A popular veterinary influencer detailed, in a video that he uploaded to TikTok, which are for him the four breeds of cats that should never be bought because they are "problematic"; and the cat lovers got into an argument that is still going on.
In the video, which lasts just over two and a half minutes, the professional who calls himself Ben The Vet in the networks explained that he "would still adopt any breed of cat, but would not support raising some."
Among the "problems" the influencer detailed for each breed of cat that he advises against keeping, range from behavioral difficulties to a variety of health conditions.
In the first place of the "undesirable" cats, the vet mentioned the Bengal cat: "They are beautiful cats [with] beautiful coats, I can understand why people like them," Ben told his followers.
"What many people don't know is that they are a hybrid between a wildcat called the Asian leopard cat and domestic cat breeds," he said.
"So they are still quite wild in terms of behavior and temperament and in vets' wards they have a reputation for being quite aggressive," the expert said. He added: "Usually it's out of fear, but they can actually be quite dangerous to treat."
The second place is occupied by the Sphynx cat. "Nothing against them, they're good cats. But I'd rather cuddle a fluffy cat," he explained.
The Scottish wildcat is in third place on the influencer's list. And he advised those who already have one to do their research on common health problems."Her curled ears, which is actually her most distinctive feature, is actually due to a cartilage disorder," he explained.
"The problem is that this defective cartilage is also found in most of their joints and this means they commonly develop painful arthritis at a young age," he added. "To me, that's just cruel and unfair and I could never support his upbringing," she concluded.
Lastly, and for similar reasons as above, the vet explained why a Persian cat should not be adopted. "I've seen Persian cats whose noses look inverted in their face and their eyes bulge past the nose. People don't realize they can have as much difficulty breathing as flat-faced dog breeds," he said.
He explained: "Their nostrils are too small, all the bones in their nostrils are crowded together, and they often have too long a soft palate at the back of their throat."
"Their tear ducts usually don't work properly, so all of it collects around their eyes. Due to the shape of their heads, they are very prone to eye problems, such as corneal ulcers," he added. The vet also mentioned heart disease, polycystic kidney disease, and dental disease as common problems facing the Persian breed. "They're a general health disaster, and for that reason, I could never buy one," he closed.
The video, which has so far accumulated more than 550,000 "likes" and almost 10,000 comments, started a strong debate among TikTok users. "Poor Persians people really need to open their eyes," one wrote and another captioned: "The poor wild Scots. They are sweet cats but they live in a lot of pain."
Some, on the other hand, owners of the breeds mentioned in the influencer's clip defended their cats and criticized that "health problems" is a valid reason for not having them. "So, what would the solution be?" asks one and answers himself: "I know, we kill them all. That would be better."
