A vet has shared the cat breeds he wouldn’t want as pets.
Ben the Vet has taken to TikTok to share his opinions on four popular cat breeds, explaining why they’re not the right pet for him.
After sharing a disclaimer reminding his 5.1million viewers that this is his opinion and they’re welcome to disagree with it, he started his list by saying he’d never own a Bengal.
He said: “They are beautiful-looking cats, they have gorgeous coats. I can see why people like them.”
However, he says he wouldn’t want to own one because they’re actually a hybrid between a wild cat and domestic cat breeds. He said: “At the vets, they have a reputation for being quite aggressive. This is usually out of fear but they can be quite dangerous to handle. They’re highly intelligent, they need a lot of stimulation and unfortunately, a lot of homes just aren’t quite right for them.”
Next on his list, he shared how he wouldn’t want to own a Sphynx simply because he “prefers cuddling a fluffy cat”.
He went on: “Another breed I would never buy is a Scottish Fold cat. The reason is, their curly ears, which is their main feature, is actually because of a cartilage disorder.”
He went on to explain how this defective cartilage is also found in all of their joints, meaning they commonly develop painful arthritis at a young age. He says he wouldn’t want to support the breeding of Scottish Fold cats because he doesn’t want them to suffer.
Finally, taking the number one spot, he says he would never want to own a Persian cat because their flat faces cause countless issues.
He added: “I have seen Persian cats whose noses look inverted into their face and their eyes bulge beyond their nose. People don’t realise they can struggle to breathe just as badly as some of the flat-faced dog breeds. It is for the same reasons on the whole – their nostrils are too small, all of the bones in their nasal passage are crowded together, and their tear ducts usually don’t work properly.”
While he highlights how there is a selection of breeders trying to reverse these problems, he says they’re in a minority.
Commenting on his video, one user said: “The original Persian cat was so beautiful and I’m so upset we’ve bred them to this extreme.” Another user added: “Poor Persians. People really need to open their eyes.” A third user said: “My cat is Persian but bred to have an open face and has never had any issues thankfully.” A final user said: “Justice for Sphynx cats.”
