Abnormalities in the bones of the nasal cavity led to some blocking of the nasal passages, which would result in breathing difficulties. These were most pronounced in the kitten skulls you can see in this figure (two images bottom right). Other deformities included ‘osseous defects’ – the holes in the skull you can see in the figure below. The study looked at 45 flat-faced and 47 extremely flat-faced Persians and found that the jawbones of those with extreme brachycephaly were clearly misaligned, the cats had no visible part of the skull for the jaw muscles to attach to, some had a protruding lower jaw, and some also showed teeth abnormalities, all of which may lead to eating difficulties.
This research found that in extremely flat-faced Persians, the increased shortening of the nose and flattening of the face was associated with severe skull and brain abnormalities. The aim of this article is to explain research from a new study from Germany* published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine in September 2017, highlighting the welfare issues associated with modern Persians. A cat’s health and welfare must come before its looks.
CAT FAQT NOSE SKIN
We have created cats that cannot breathe normally, and have reduced breathing capacity (pinch your nose slightly to feel what this is like), that can’t run, jump and climb (important behaviours for cats) without distress, that often have protruding eyes that can become damaged and painful, skin that can get infected, and that can’t even eat without difficulty. However, the evidence can no longer be ignored: animals are suffering, because of a human pursuit for a certain look. The growing brachycephalic campaign is all about raising awareness of the serious health and welfare issues associated with these breeds, bringing this to the attention of those who might consider becoming owners of them, and to those who currently breed them and are bringing the next generations of such cats into being.Īs you can see from the images above, the more extreme flat-faced cat (far right) has a much shorter nose and flatter face than both the Domestic Shorthair and the less extreme flat-faced cat (middle) (reproduced with permission from Schmidt et al 2017).įor breeders, changing anything about the cats and dogs they champion and have worked so hard to shape, based on breed standards and what judges are awarding on the show bench, may be an unwelcome prospect.
There is absolutely no criticism intended of existing owners of these breeds, by either welfare organisations or veterinary professionals. Many owners are completely unaware of the health issues surrounding these breeds and would be horrified to discover that their beloved pet was suffering. However, others continue to breed cats where the potential for suffering is guaranteed. Therefore, we understand that reputable breeders care deeply about the welfare of their cats and would never knowingly breed cats to suffer. Sadly, this flat-faced look is directly linked to a number of health issues.Īt International Cat Care, we have always had a collaborative relationship with breeders – indeed, we were founded by cat breeder and cat lover Joan Judd over 60 years ago. Those with flat faces and short noses are termed brachycephalic (the same term is used for dogs such as bulldogs and pugs), and the breeds most affected are Persians and Exotic Shorthairs. Pedigree cats have been bred to come in a range of body shapes and sizes, with head shapes that also vary from long and pointed to round and flat.
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