Taylor Alert – Calls to ban designer cat favoured by celebrities from Taylor Swift to Molly-Mae Hague over ‘painful’ conditions

There are calls to ban the famous designer cat made famous by celebrities from Taylor Swift to Molly-Mae Hague over concerns about its ‘painful’ inherited conditions.

Scottish Fold cats are bred to have owl-like features, with circular faces and folded-over ears.

Swift, Hague and Ed Sheeran are just a few of the famous faces who are proud owners of the pedigree breed – but experts are now warning their unusual look is caused by a gene which also leaves the moggies in pain.

Scottish Fold cats have been singled out by the Animal Welfare Committee for leaving many in crippling pain when they run, jump or play.

The committee, which advises the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affaris (Defra), as well as the devolved Scottish and Welsh governments. 

It has recommended a ban on licensing legislation to prevent the breeding of Scottish Folds in the UK –  pointing to existing bans on breeding and sometimes even sale of the cats in countries including Austria, Belgium and Norway.

It is thought the Scottish Fold breed has been popularised by celebrities, as well as the 2024 film Argylle, which famously featured the breed.

Scottish Fold cats are bred to have owl-like features, with circular faces and folded-over ears

Friends Ed Sheeran (pictured) and Taylor Swift are among the A-list celebrities to own Scottish Folds

Molly-Mae Hague also owns two Scottish Folds named Eggy and Bread

Alison Richards, Cats Protection’s Head of Clinical Services, said at the time of the film’s release in February: ‘All Scottish Fold cats suffer from variable degrees of painful degenerative joint disease and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and severe consequences for their health. 

‘They go on to develop painful arthritis and it develops it so reliably that it’s being used as a model to study the gene involved in human arthritis. 

‘They’re already very popular on social media and with celebrities so we really worry that this film will cause this to surge even more.’ 

Taylor Swift’s two Scottish Fold cats, named Olivia Benson an Meredith Grey after characters from US TV shows, often appear on her social media accounts, making the breed more popular in recent years.

Ed Sheeran also owns a Scottish Fold named Callipo, who has its own Instagram page.

And Molly-Mae Hague owns two of the breed named Eggy and Bread. 

Despite their popularity among the rich and famous, the breed has long faced calls for a ban.

Now, criticising breeding mechanisms, a report from the Animal Welfare Committee said the Scottish folds were created based off of the ‘desired’ characteristics of a single cat.

Scottish Fold cats were made popular by the February 2024 film Argylle – although the movie was criticised by animal rights activists

Taylor Swift’s two Scottish Fold cats, named Olivia Benson an Meredith Grey after characters from US TV shows, often appear on her social media accounts, making the breed more popular in recent years

Scottish Folds, which owe their distinctive appearance to a genetic disorder, could be banned if animal campaigners get their way

Swift is famously a cat-lover and often shares updates on her pets with her millions of online fans

It added: ‘The direct result is inbreeding and reduced genetic variability. In such cases, inherited problems associated with a breed may become widespread and sometimes ‘normalised’/accepted.’

For Scottish folds, their appearance is caused by defective cartilage, and all the cats suffer from Scottish fold osteochondrodysplasia (SFOCD).

This can cause skeletal deformities such as short and inflexible tails or shortened spray feet.

The cats are also highly prone to crippling arthritis at a far younger age than other breeds. 

The report’s authors noted: ‘As a result, Scottish Fold cats will almost inevitably suffer physical pain – from mild to severe – and associated restriction of physical activity and natural behaviour.’

They added: ‘Breeds should not be perpetuated where they suffer from health and welfare problems linked to characteristics selected for or associated with that breed. 

‘Licensing legislation should explicitly prevent licensing of those breeding these animals throughout the UK.

‘Specifically, it is recommended that there is sufficient evidence to justify inclusion of the Scottish fold, munchkin and other dwarf breeds within this prohibition, due to the almost inevitable and frequently severe physical suffering and behavioural restrictions highly likely to be experienced by all individuals within these breeds.’ 

There are currently no feline breeding regulations in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, but Scotland bans breeding cats with poor health, including Scottish Folds.