Abstract
Dear Editors, -I greatly appreciated the common-sense Editorial ‘Brachycephalia — a bastardisation of what makes cats special’ by Malik, Sparkes and Bessant that accompanied the article ‘Brachycephalic feline noses. CT and anatomical study of the relationship between head conformation and the nasolacrimal drainage system’ by Schlueter et al that detailed with great precision the anatomical deviations found in brachycephalic cats.1,2 However, I disagree that it is a ‘bold suggestion’ to ban the breeding of brachycephalic cats. While there may be some place for human selection in the breeding of work and food animals, cat breeding is strictly dedicated to human aesthetics. I am unaware of any feline breeding programs that seek to improve the health or abilities of cats beyond that of their outbred cousins.
While bans on cat breeding may face a long, uphill battle, veterinarians need to ask whether their business practices support the cat breeding industry. Offering discounts to breeders for routine care or screens for genetic diseases subsidizes their business. There is no amount of potential revenue that I can imagine that would change my fundamental scientific and ethical concern that cat breeding does not benefit cats.
Persian cat born in 1968 (a) and a contemporary Persian bred in 2008 from traditional lines (b). (a) CH Pathfinders Goldstrike, from the UK. Courtesy of Animal Photography, Sally Anne Thompson,