With their doleful huge eyes and folded little ears it's small wonder a certain breed of cat has stolen the hearts of celebrity animal lovers such as Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.

Yet all this cuteness comes at a hefty price - the result of years of breeding to exploit a genetic disorder.

The ear cartilage of a Scottish Folds is abnormally weak due to a hereditary condition that causes defective cartilage elsewhere in their body, particularly the joints.

As a result, the cats are very likely to develop crippling arthritis at a much younger age than other breeds.

This is why welfare charity Cats Protection wants to outlaw such selective mating.

The charity is also concerned at high-profile A-listers such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran for instigating a massive rise in demand for the pets.

Pop megastar Ed has created a separate social-media profile for his Scottish Folds, while Taylor often posts pictures of her two such moggies with her 230 million Instagram followers.

What do YOU think? Why not share your thoughts?

Currently, there aren't any restrictions on breeding cats in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, but Scotland prohibits mating cats with poor health - including these Scottish Folds.

What do YOU think? Should the selective breeding of cute cats be outlawed? Let us know