As of January 1, 2026, there are some cats that are banned in the Netherlands. Absurd? Far from it: the new law of the Dutch government completes the ban on the breeding of certain breeds which is already in force (but is not retroactive), it is a sign of civility and respect for the well-being of cats. In what sense? We explain everything here.
the prohibited races. First of all: what breeds are banned by the Dutch government? They are not all explicitly mentioned, but two categories of cats are named which should clarify everything: “fold” cats and naked ones. The former, whose most famous breed is the Scottish Fold, are those with folded ears that resemble those of an owl; the latter include, among others, the Canadian Sphynx, the so-called “sphinx cats” which are completely hairless.
Both categories include breeds that have been selected for their particular appearance, and which suffer from countless health problems because of their appearance.
The problem of the ears… The Scottish Fold, selected since the 1960s in Scotland, does not have folded ears for aesthetic reasons: it is a consequence of a condition called osteochondrodysplasia, i.e. an anonymous development of bones and cartilage: the most visible result is owl ears, but the breed can develop, due to this pathology, a series of degenerative joint problems, which begin to appear when the animal is young.
… and that of the lack of hair. The problems of hairless cats, especially the Sphynx which is the most widespread, are even more predictable: skin irritations, thermoregulation problems, ear pathologies. Selected starting in the 1960s, using some hairless breeds of Russian origin as a “base”, they “exploded” in the 1970s: their condition leads them to live less than seven years on average, and the fact that they cannot even spend too much time outdoors and in the sun makes them particularly fragile – and chosen as pets only because they are considered (wrongly) hypoallergenic.
Stop genetic obstinacy. In short: the ban promulgated by the Dutch government is not a whim, but an attempt to limit the spread of breeds genetically inclined to suffer from disabling pathologies, and which risk leading a life of pain and constant attention from humans.
This is a law that prohibits owning these breeds if the animal was born after January 1, 2026 (cats born before, obviously, are not affected), and which goes hand in hand with the other law that prohibits cat breeding fold and naked: as mentioned, a sign of civilization and attention to animal welfare.
