XL Bully dogs made headlines earlier this year, after the British government banned the muscular canines following a series of vicious attacks.

Today, a new XL Bully is appearing in Britain – and this time, it’s a cat.

The XL Bully Cat originated in the United States, but has slowly made its way to the United Kingdom, where social media accounts promoting the “mutant breed” have sprung up.

Mutant breeding involves intentionally combining genetic mutations to create cats with a specific appearance.

In this case, XL Bully Cats are a mix between a munchkin cat and a sphynx cat, meaning they are both hairless and have short legs.

While this makes them look intimidating, it can actually put them at a disadvantage in a fight, according to Dr. Grace Carroll, a lecturer in animal behavior and welfare at Queen’s University.

“Short legs limit their ability to jump, can put cats at a disadvantage in fights, and can lead to painful health problems,” she explained in an article for The Conversation.

XL Bully dogs made headlines earlier this year, after the British government banned the muscular canines following a series of vicious attacks. Now a new XL Bully is on the rise in Britain – and this time it’s a cat

XL Bully cats are at high risk of developing a number of health problems related to their lack of fur.

“Kittens already have a limited ability to regulate their body temperature, which is made even more difficult by the absence of hair and makes them more susceptible to respiratory infections,” Dr. Carroll explained.

“A lack of fur can also lead to sunburn and skin cancer in hairless cats.”

Like the Sphynx, XL Bully Cats do not have whiskers.

This can lead to problems with communication, navigation and spatial assessment.

At the same time, their short legs are also linked to many health problems.

“Their short legs are a genetic defect that can lead to painful arthritis and cause general mobility problems,” Cats Protection explained.

Unfortunately, while the average cat lives up to 12 years in the UK, the average Sphynx only lives 6.7 years.

Like the Sphynx, XL Bully Cats do not have whiskers. This can lead to problems with communication, navigation and spatial assessment.

“Bully cats, being both hairless and short-legged, can face twice as many challenges as sphynx and munchkin breeds,” Dr. Carroll said.

Many XL Bully Cat breeders claim that their animals are healthy and undergo regular screening.

For example, Bella Jones, who runs breeding company BullyCats UK, insists her animals are “health tested and fully functional”.

In response to backlash earlier this year, Ms Jones posted on Facebook: “All of our cats are happy, health tested and fully functional.

“Our cats live in our family home and other family homes across the UK. They jump, play, run and act like an average cat.

“We will be posting many positive videos and comments about these claims and educating many more people about this concept and the breed as a whole, especially about the functionality and happiness of our babies.”

While regular screening can help prevent health problems, Dr. Carroll says the broader health and welfare issues related to breeding mutants cannot be ignored.

“People generally find traits like round eyes and short noses particularly cute,” the expert explained.

The “unnatural” sphynx-like breed has short, arched legs and very wrinkled skin.

“(But) breeding for hairlessness and shorter legs is better aligned with the concept of breeding for curiosity.”

“In this case, the resemblance between bully cats and dogs is more of a human-driven design, where appearance takes priority.

“The bully cat appears to have been intentionally bred to resemble the bully dog, perhaps due to its perception among young men as a sort of status symbol.”

In many breeds, crossbreeding programs could help alleviate health problems.

However, Dr. Carroll cautions that this probably wouldn’t work for the XL Bully Cat.

“For mutant breeds like the bully cat – where hairlessness and short legs are defining traits – this is not a realistic solution,” she said.

Instead, the expert urges potential buyers not to consider purchasing XL Bully Cats.

“We can discourage breeders from prioritizing aesthetics over animal health and welfare by refusing to purchase breeds with extreme characteristics,” she concluded.

“A trend toward ethical breeding could ensure that future cats are healthier, happier and free to enjoy natural feline behaviors like climbing, jumping and basking in the sun.

“We should let cats be cats.”

Cats Protection reiterated Dr Carroll’s warning and said it “would not recommend” getting a Bully Cat XL.

“If you’re looking for specific breeds, choose one without exaggerated features,” he advises on his website.

“It is important to remember that cats with extreme breed conformities are primarily bred for their appearance.

“Therefore, we must be careful to support breeding trends that lead to far lower welfare for cats, which serve no other purpose than to make them ‘nicer’ to us, the humans.

“Many other purebred cats are prone to health problems such as heart disease, eye problems, skin problems and other painful conditions.

“Be sure to do your research before choosing a specific breed.”

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT? THE 13 SECRET SIGNALS FELINES GIVE TO THEIR OWNERS

Cats are often characterized as aloof, solitary creatures who spend their days plotting their human owner’s demise, but such characterizations couldn’t be further from the truth.

Indeed, our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether through their whiskers, their tails, their faces or their body language.

In her eye-opening new book Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, author Lili Chin—with help from animal behaviorists—explains how to interpret your pet’s movements.

Below are some of the most common behaviors and what they might signal.

Our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether through their whiskers, tails, faces or body language.