01/16/2025
I title this photo: The Discarded Cats Breeders Don’t Show.
It’s no coincidence that the two highest-need kittens I’ve ever cared for—Chouchou and Miette—were discarded by breeders. Both were born with congenital issues that require significant medical care, including surgeries to correct cleft palates, stenotic nares, and angular limb deformities. These conditions aren’t accidents…they’re the direct result of breeding for extreme physical traits.
The flat faces, tiny noses, oversized eyes, and skeletal builds prized by breeders and breed enthusiasts come at a devastating cost. These features may look “cute” to some, but they are inherently unnatural and, for many cats, lead to lifelong health problems. Kittens like Chouchou and Miette are casualties of human aesthetic preferences, bred into existence for profit and abandoned when their medical needs outweighed their monetary value.
As Persian breeders continue to select for brachycephalic profiles that push noses inward, it’s no surprise that some, like Chouchou, are born with skull deformities that limit even the most basic functions of eating and breathing. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to help him overcome both through multiple surgeries, but the interventions we’ve had to take have been challenging, not to mention that he didn’t deserve to go through any of that in the first place.
Miette, a Persian/Ragdoll mix, was bred to inherit traits from both breeds: Persians’ small frames combined with Ragdolls’ large size and predisposition for skeletal problems created the perfect storm, resulting in legs so malpositioned that she cannot walk without splints and will need multiple extensive, expensive orthopedic surgeries in the future. I’m so angry for her, and so sad that this sweet little soul will have to experience an intense recovery for a condition that could have been prevented.
I share this to say that when you see fancy, fluffy, purebred cats, please remember that there is a dark side—there are unseen victims of extreme gene selection. Real, living beings who deserve to be able to eat, to breathe, to walk, to jump, to play.
Anyway. This photo pretty much says it all. ❤️
