The rise in ‘Frankenstein’ cats is leading animals to ‘suffer unnecessarily because of physical traits that some humans find desirable’, charities have warned.
Breeds such as the Scottish fold, Persian, Sphynx and new ‘XL bully‘ cats, which typically have extreme or unnatural features have experienced ‘booming popularity’.
But the trend in so-called designer cats often means they suffer from lifelong debilitating health issues affecting their quality of life.
Now, experts warn that cats could soon bear little resemblance to the traditional moggy unless urgent action is taken on ‘cruel cat breeding practices’.
The RSPCA and charity Cats Protection say that social media and celebrity trends have created huge demand for cats with folded ears, shortened limbs and missing tails or hair.
Scottish folds, like those owned by Taylor Swift, now account for up to 2 per cent of the entire cat population in the UK.
However, the same gene which causes ‘cute’ folded ears affects cartilage, leading to abnormal bone development, chronic pain and sometimes severe lameness.
Alice Potter, senior scientific and policy officer in the RSPCA’s science and policy group, says: ‘Cats must not be forced to suffer unnecessarily because of physical traits that some humans find desirable.’
Charities have issued an urgent warning over a wave of ‘Frankenstein cats’, including the new ‘XL Bully’ breed
Over the last few decades, cat charities have watched with alarm as designer cats spread around the world and rose to incredible heights of popularity.
Madison Rogers, associate director of advocacy at Cats Protection, says: ‘Cats’ body shapes have remained broadly similar for hundreds of years, but in a relatively short space of time this has dramatically changed.’
In the decade between 2016 and 2025, the RSPCA found a 200 per cent increase in the number of British shorthairs and a 180 per cent increase in Persians.
Both of these cats are brachycephalic, meaning they have been bred to suffer from an extreme skull deformity in order to have a very flat face.
Likewise, the so-called XL Bully cat has exploded in popularity after first appearing in the UK in 2024.
This breed was created by crossing hairless Sphynx cats with short-legged Munchkin cats.
The result is a cat that has no whiskers to navigate and communicate with other cats, suffers from limb deformities that painfully restrict movement and cannot go out in the sun.
Yet, despite these well-known health issues, the RSPCA and Cats Protection say that popularity is ‘booming’.
Sphynx cats’ hairlessness leaves them vulnerable to skin infections and exposes them to harmful UV rays. Without fur, felines such as Spongebob and Pearl at RSPCA Millbook, right, also struggle to regulate body temperature
Ms Rogers says: ‘If action is not taken quickly, we are likely to see more alarming examples of what we are calling “Frankenstein” cats – who bear no resemblance to our beloved moggy and, tragically, come with multiple health issues.’
Persian cats’ flat faces cause conjunctivitis, ulcers and tooth misalignment, eye problems, and significant breathing difficulties that make it difficult to exercise
Sphynx cats’ hairlessness leaves them vulnerable to severe skin infections and exposes them to harmful UV rays.
Without fur, Sphynx cats also struggle to regulate their body temperatures, which can quickly become dangerous during summer heatwaves.
At RSPCA Millbrook, staff are working ‘around the clock’ to keep two abandoned Sphynx cats, named Spongebob and Pearl, cool and comfortable.
Claire Jones, RSPCA Millbrook cattery supervisor: ‘They are struggling in the heat due to their inability to regulate their temperature, as they don’t have a coat that can help keep them cool – by deflecting heat, or trapping air against the skin.’
Likewise, Scottish folds’ deliberate genetic mutations lead many cats to suffer from painful, untreatable mobility issues their entire lives.
Claire Chafer, from Staffordshire, adopted her Scottish fold cat Fenella from Cats Protection’s Derby centre in 2024.
Scottish folds such as Fenella, suffer a genetic condition that produces their folded ears and also causes abnormal bone development, chronic pain and sometimes severe lameness
Ms Chafer says: ‘We’ve had a blind, three-legged cat before, and another one with a neurological condition, but neither of them have needed the kind of help that Fenella needs, and both enjoyed much more normal cat behaviour.’
Fenella’s joints were not properly formed, so she cannot groom herself and her flat face means she gets covered in food which she is unable to clean.
‘I see celebrities owning Scottish folds, but it’s not at all glamorous,’ says Ms Chafer.
However, would-be pet owners are often unaware of these severe health issues, often finding themselves facing complicated burdens of care and massive vet bills.
Ultimately, that means many end up being given over to shelters, and both the RSPCA and Cats Protection have seen an increase in designer cats coming into their care.
The commercial breeding of cats in the UK isn’t subject to any specific oversight, except in Scotland where licensing rules apply to breeders with three or more litters a year.
That means the industry remains ‘largely unregulated’, with no rules restricting the breeding of extreme unhealthy traits.
The charities are now calling for urgent action from the Government to ban the breeding of cats with known harmful traits, and calling on the public to stop buying these cats.
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT? THE 13 SECRET SIGNALS FELINES GIVE THEIR OWNERS
Cats are often branded aloof and solitary creatures who spend their days plotting their human owner’s demise, but such characterisations could not be further from the truth.
In fact, our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language.
In her eye-opening new book Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, author Lili Chin – with the help of animal behaviourists – explains how to interpret your pet’s movements.
Below are some of the most common behaviours and what they could signal.
Our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language
