Inside terrifying rise of new XL Bully cats as experts issue grave warning

XL Bully dogs have been recklessly bred to exaggerate their physical features and now a new trend of XL Bully cats is on the rise, leaving animal welfare charities 'incredibly concerned'

After XL Bullies terrorised the UK resulting in a ban earlier this year, now Brits have to worry about a whole new horrifying four-legged breed.

The rise of the stocky and hairless 'XL Bully cat' has left animal campaigners 'incredibly concerned' with how they have been bred, raising serious welfare worries for the pets. The sphynx-like cats have been engineered to look a particular way, just like the XL Bully, whose exaggerated features include muscular and abnormally large frames with cropped ears.

XL cats are also bred to look fearsome. They come with short and stocky figures, without fur to show off their incredibly wrinkly bare skin, and large pointed ears with a scrunched-up face. Just like their canine counterpart, it is believed they originated in the US and have now made their way across the Atlantic.

Owners have shown off the new breed with photos across social media sites, resulting in a disturbing following. And now animal welfare activists fear they could become the new 'designer' obsession, which could have severe consequences.

Head of Clinical Services for Cats Protection, Alison Richards, told the Mirror: "We're incredibly concerned about the breeding of cats with extreme body types and have seen some sellers advertising 'Bully cats' on online selling sites. Our veterinary assessments of the photos and videos we have seen of these cats have raised serious welfare concerns."

Talking about their DNA make-up, she said their lack of fur will predispose these cats to skin disease, while their shortened legs will lead to joint abnormalities, potentially resulting in arthritis. They can also be at risk of illnesses like cat flu, flea and worm infestations and ongoing behavioural problems.

"Breeding for deformity causes unacceptable suffering and distress and prevents these cats from carrying out normal behaviours essential for their welfare," Alison continued. "Cats with extreme characteristics are bred purely for the pursuit of profit.

"There is a rising trend towards harmful body types, which may be incredibly painful and, in some cases, life-limiting for the cats involved. Breeding of so-called Bully cats or other cats with extreme traits means inflicting a poor quality of life on an animal, and this is clearly inhumane."

She added: "Cats Protection is calling on the government to introduce cat breeding regulations to ban the breeding of cats with extreme characteristics which could have a detrimental effect on their health or welfare or that of their offspring. We’d urge anyone looking to get a cat to consider adopting one of the wonderful cats we have in our care, all cats from Cats Protection will have been health checked by a vet before being adopted."

Echoing the charity's fears, an RSPCA spokesperson outlined the cruel features of an XL Bully cat, telling the Mirror: "These Sphynx-like cats are also bred to have only a fine covering of downy hair and some may not have eyelashes or whiskers. This lack of fur can leave cats vulnerable to harmful ultraviolet light, cause difficulties keeping warm and means they won’t be able to use their hair and possibly their whiskers to explore their environment.

"The lack of a fur coat also means they need to be regularly washed as oil can accumulate on their skin. They also appear to have excess skin folds making them vulnerable to skin conditions which can cause a great deal of discomfort. There could also be further health issues associated with these cats being bred from a limited gene pool."

Highlighting that their prominence on social media could fuel demand for these kinds of cats, they added: "We would urge fellow cat lovers to consider adopting the many rescue cats in our care instead of buying from a breeder. We would also urge breeders to prioritise the health and welfare of any animal over the way they look."