reported “The Telegraph”.
The organization urges breeders and buyers to prioritize animal health over appearance.
«[Leur popularité] fuels demand and unfortunately means more and more cats are being bred with traits that can cause them to suffer […] In some cases, it can turn [des activités comme] eating, climbing, playing – and everything cats naturally love to do – in daily struggle,” Ms Potter continued.
1698149798
#Bought #Likes #flatfaced #cats #victims #abandonment #health #problems
