CAT lovers have been warned about a growing trend for “hairless bullycats” being bred across the country as the new breed picks up a “disturbing” following online.
Experts say the public should not get a breed of hairless cats as they are likely to suffer serious health issues.
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There is a new, growing trend for so-called bullycats, a sphynx-like breed which have short, bowed legs and lots of wrinkled skin, the animal welfare charity Naturewatch Foundation said.
Due to their “exaggerated and unnatural appearance,” the organisation believes there’s a high chance they will suffer a range of health issues including sunburn, skin infections and problems with mobility.
While the charity said the trend was still relatively new it has been building a “disturbing following” in recent months on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
The foundation's campaign manager for companion animals Natalie Harney said the "fad" was part of a wider issue with the rise of breeding of "extreme cats".
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She told The Sun Online that it was thought the bullycats had been imported from the US and were now being bred here and was another example in the rise of "extreme cats".
Natalie said other breeds of "extreme cats" included Munchkin cats which had been "selected for dwarfism" and Dwelf cats who could be identified by their unusual curly ears.
She warned that all those breeds could suffer with multiple health issues.
Natalie warned: "Once the fad dies out for those breeds people will just move on to the next trend" with the cats often being abandoned.
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The breed, which is thought to get its name due to its resemblance to bully dogs, is said to have originated in the US but is now being bred in the UK, according to the foundation.
A Naturewatch Foundation spokesperson said: “It’s shocking to see that these poor cats are starting to emerge in the UK.
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“We’ve seen increasingly extreme breeding practices in the dog world in recent years, and it appears unscrupulous people are now turning their attention to exploiting cats in the same way, all in the pursuit of greed and social media likes.
“It’s an animal welfare disaster and this kind of breeding is just cruel.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor of Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), agreed.
He said: “The RVC has generated volumes of research over the past decade showing the enormous suffering that humans have imposed on dogs because of our fascination with extreme body shapes. It is heart-breaking to now see the same suffering being visited on cats by the invention of the bullycat.
“Bullycats are likely to suffer the same shortened lives reported from a recent RVC VetCompass paper in Sphynx cats, that lived 6.7 years compared to an average of 11.7 years in cats overall.
“Deliberately selecting for disease mutations, such as hairlessness that leads to sunburn, dwarfism that leads to mobility issues and joint pain, and folded skin that leads to lifetimes of skin infections means that the lives of many bullycats will permanently be blighted by suffering.”
The Naturewatch Foundation spokesperson added: “If you’re thinking about getting a cat, don’t buy into these harmful designer fads, as you’ll pay a high price in vet fees and you’ll have to endure the pain of seeing your beloved pet suffering from lifelong health issues.
“There are lots of wonderful cats out there who need a home, so please go to a reputable rescue instead and choose a cat or kitten with a natural body shape.”
A RSPCA spokesperson told The Sun: “We love all cats but we’re very concerned about the recent trend of so-called ‘bully cats’ as these felines are bred to have exaggerated physical features which could cause them serious welfare issues.
“These exaggerated Sphynx cats are bred with very short legs which could put a strain on their joints, and they also appear to have excess skin folds making them vulnerable to skin conditions which can cause a great deal of discomfort.
“Such ailments could also result in trips to the vet leaving owners with costly vet bills too.
“These Sphynx-like cats are also bred to have only a fine covering of downy hair and some may not have eyelashes or whiskers.
“This lack of fur can leave cats vulnerable to harmful ultraviolet light, cause difficulties keeping warm and means they won’t be able to use their hair and possibly their whiskers to explore their environment.
“The lack of a fur coat also means they need to be regularly washed as oil can accumulate on their skin.
“There could also be further health issues associated with these cats being bred from a limited gene pool.
“We understand that their emerging presence on social media may fuel a demand for these kinds of cats but we would urge fellow cat lovers to consider adopting the many rescue cats in our care instead of buying from a breeder.
“We would also urge breeders to prioritise the health and welfare of any animal over the way they look.”
Cat owners urged to stop saying words with ‘s’ in them
CAT owners should stop saying “Here, puss” to moggies because it is “like swearing at them”.
Apetcharity says words with “s” in them sound like aggressive hissing.
PDSA vet nurse Gemma Renwick added: “Cats pick up on certain soundsand tend to prefer fewer ‘s’ sounds. The ‘s’ noise is similar to a cat hissing, which is almost like swearing at them every time you want their attention.
“Consider speaking their language and meowing at them.
“Unlike hissing, adult cats don’t really meow at one another, but do use meows to communicate with us humans.”
She said: “Hugging, and other approaches we may consider signs of affection, can actually be detrimental.
“If a cat runs away as you come towards them or they dash off as soon as you let go, it’s a good sign they don’t want to be touched or have their personal space invaded.
“Always let your cat come to you and you’ll reap the rewards of consensual kitty cuddles.”
Gemma added that making eye contact was “quite threatening” and advised we instead copy cats’ “slow blink”.
Naturewatch Foundation is also urging people to boycott social media accounts that promote bullycats.
Anyone who is concerned about low-welfare or unlicensed pet selling is urged to contact their local authority’s licensing department.
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A campaign was launched in 2022 which called for a ban on the breeding of exotic cats with domestic varieties.
The Wildheart Trust, backed by campaigner and presenter Chris Packham, said the trend for “designer cats” was fuelled by social media, causes health issues for the pets and threatens the future populations of wild felines.
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