The Scottish Fold is a friendly, intelligent, and playful cat that likes being with her family. This cat breed prefers the company of their humans, other cats, or cat-friendly dogs rather than being left alone for hours.
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Scottish Fold Cat Breed Profile Summary
- Country of Origin: Great Britain
- Size:
- Males 9 to 13 pounds.
- Females: 6 to 9 pounds.
- Coat: Short, medium, long.
- Color: Black, blue, blue cream, cream and silver, white, and tortoiseshell.
- Eye color: Blue, green, gold, Odd-eyed
- Tendency to shed: High
- Lifespan: 9-12 years
- Grooming needs: Moderate to high.
APPEARANCE
The Scottish Fold is a domestic cat breed from Scotland, with a medium bone structure and large muscles.
This medium-sized cat breed has a round head, large eyes, and folded tiny ears.
The Scottish Fold nose is flat and short and has prominent cheekbones. Its coat is short, although the Highland Fold breed has semi-long hair.
BREED CHARACTERISTICS
- Excellent for new cat owners
- Curious and fun cat
- Requires weekly grooming
- Enjoys playing games
- Independent but friendly
- Little talkative cat
- Average build cat breed
- Needs outdoor space
- Awesome family cat
- Can be regularly left for a few hours
- Great for a relaxed home
SCOTTISH FOLD TEMPERAMENT
The Scottish Fold is a friendly and sweet companion cat that fully trusts its humans. They adapt well to new surroundings and can live in noisy or crowded homes, as well as in a quiet house with a single person.
This cat breed has a sweet disposition and a soft voice but sometimes tends to be stubborn.
HISTORY
Although there have been Chinese lop-eared cats, it is not sure that these felines are ancestors of the Scottish Fold.
The first Scottish Fold to appear was a white cat named Susie, born in 1961, with an unusual fold in her ears that gave her the appearance of an owl.
When Susie had kittens, two were born with folded ears, and The farmer and cat lover William Ross adopted one. Ross registered the breed with the Governing Council of Cat Fancy (GCCF) in the UK in 1966 and began breeding Scottish Fold kittens with the help of geneticist Pat Turner.
The breeding program produced 76 kittens in the first three years: 42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears.
The conclusion of this study was that the ear mutation is due to a single dominant gene.
HEALTH
The lifespan of a Scottish Fold is 15 years.
Scottish folds are susceptible to:
- Polycystic kidney disease and cardiomyopathy.
- Scottish Folds can suffer from degenerative joint disease, a type of arthritis most commonly affecting the tail, ankles, and knees.
- Her bent ears make her more susceptible to ear infections.
DIET
Every cat is unique and has its own particular needs when it comes to food. However, since cats are carnivores, each cat must get different and specific nutrients in their food. The amount of these nutrients will depend on the age, lifestyle, and general health. For example, a growing active kitten needs a different diet than an older, less active cat.
The quantity of food is also important to maintain the ideal body health condition.
Keeping your cat at a healthy weight can minimize the possibility of joint disease. Additionally, certain cat foods contain nutrients that promote joint health.
GROOMING NEEDS
The Scottish Fold is an easy-to-care cat. Its short, dense coat does not require special grooming, although brushing helps remove dead hair.
The Scottish Fold’s ears are not easy to clean, so owners should remove any wax or debris from the outer ear to prevent ear infections.
Like other cat breeds, the Scottish Fold needs regular vaccination and an annual visit to the veterinarian for their health control and deworming.
Curious Facts about Scottish Fold Breed
- Lop-eared cats were the first name of The Scottish Folds
- Scotland does not recognize the breed due to concerns about an increased risk of ear infections and deafness.
- All kittens are born with straight ears, and the folds appear around three weeks of age.
- Fifty percent of the litter will have folded ears.