Scottish fold cats: Cologne animal shelter warns of flood of sick animals!

Scottish fold cats: Cologne animal shelter warns of flood of sick animals!

At the Cologne-Dellbrück animal shelter, the employees are faced with a special challenge: They have to take care of the fate of many Scottish Fold cats that are currently in extreme need. In a recent Facebook post, the animal shelter drew attention to the suffering of this popular breed. Despite their increasing popularity, the Scottish Folds are very susceptible to health problems, which leads to many abandonments and abandonments, as derwesten.de reports.

Witnesses to the increase in taxes include the employees of the Albert Schweitzer animal shelter in Essen. 81 Scottish Folds have been taken in here in the last two years, often due to significant health problems. The owners cannot bear the necessary treatment costs or are not fully aware of the major hurdles associated with this breed, as deine-tierwelt.de also emphasizes.

Genetic diseases and challenges

The health problems are characterized, among other things, by joint pain, osteoarthritis and restricted mobility, which often occur in these cats. A main focus is osteochondrodysplasia (OCD), a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the TRPV4 gene. This leads to deformation of the bones and joints, causing the cats to have serious problems jumping and playing, as tierarzt-karlsruhe-durlach.de explains.
Typical symptoms include abnormal bone growth and an increased susceptibility to joint pain. It is also mentioned that compact ears are a visible symptom of this disease.

The thoughts about a possible “cat glut” of this breed are not unfounded. Many Scottish Folds find themselves in animal shelters at a young age, often even unneutered. Animal rights activists therefore warn that potential buyers should be informed and take a close look before purchasing a Scottish Fold. The call for responsible breeding is becoming louder, as these cats often suffer from torture. The breeding ban in Germany for animals that cause health problems is another step in the right direction, as deine-tierwelt.de notes. Such animals may only be adopted through animal shelters and animal protection organizations.

A call to responsibility

The employees of the Cologne animal shelters therefore urgently appeal to potential cat owners: think carefully about whether you can offer a Scottish Fold a new home and be aware of the high costs and the health problems. It would be best to bring a member of the same breed into the house so that the animals can communicate better.

These charming cats are extremely popular, but the price for them could be high - for the animals themselves and their owners. A good hand in choosing companions can change lives here. The Cologne-Dellbrück animal shelter or other facilities in the region are always happy to welcome anyone interested in offering the Scottish Folds a new living environment that understands and takes their needs into account.