'I'm a vet and the way people are getting new cats is a really worrying trend'

Cats are the second most popular pet in the UK, after dogs, and they’re loved for their independence and low-maintenance nature. According to UK Pet Food, there were 12.5 million pet cats in the UK in 2024, with 29 per cent of households having a cat.

There are various types of cats but moggies, mixed-breed felines, are the most common in the UK. Popular pedigree breeds include the British Shorthair, Ragdolls and Bengals. Pedigree cats come from a recognised breed with a documented family tree but moggies are the result of generations of natural evolution and have a diverse genetic background.

Ben Simpson-Vernon, a small animalvet in the UK, has warned of a concerning trend in the way owners have started to get a new pet cat.

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Speaking in a video on Instagram, he said: “The way that people are acquiring new cats is changing massively and it’s a really worrying trend.

“In 2025 for the first time ever, more new cats were pedigree cats that have been purchased as opposed to moggies that are typically adopted.”

The animal expert claimed it could be “disastrous” if this new trend carries because of a number of reasons.

The first reason he gave is there are already thousands of cats and kittens in rescue centres waiting to find their forever homes and he explained that almost nobody actively breeds moggies as they come from unplanned pregnancies from cats that haven’t been neutered or from stray cats.

Vernon explained that these unwanted cats and kittens will still continue to be produced so if people are choosing to buy than adopt rescue centres will become more overcrowded than they already are.

He added: “Secondly, we do not want for cats what has happened to dogs. Selective breeding of any animal, including cats, means that you create a small gene pool and genetic disorders inevitably become more common.

“What’s also worrying is that some of these pedigree cat breeds are specifically bred to have physical features that people find cute but are associated with a risk of disease.”

The small animal vet gave the “especially upsetting” example of Scottish fold cats, which have increased in popularity, and are bred to have folded ears that are linked to a cartilage disorder “that means most of these cats develop painful arthritis at a young age.”

Vernon went on to share that many pedigree cats are also brachycephalic so they have a flatter face that people often find cute but is linked to respiratory and eye problems.

He concluded with a message: “A moggy can be just as wonderful a companion as a pedigree cat so if you are thinking of getting a cat do consider adopting.”

In the caption of his Instagram post, the animal specialist said that cats are sadly starting to become ‘products’ to be bought rather than being rescued.

He blamed social media and consumerism, noting: “People fall in love with the look of a British Shorthair, or a Scottish fold cat on social media, and want to order one online conveniently, ideally as easily as they would a new coat, or a toaster.”

Ben recognised that there are definitely reputable breeders of pedigree cats out there but cat breeding is “becoming a lucrative industry that is currently unregulated” and he believed this can “easily attract the wrong sort” who simply want to make money and have “little regard for cat welfare.”

Before committing to any specific breed, make sure to do your independent research.