Irish puppy farmers, long criticised for their role in the mass breeding of dogs, are turning their attention to pedigree cats, exploiting a boom in demand for flat-faced kittens.
Animal welfare groups believe that puppy farmers have established kitten farms in counties such as Cork, Limerick and Cavan, as well as other locations across the country, in an effort to cash in on a growing demand for pedigree cats in Ireland, Britain and Europe.
Scottish fold shorthairs, ragdolls and Maine coons — a large breed known for its affinity for water — are being sold for between €400 and €1,500, depending on their colouring. The surge in demand is being driven by viral trends on Instagram and TikTok, where videos of “cute” kittens have made these breeds highly desirable among impulse buyers.
Ed Sheeran has also highlighted the Scottish fold breed
Celebrity ownership has further fuelled this trend. Taylor Swift owns two Scottish fold cats and shares images of them with her millions of followers. Ed Sheeran has also highlighted the breed, often posting about his Scottish fold. Their influence, alongside the appearances of pedigree cats in films and social media, has intensified demand.
Animal welfare charities fear that the involvement of puppy farmers and unscrupulous dealers in breeding pedigree cats will place even greater strain on rescue organisations already struggling to cope with the fallout from unethical breeding practices.
Barbara Bent, of the Wexford Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the burgeoning trade and emergence of kitten farms would create significant animal welfare issues. Britain is already seeing pedigree cats being abandoned. “When you get the commercial breeding of pets, welfare standards slide. Ireland is already notorious for allowing puppy farming. Cats can be bred in confined spaces. One can only imagine what sort of conditions these animals are being kept in,” she said.
There is no law in Ireland prohibiting the commercial breeding of cats. Finding the farms is difficult as cats make far less noise than dogs and can be kept in large numbers in confined spaces. Puppy farms are often revealed by neighbours who complain about the sound of dogs barking.
Some kitten breeding establishments run alongside puppy farming operations have already come to light after cats have escaped and turned feral.
Alice Palombo of Cats Protection, a British welfare organisation, said: “We are increasingly concerned about the international trade in cats and kittens.
“We suspect transactions are taking place via private messaging on social media. This has made it difficult to grasp the scale of the problem. It would not surprise us if kitten farming is taking place in Ireland with a view to exporting to the UK and beyond.”
She said people were increasingly acquiring cats online, particularly on social media, which has opened a global trade in cats. According to Cat Protection survey data, an estimated 65,000 cats in the UK were acquired from an overseas source in the 2023-24 financial year. The vast majority remain non-pedigree domestic pets, but the proportion of ordinary domestic cats has declined as the enthusiasm for designer breeds — once confined to dogs — has spread into the feline world.
Maine coons are being sold for between €400 and €1,500
ALEXANDRA JURSOVA/GETTY IMAGES
The growing demand for extreme cat breeds has caused alarm among vets and animal welfare groups, which fear a repeat of what has happened with dogs. The craze for flat-faced French bulldogs and pugs, for example, has resulted in severe genetic defects, with many dogs suffering from respiratory distress due to their distorted skulls.
Most pedigree cats also have inheritable health issues. The physical traits that make them visually distinctive often cause debilitating pain when they run, jump or play, due to defective cartilage formation. Many have short painful lives, ultimately becoming almost immobile.
The fashion for “baby-faced” felines has led breeders to produce animals with such misshapen skulls that they suffer brain damage, chronic eye infections and constant breathing difficulties.
The British government is considering a ban on Scottish fold cats, citing the severe physical ailments and behavioural problems they develop due to genetic deformities. The UK’s animal welfare committee has recommended prohibiting the breeding of Scottish folds and other dwarf breeds to prevent the suffering caused by their extreme physical characteristics.
One of the world’s most well-known pedigree cats was Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tardar Sauce. She gained fame in 2012 due to her grumpy expression, which was caused by an underbite and feline dwarfism — conditions that were likely to have caused her significant discomfort.
