Scottish Fold cats in need: Animal shelter warns of painful consequences!

Scottish Fold cats in need: Animal shelter warns of painful consequences!

In recent months, the Cologne-Dellbrück animal shelter has taken in more and more Scottish Fold cats, a trend that is causing deep concern among animal rights activists. The reason for this development is obvious: This cat breed is currently very popular, which leads to many abandonments and surrenders. Animal shelter employees recently published a Facebook post to draw attention to the suffering of Scottish Folds and to inform potential owners.

Special features such as the Scottish Folds' folded ears are not just a visual peculiarity, but often mean a life of pain for the animals. Osteoarthritis, ingrown claws and bone pain are just a few health problems these cats face. In addition, their ability to communicate with other cats suffers from anatomical peculiarities - barely developed ears lead to misunderstandings that can affect the animals' social behavior.

A slow flood

The situation is not only worrying in the Cologne-Dellbrück animal shelter. The Albert Schweitzer animal shelter in Essen has also taken in many Scottish Fold cats, often because of health problems. Owners often find themselves overwhelmed when the consequences of the breeding characteristics, which are only visible later, become reality. In the last two years, 81 Scottish Folds have been taken in there, which indicates a clear trend. The German Animal Welfare Association is already warning of a “glut” of this breed, while demand remains unbroken despite known risks.

The Bremen animal shelter is also reporting increasing numbers of lost cats, confirming the alarming statistics. Many owners are not prepared to cover the necessary treatment costs. Therefore, the surrender of Scottish Folds, which often show health problems at an early age, is no longer uncommon.

Health risks

The special characteristics of this breed are not without consequences. The folded ear is a symptom of a genetic disease that also affects other body structures and can manifest itself in painful growth disorders and restricted movement. Animal rights activists therefore appeal to potential buyers to find out more about the associated risks.

Breeding Scottish Folds is generally prohibited under German animal protection law if it causes suffering. Nevertheless, commercial breeding takes place, which further exacerbates the situation. Only cats that come from animal protection organizations or animal shelters may be adopted in order not to put unnecessary strain on the human-animal relationship and not to further perpetuate health problems.

The Cologne-Dellbrück animal shelter is urgently looking for a loving home for the Scottish Fold cats, ideally with people who already have a second Scottish Fold cat. Staff strongly warn against grossly underestimating these animals and urge potential owners to be aware of the high costs and health challenges associated with the breed. With a call to raise awareness about the problem of cruel breeding, they hope that at least some of the little cats will find the happiness that they so urgently need.

The following applies to all animal lovers: A good hand in choosing four-legged family members can prevent a lot of suffering. Find out more before diving into the world of pedigree cats. This is not only important for the animals, but also for you.

For more information about the suffering that many Scottish Fold cats suffer due to their breeding characteristics, see the reports from derwesten.de, your-tierwelt.de and veto-tierschutz.de.