Flat-Faced or Non-Flat-Faced Cats? That Is the Question

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Despite the serious health and welfare issues related to brachycephalic breeds (e.g., pug, French bulldog, Persian, and exotic shorthair), their popularity is exponentially increasing. Brachycephalic means “shortened head” and refers to the short nose, and for this reason, the breeds with this morphological characteristic are called flat-faced breeds. The aim of this study is exploring differences in human-cat bonding, behavioural traits, perception of clinical breed-related problems, and the motivation for purchasing between brachycephalic cat owners (BCOs) and non-brachycephalic cat owners (NBCOs). This study aims to provide new knowledge on these topics, poorly explored in cats. As for owners of brachycephalic dogs, the character and appearance are the main motivations for purchasing these breeds. Most BCOs were not aware of several breed-related disorders (e.g., respiratory or ocular diseases) before acquiring their cat. Ownership of brachycephalic cat breeds results in being a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. A combination of motivations to own a brachycephalic cat and emotional engagement may explain this phenomenon. ABSTRACT: Persian and exotic shorthair cats are the most-popular brachycephalic breeds worldwide. This study aimed to explore differences in human-cat bonding, behavioural traits, perception of clinical breed-related problems, and the motivation for purchasing between brachycephalic cat owners (BCOs) and non-brachycephalic cat owners (NBCOs). Using an online questionnaire, human-cat bonding and cats’ behavioural traits were explored using the CORS and Fe-BARQ scales, respectively. Breed-related problems and motivations for purchasing were explored only in BCOs. There were 278 BCOs and 250 NBCOs who completed the survey. Respiratory diseases resulted in being the main health problem of these breeds. Most BCOs were not aware of the incidence of these disorders in brachycephalic cats. Character and appearance were the main motivations for purchasing these breeds. Perceived emotional closeness (EC), cat-owner interaction (COI), and perceived cost (PC) mean scores were significantly higher in BCOs. Playfulness and affection-/attention-seeking scores were significantly higher in NBCOs. BCOs reported a significantly higher score for separation-related behaviours. The higher scores in separation-anxiety-related behaviours and in the EC and COI scales could be related mainly to the high level of care these breeds require. The motivation for acquiring brachycephalic breeds for good companionship seems in contrast with the lower scores obtained from BCOs for playfulness and affection-/attention-seeking.