Scottish Fold | Cat Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

Among the ideal cat breeds to have at home, there is one that stands out for its unique beauty: the Scottish Fold. This cat has a very special physical appearance, with large eyes, small folded ears and a round head. It is normal for many to compare it to a teddy bear or an owl. This cat is not only one of the most enchanting physically, but it also has a unique personality. Friendly and curious, the Scottish Fold is an ideal companion.

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Many people think that the Scottish Fold with his folded ears, his big buttoned eyes and his kind smile looks like an owl. The charming appearance of these cats is completed by a round muzzle with round mustaches and a rounded body with dense and elastic hair. Not everyone knows that these Scottish cats are born with “normal” straight ears. At the age of 3 to 4 weeks, about half of the kittens “trigger” the drooping ears gene, and they turn into Scottish folds.

The color of the Scottish cat’s coat can be almost any, just like the color of the eyes (although the copper eyes predominate). The females weigh 3 to 4 kg, the males – from 4 to 6 kg.

• The shape of the body of Scottish Fold is rounded. The body itself is fairly well developed physically. The animal’s shoulders and breasts stand out particularly.
• The legs are small, fine, with a round shape.
• The head is round, the transition to the neck is almost imperceptible. The jaws are well developed and the chin is pronounced.
• The nose is short but wide.
• Most often, the ears are small. The points are rounded, turned forward and down.
• The eyes are round and wide open. The eye color is directly linked to the color of the coat.
• The coat is short or in medium length. Very soft, not close to the body.
• Most often, the tail is not long, but there can be exceptions with a longer instance.
• Scottish Folds can absolutely have any coat color: from white to chocolate and black. But more often than not, they are known as plush representatives of gray hair cats.

Despite its strange appearance, the Scottish Fold has a soft and calm character. They are not an active cat breed, which may be due to the fact that the movement hurts them.

Like other breeds, the Scottish Fold likes routines and does not particularly like it when it changes for any reason. They like to be fed at the same time of the day and do not like furniture moving around the house, which can often stress cats.

That said, the Scottish Fold is easy going by nature and forms close links with its owners. He is confident and open, loving nothing more than following an owner from one room to another to get involved in everything that’s going on.

The Scottish Fold remains very kitty throughout his life, which is one of the reasons why it is so fun to share the house with.

Genetically, cats with drooping ears have many problems. It is because of them that some countries prohibit breed farming.

• Renal polycystosis. PKD is a hereditary disease. Owners should be vigilant because symptoms can start to appear at a fairly early age. Renal polycystosis causes the formation of cysts in the kidneys, preventing organs from operating normally. Thereafter, there is a risk of chronic renal failure.
• Ear genes folded. The folded ears gene is not completely dominant and can cause cartilage and bone problems in certain cats. In addition, even if only one of the parents is a representative of the Scottish Fold race. Ear diseases are scary a lot, in fact, without foundation – an increased tendency to ear infections, ticks and deafness, with normal care, is not observed.
• There may also be skeletal defects associated with the “folded ears” gene, like a short and thickened tail which is less flexible than a normal cat. Other anomalies may include rough paw bones and flared toes.

Since Scottish Fold cats have short hairs, their maintenance is simplified in many ways. Once a week, the coat must be combed with a brush, and that is enough. On the other hand, there is also a long -haired variety of this breed, resulting from mating with Persian cats, and their coat must be combed more often and more carefully.

The ears deserve special attention, due to the particularities of their structure. They must be cleaned at least several times a week, with a particular treatment and precision, and it is highly desirable that this is done by a person in whom the cat has the most confidence. In addition, once a week, you need to cut the claws and brushing teeth is performed ideally every day, or at least several times a week.

• Between the ears of the cubs of a Scottish Fold cat, you can place 3-4 fingers, and in an adult, a palm. They take on their shape by the age of five weeks.
• Sometimes the ears have the ability to get taller. It depends on some reasons, such as crossing, pregnancy, excessive anxiety of the animal or climatic changes.
• If a Scottish Fold cat has very bright developed superciliary arches, this may become a reason for refusing to participate in the exhibition.
• It is impossible to find out before 2-4 weeks what the ears of a small cat will be like.
• A Scottish Fold kitten will cost about $ 80-250 depending on pedigree, documents and other aspects.
• The representative of the breed has everything round: head, paws and even ears, which are his business card.
• You cannot cross two representatives of the breed, so that later a terrible bone disease does not appear.

One stripe in the history of the Scottish Fold breed is white, the other is black. Popularity came to them with varying degrees of success. It turns out that the entire fate of the species was at stake. However, through actions, a solution was found.

Some historical sources claim that the Scottish Fold comes from China. And in 1976, an English sailor took this cat with him to European states. There is also a second version of the origin of this breed. In 1961, a kitten was born on an ordinary Scottish farm with ears pressed to its head. Where these genes came from is unknown, because the parents of the feline cub had straight ears.

And there were not only ups in popularity, but also downs. It turns out that nature is contraindicated in crossing two lop-eared animals, since as a result mutations make themselves felt. Mostly, they affect the bones. Therefore, in their homeland, in Scotland, the work on breeding this variety has been temporarily stopped. But it turned out that the state of affairs can be saved. And the way out was crossing with straight-eared Scottish cats, from which healthy offspring appeared.

And in 1978, the Scottish Fold cats came to America, where they also won their share of fame, and became a breed that is bred.