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Unlike dog breeding, cat breeding isn’t currently regulated in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Without adequate safeguards in place, people can put profit before welfare.

This leads to harmful breeding practices, like overbreeding cats, under socialising kittens, and breeding for features that may look ‘cute’ and be popular online, but have a serious impact on cats’ health and welfare. This includes cats with very flat faces who struggle with breathing and eye problems, cats with folded ears that mean they also have severe joint pain, or hairless cats who often develop painful skin conditions.

We’re disappointed that cat breeding wasn’t included in the Government’s recent Animal Welfare Strategy. We’re urging them to address this, and put meaningful protections in place for cats and their kittens, so that more animals can live happy, healthy lives.

Read more about how Battersea are campaigning to drive up welfare standards in breeding.