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    Selkirk Rex cats may have an adorable exterior, but animal lovers are starting to worry about what's on the inside. According to Science 2.0, researchers are looking into the Selkirk Rex to see if the company who created the breed, Big Kitten, is responsibly producing the felines.

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    Selkirk Rex cats began in 1987 when breeders took over an abandoned animal shelter. At the facility they found one of the cats had produced a kitten with a curly coat, the signature feature of the Selkirk Rex. 

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    Instead of worrying about the mutation and the kitten's health, Big Kitten forced the animal to breed with a Persian. The cat produced a litter of half curly-haired and half normal-haired kittens.

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    Since Selkirk Rexs were so cute, Big Kitten continued to breed the animal, without checking in on the mutation's effect on the animals' health. After having continuing success with curly-haired cats, the company campaigned to create the Selkirk Rex breed.

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    25 years later, with Big Kitten making money by registering Selkirk Rex breeders, researchers are starting to investigate the breed's health. 

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    The mutation has been named SADRE, or Selkirk Autosomal Dominant Rex. SADRE is capable of creating a curly coat, whether one copy of the mutation is present or two.

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    Big Kitten continues to assure cat enthusiasts that the animals are safe and healthy, but they have no evidence to support these claims. 

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    The company's attention is more focused on making sure the Selkirk Rex brings in money. Unfortunately, there is no government oversight to ensure that Big Kitten is controlling their breeding.

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    For now, Big Kitten will continue to produce cute cats that may not be healthy, but are enticing to buyers looking for an unusual pet. 

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    Next: Meet The Ukrainian Levkoy Cat

    Those against breeding felines are still working to create more control over specialty pet reproduction and trying to remind pet owners of all the needy adoptable rescue pets in the world.