What’s Wrong With Bullycats?
Cruel and irresponsible humans are selling bullycats – a new hybrid breed of cat, bred for a certain look that results in health problems. These stocky, hairless, and wrinkled felines have been brought into existence by thoughtless humans who care nothing for their welfare, deliberately mixing cats with genetic defects for a ‘macho’ look, supposedly like that of XL bully dogs, who were also bred for an aesthetic and strength that led to them being victims of abuse. Here’s why you should never buy a bullycat – or any other animal bred for specific physical features:
1. Bullycats Are a Mix of Tortured Breed
Bullycats have been deliberately bred by mixing cats who suffer from genetic defects: sphynx cats, who are bred to be hairless, and “munchkin” cats, who are bred to have a type of dwarfism that results in short legs. These breeds are already plagued with health concerns, and by combining them, bullycats may face twice the number of debilitating challenges. The breeding of cats and dogs for vanity at the expense of their health is often called “torture breeding”, and it’s so cruel that governments around the world are under pressure to ban it.
2. Bullycats Will Likely Die Young
A 2024 study found that the average life expectancy of a sphynx cat is already dramatically lower than that of an average cat, at 6.7 years compared to 12 years. Bullycats’ lives could be cut even shorter, warns Dr Grace Carroll, an expert in animal behaviour and welfare at Queen’s University Belfast, because of their poor health.
3. Hairlessness Causes Health Problems
Because, like Sphynx cats, they have been cruelly bred to have no fur, bullycats are highly susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer. Oil builds up on their skin, and their excessive, heavily wrinkled skin folds can lead to frequent skin infections. Without their fur to protect them, these cats struggle to regulate their body temperature, which is a particular problem for kittens, and hairlessness also leads to respiratory issues.
As totally hairless cats, they also lack whiskers, which can hinder their ability to communicate, navigate, and sense their environment.
4. Short Legs Cause Painful Mobility Issues
Bullycats’ unnatural body shape can lead to painful, lifelong health issues. The mutation that causes “munchkin” cats’ short, bowed legs can also cause bone deformities, such as rib abnormalities, spinal malformation, and lordosis and scoliosis (excessive or side curving of the spine). The joint pain and mobility problems they suffer from hinder their ability to jump and play.
Because of their myriad health problems, owners can expect to face frequent and expensive vet visits, and insurers may refuse to cover hybrid cat breeds.
5. Breeding Cats for Physical Features Is Cruel
Many “pedigree” breed standards encourage traits that cause cats to suffer. As well as being predisposed to various genetic diseases, they are often breathing-impaired, including Persian, British shorthair, Bengal, Scottish fold, and Himalayan cats. Just like breathing-impaired dogs (BIBs), like pugs or French bulldogs, these cats are bred to have flat faces and shortened airways that hinder their ability to breathe, which at best, causes discomfort and an inability to enjoy life to the full and, at worst, can be fatal:
Despite knowing about these problems, breeders keep producing and exploiting them for profit as long as there are people willing to buy them.
Hairless and other breeds are also often disingenuously advertised as “hypoallergenic”. No cat is hypoallergenic. Cat allergies are a reaction to a protein found in cats’ saliva, dander, and/or urine but not necessarily their fur. Some cats shed less or produce less of the protein, but anyone with an allergy could still have a reaction.
6. It’s Unethical to Buy a Cat From a Breeder
There are over 1 million homeless cats in the UK, and every time a kitten is bought from a breeder, a cat in a shelter loses their chance at a loving home. Breeding further exacerbates the homeless-animal crisis, as some breeders and owners abandon unwanted animals when the veterinary bills rack up or the novelty wears off.
Adopt to Give a Cat a Loving Home
Cats are living, feeling beings, not accessories, so never buy a cat – or any animal – for their appearance or any other trivial reason. Being a cat’s guardian means providing them with food, fresh water, a clean litterbox, veterinary care, mental and physical exercise, and love and affection for life – which can exceed 20 years. If you have the time, resources, and patience to commit to giving a cat a loving home for their whole life, adopt one from a shelter – and always have them spayed or neutered.
For more information about ensuring your cat companion lives their best life, read PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk’s book 250 Vital Things Your Cat Wants You to Know: The Cat Guardian’s Bible and check out the following resources:
