Explore the implications of this trend on feline welfare and the responsibilities of prospective cat owners. <\/p>
Britain\u2019s love affair with cats has taken a surprising turn, with sales of purebred pedigree cats officially overtaking the beloved moggie for the first time ever. <\/strong><\/p> But there can be hidden health risks lurking behind those cute faces, warns Sarah Elliott, Central Veterinary Officer for Cats Protection.<\/strong><\/p> New research from Cats Protection’s “Cats and Their Stats Report 2024” reveals that a whopping 45% of all cats bought between March 2023 and March 2024 were pedigrees or purebreds\u2014that’s 715,000 cats\u2014while only 43% were moggies (685,000). <\/p> The remainder were cross-breeds. This marks a significant shift, as just three years ago, moggies reigned supreme with 51%<\/strong> of purchases (715,000) compared to only 35%<\/strong> pedigrees (490,000).<\/p> Experts believe this dramatic change could be due to the rise of social media influencers and celebrities showing off their eye-catching, purebred cats online. But many of these stars may be blissfully unaware of the serious health issues linked to certain breeds.<\/p> While some pedigree cats are responsibly bred, unfortunately, there are still plenty of hazards for unwary buyers. Many people are drawn to a cat\u2019s \u2018cute\u2019 or \u2018unusual\u2019 appearance without realising the extreme body types of some breeds can result in severe health problems.<\/p> Breeds with traits like hairlessness, short legs, or a flat-face might seem adorable, but the reality can include hefty vet bills, complex care needs, and, tragically, a poor quality of life for the cats themselves.<\/p> Shockingly, these issues often remain hidden during a kitten’s early life, catching unsuspecting owners by surprise. Elliott advises potential cat owners to do their homework before bringing a pedigree cat into their lives.<\/p> Take the popular Scottish Fold,<\/a> famously owned by stars like Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. These cats may look cute with their folded ears, but they suffer from degenerative joint disease and can develop painful arthritis. <\/p> In a heartbreaking case, Cats Protection in Worthing recently took in an ultra flat-faced Persian cat named Bumble, whose owner could no longer care for her. Bumble is suffering from a condition called corneal sequestrum, common in Persian cats, where part of the eye tissue dies, creating a painful, inflamed black spot. Bumble\u2019s treatment is ongoing, and it remains to be seen if she can be fully cured before finding a new home.<\/p> So, before you rush out to buy that Instagram-worthy feline, consider Cats Protection’s advice:<\/p> So, cat lovers, think before you buy\u2014your wallet and your furry friend may thank you for it!<\/p> To read the\u00a0Cats And Their Stats Report\u00a02024\u00a0<\/em>then please click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and for\u00a0more details on caring for cats, visit\u00a0Cats Protection<\/a>.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n Explore the implications of this trend on feline welfare and the responsibilities of prospective cat owners. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":40783,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time.jpg",2121,1414,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/adorable-cat-breeds-like-hairless-and-flat-faced-can-suffer-lifelong-health-issues-warns-charity-as-purebred-sales-surge-past-moggies-for-the-first-time-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Explore the implications of this trend on feline welfare and the responsibilities of prospective cat owners.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/40782"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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