How selective breeding practices in cats have created welfare problems and how breed reform can improve feline health.
Feline breed welfare reform follows the same principles as canine reform but has received less public attention despite equivalent severity of welfare compromise. Scottish fold cats, in particular, carry a welfare burden from their characteristic ear mutation that simultaneously causes systemic painful joint disease. Every Scottish fold carries this mutation and will develop degenerative joint disease regardless of care quality. The breed cannot be produced without causing predictable, lifelong suffering. The ethical response is to stop breeding Scottish folds entirely, a position taken by veterinary organizations in multiple countries. Consumer demand drives production, making purchasing decisions a direct welfare intervention. Choosing from naturally-structured, health-tested breeds eliminates participation in this welfare harm.