Persian and extreme-typed cats suffer chronic eye, respiratory and dental problems caused by breeding for flat faces, mirroring the crisis in brachycephalic dogs.
Persians with extreme facial conformation live with daily discomfort from eye irritation, breathing restriction and dental pain. Polycystic kidney disease, inherited in 35-40% of traditional Persians, causes progressive renal failure from middle age. The welfare cost of breeding extreme conformation is borne entirely by the animal across a lifetime of chronic conditions, while the aesthetic preference is held by owners and breeders.