Why Are We Ignoring the Genetic Disease Problems Behind the Scottish Fold Cat’s Cute Look?

Scottish Fold cats are popular for their cute appearance, but the genetic diseases caused by the breeding process have become a serious social and ethical issue. This is a result of human greed and requires a deep reflection on bioethics.

 

In recent years, Scottish Fold cats have become popular among people. These cute cats are loved by many people because of their unique appearance. Scottish Folds are a breed of cat characterized by their forward-bent ears, short legs, and bushy tails. Their cute appearance has become more widely known through the internet and social media, especially on YouTube and Instagram. On these platforms, videos and photos of Scottish Fold cats are shared with millions of followers, and their cute looks and quirky behaviors have become a big topic of conversation.
However, a genetic disease in the Scottish Fold breed has recently become a social issue. While many people are mesmerized by these cats and decide to adopt them, it’s easy to overlook the fact that they have serious genetic problems. Raon, a Scottish Fold cat from the popular YouTube channel SuriNoel, and Lulu, a Scottish Fold pedigree cat from Cream Heroes, were found to have genetic conditions called hip dysplasia and osteochondrodysplasia, respectively. These conditions have a major impact on a cat’s daily life and can cause a lot of suffering. Many people who witnessed this situation began to be alerted to the problem of genetic diseases in Scottish Folds.
Why are genetic diseases in cats a social and ethical issue? The problem stems fundamentally from the Scottish Fold’s distinctive appearance. In the mid-to-late 20th century, the folded ears of the Scottish Fold became popular among people, and breeders began breeding cats with folded ears in order to preserve the breed and profit from it. In doing so, many were only concerned with the cute appearance and didn’t think enough about the genetic defects that could result. As a result, this indiscriminate breeding has led to the development of fatal genetic diseases in cats.
This brings us to the need to understand a little more about the genetics of the Scottish Fold. The folded ears described above is a trait caused by a defect in the ear cartilage, which does not support the ears like other cats. This folded ear trait is caused by an allele called Fd, which is an autosomal incomplete dominant trait, which means that when both the folded ear (Fd) gene and the flattened ear (fd) gene are present at the same time, an intermediate trait between the two is expressed. So, you can see that the shape of the ears is determined by which of the two types of genes you have. However, this gene has a fatal flaw: it can be expressed not only in the ear cartilage, but also in the joints of the limbs, such as the hip, knee, or shoulder. As a result, folded ears, especially purebred Scottish Folds, which are more likely to have the FdFd genotype, are more likely than other cats to develop joint and growth plate problems and often develop a lifelong genetic disease called Scottish Fold Osteochondrodysplasia (SFOCD), which can cause symptoms such as limping and stiffness of the limbs and tail starting at the age of 12. An easy-to-understand analogy would be if a person in their teens or 20s developed rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable disease that can’t be cured, and suffered for the rest of their lives.
What’s worse is that this problem is not limited to one breed, the Scottish Fold. In the case of dogs, inbreeding has been practiced to produce dogs with traits that people favor, resulting in the expression of recessive genes that would rarely show up in normal breeding, resulting in purebreds of most famous species having recessive genetic diseases. The most common example is the bulldog. As a result of repeated breeding to preserve their distinctive wrinkled and short muzzle, many studies have shown that they have a significantly higher susceptibility to various genetic diseases such as hip dysplasia, cysticercosis, and dermatitis. This is also the case in humans. The Habsburgs are a prime example of this, marrying off relatives to maintain power, and by the 19th century, they had a history of inherited diseases such as cleft lip and mental illness. While this may be a bit off topic, transgenic mice have also been subjected to genetic manipulation for scientific research and clinical trials, resulting in a variety of conditions, including the development of inherited diseases.
The lesson from all of these examples is clear. What they all have in common is that they were born with genetic diseases, or congenital diseases, due to human greed. In particular, pets such as cats and dogs are suffering because they have been modified just because they are cute, pretty, or useful to humans. As science, technology, and veterinary knowledge in the life sciences advance, humanity is benefiting in many ways, but we need to make sure that our ethical consciousness is growing along with it. It is never justifiable for humans to expose animals to genetic diseases in order to fulfill their own greed. When we understand that pets that could be born healthy are forced to live with genetic diseases like osteochondrodysplasia and retinal atrophy for the rest of their lives, we need a societal ethical review of the practice of maintaining obedience out of mere human greed.
These additions strengthen the explanation of the popularity of the Scottish Fold cat and the genetic problems it causes. They also expand the discussion of ethical issues to help readers understand the issues in greater depth.