Are XL Bully Cats Dangerous?

It’s been tricky to go more than a few days without hearing about XL Bully dogs on social media or in the news in recent years – they were added to the UK’s list of banned dog breeds in 2023 – but now XL Bully cats are increasingly appearing on the scene, too.

But what is an XL Bully cat? There’s a lot of confusion around these cats and if they’re related to their canine counterparts and if they can be dangerous. Let’s take a closer look.

What is an XL Bully cat, and are they dangerous? 

The XL Bully cat was created to resemble the XL Bully dog – a type of American Bully. They were created by breeding Munchkin and Sphynx cats together, so the XL Bully cat gets the hairlessness of a Sphynx and the short rounded legs of a Munchkin to give them an apparently ‘tough’ look. 

However, “the cats are not intrinsically dangerous,” says Dr Dan O’Neill, an associate professor of Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) who has extensively studied extreme breeding of pets. “Most are too incapacitated by their physical deformities to be dangerous.”

Origin of bully cats

XL Bully cats, also known as Bambino cats, originated in the US by mixing the mutant gene that causes hairlessness in Sphynx cats with the gene that causes the short legs of Munchkin cats. 

It’s thought that the XL Bully cat made its way to England around August 2024, when they started being promoted on social media. 

Physical appearance of the XL Bully cat

XL Bully cats are bred to resemble the XL Bully dog breed, hence their hairlessness (although the XL Bully dog is not hairless) and short legs. They tend to have a large head with wrinkles and a stocky build. 

This unnatural genetic mutation, unfortunately, means that they are more susceptible to myriad health issues. The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has worked on a lot of research linking the conformation – physical appearance and structure – of dogs to their health and lifespan, and the same principles apply to cats.

And, much like Sphynx cats, XL Bully cats don’t have whiskers. “Cats use their whiskers as sensory organs to help them move safely around their world,” says Dr O’Neill. “The absence of whiskers in Bully Cats will hinder their ability to navigate and perceive their environment.”

XL Bully cat temperament

As Dr O’Neil explains, XL Bully cats are bred to look intimidating and aggressive, but they aren’t inherently aggressive. 

We don’t know a lot about the general temperament of XL Bully cats yet, but we do know that Sphynx cats are quite extroverted and are often considered to be dog-like, with lots of energy, intelligence, curiosity and affection. They like to cuddle, too, in part because it keeps them warm when they have no fur.

Why are XL Bully cats causing such controversy?

Dr O’Neill explains that humans have long caused problems for dogs by breeding unnatural body shapes, and misguided breeders are now doing the same for cats.

“Nature evolved these two species over millions of years to have a body shape that gives these animals optimal health and survival – a concept called innate health,” he says. “However, for our human amusement and for financial gain, humans decided to start creating extreme variants of dogs 150 years ago, and more recently, started to create extreme variants of cats.”

The XL Bully cat’s distinctive appearance comes at a significant cost to its health. These cats inherit the hairlessness of the Sphynx, leaving them vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer, while their unnaturally folded skin is prone to infections. Their shortened legs, a trait from the Munchkin breed, dramatically increase the risk of arthritis and joint pain, even from an early age.

Just as concerning are the internal health issues: a thickened diaphragm that can hinder breathing, muscle abnormalities that make swallowing difficult and a genetic predisposition to severe heart conditions and seizures. With these health challenges, critics argue that the XL Bully cat is yet another example of extreme breeding prioritising aesthetics over animal welfare.

There’s a correlation between these health problems and a shorter lifespan in a genetically mutated breed, too. The Sphynx has the shortest life expectancy of all the common cat breeds in the UK; a recent RVC VetCompass paper reported that Sphynx cats live an average of just 6.8 years compared to the 11.7 years that most cats enjoy (and the 17-19 year old moggies regularly seen in practice). The discrepancy is largely due to the breed’s predisposition to the aforementioned health issues, many of which are directly related to the very traits they are bred for. 

With the XL Bully cat being a cross between two extreme breeds, it is expected to see XL Bully cats live very short lives in comparison to other breeds, as well as experiencing a number of health problems throughout their short lives.

Do XL Bully cats have any relation to XL Bully dogs?

In short, no. Despite perceived similarities in their appearances, XL Bully cats have no relation to XL Bully dogs. The only similarity is the relation to prioritising appearance and status promoted on social media.

Should you get an XL Bully cat? 

Buying an XL Bully cat is not considered an ethical choice, as it promotes the demand for extreme breeding, which ultimately means unhealthy suffering cats. While there are some reasons why people might want an XL Bully cat, be it their appearance or because of the personality traits they may inherit from Sphynx and Munchkin cats, buying one is not recommended.

Their range of serious health issues leading to a lower quality of life and a lower life expectancy for the cats cannot be worth it for the sake of a particular look.

The bottom line: are XL Bully cats dangerous?

XL Bully cats are not inherently dangerous. Of course, every cat is different, and even two cats from the same litter may have different temperaments. There’s no guarantee that an XL Bully cat won’t ever bite or scratch, for example, but we could say the same for any breed.

Frequently asked questions: XL Bully cats

Are XL Bullies dangerous?

Any cat or dog has the potential to bite or scratch, and there’s no current research on XL Bully cats and dangerous behaviours. The previous UK government banned XL Bully dogs, following a rise in fatal dog attacks associated with the breed in recent years.

What are the problems with XL Bully cats?

XL Bully Cats are more susceptible to a number of health problems that arise when breeding Sphynx and Munchkin cats together (especially skin and joint issues), which can have an impact on their life expectancy.

What are the health problems with Bully cats?

A Bully cat’s lack of fur can lead to sunburn and an increased risk of skin cancer, while their skin is folded unnaturally, which can lead to rubbing, chafing and skin infections. They also have shortened legs, which causes arthritis, and their build could mean they develop joint pain as they get older. 

An XL Bully cat’s muscles are also affected. Internally, they have a thickened diaphragm, which can impact their breathing, while muscles around the oesophagus can make eating and swallowing more difficult. Meanwhile, cats with two copies of the defective muscle fibre gene that causes this breed are more likely to die at a young age from heart problems and seizures.  

Why are XL Bullies aggressive?

XL Bully cats aren’t inherently aggressive. XL Bully dogs have previously been bred to fight, so may be more likely to inherit aggression. Again, however, this doesn’t mean that every XL Bully dog is going to display aggressive behaviours.

Resources

‌Carroll, Gemma. “The ‘bully cats’ bred to resemble American bully dogs and how fashion is creating mutant pet breeds.” The Conversation. 16 Oct. 2024. 

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP. “Ban on unregistered XL Bully dogs now in force.” GOV.UK. 1 Feb. 2024. 

“Innate Health Tool.” Brachycephalic Working Group. 12 May 2022. 

Teng K., Brodbelt D., Church D., O’Neill D.. “Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 7 May 2024.