Taylor Swift can't get enough of hers.
Karl Largerfeld's has got its own Instagram.
Heck, even Ed Sheeran apparently has one.
However, while the Scottish Fold cat might look all fluffy, innocent and adorable in that 'I just want to bury my face in its tummy all day long' kind of way, you might want to reconsider liking images of the cute animal next time you see one on social media.
According to the BBC, animal welfare campaigners have called for the breeding of Scottish Folds – which originated in Scotland in the 1960s – to be banned, amid claims the gene mutation that helps them to look so adorable with their floppy ears actually causes the animal health issues, such as arthritis.
Gudrun Ravetz, the president of the British Veterinary Association, told the BBC the breed's 'cuteness' – due to their small floppy ears – has resulted in its unprecedented popularity.
She said: 'These cats have become so popular on social media and with celebrities.
'People are wanting to have these cats because of that, but unfortunately it is another example of us prioritising how a pet looks rather than their quality of life.
'These genetic mutations, which all the Scottish fold cats will have, develop into lifelong incurable and painful diseases,' she adds.
The publication reports a study by Dr Richard Malik, a veterinary internal medicine specialist at Sydney University, argues 'breeding these cats is cruel and ethically indefensible', which he argues has been a known fact since the 1970s.
Malik says: 'Vets and cat breeders who condone this practice have no scientific basis with which to defend this practice. They are not breeding cats – they are perpetuating a disease state.'
However, it's not just Malik and Ravetz who recognise the cruelty of breeding the Scottish Fold. Their arguments are also supported by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) who are calling on their government to ban its breeding.
Explaining the health problems the breed can suffer from, SSPCA chief Superintendent Mike Flynn reportedly told The Times: 'The cartilage and bones do not develop properly, which leads to arthritis and other painful joint diseases that can cause reluctance to move, abnormal posture and gait, lameness and short, misshapen limbs.'
As a result, the Scottish government has reportedly revealed it is 'currently considering the issue of pet breeding as part of an ongoing review of pet welfare'.
However, critics of the animal welfare groups argue many cat breeds have similar health problems.
A breeder named Dee, who gave Sheeran his Scottish Fold, told the BBC: 'If I had discovered there had been a significant problem I would certainly have stopped breeding them.
'But when you balance that against the number of other health issues that occur in other breeds, you could argue that for most pedigree breeds,' she concluded.
Scottish Folds might be cute, but their adorableness comes at a cost and it's one we think they shouldn't have to pay.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
