As Taylor Swift gears up for her colossal “Eras Tour” to touchdown in the UK, her famous pets are sparking a little bit of a conversation. Now, animal welfare experts are urging Swifities to avoid having Scottish Folds, the breed of Taylor Swift’s beloved cats. Adorable? Absolutely. But their cuteness comes at a painful price.
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Scottish Folds, recognized by their unique folded ears and owl-like appearance, suffer from a genetic condition caused by the mutation made to get this breed. This mutation, while giving them their distinctive look, leads to osteochondrodysplasia, which causes abnormal bone growth and chronic pain. Imagine something like arthritis but worse.
Interestingly, Scotland—the breed’s homeland and the kickoff location for Talyor’s UK tour on June 7th—has banned the breeding of the Scottish Folds. Similarly, other countries like the Netherlands, Australia, and Norway have also imposed restrictions on this breed. While this issue isn’t with Taylor Swift herself, Sarah Elliott from Cats Protection, stated that the real problem is breeders not fully providing the information about the breed’s health issues to potential cat owners.
“This is something owners find out later, and often it’s quite devastating to find out that your cat has this condition that can’t be cured, and that they’re going to be in pain for life.”
Taylor’s devotion to her cats is undeniable, as she credits them as her inspiration for joining the cast of the film “Cats.” What’s more, her pets have also made an appearance in “ME!” one of the singer’s videos. Let’s hope this spotlight leads to better awareness about the Scottish Folds.
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