Scottish Fold

Scottish Fold History

• This breed can be traced to Scotland in 1961 when Scottish shepherd William Ross discovered a folded-eared kitten named Susie on his neighbor's farm. Susie's mother was a cat with normal-shaped ears, but the father was unknown.
• Ross adopted a white kitten named Snooks from Susie's litter and began to breed her with local farm cats and British Shorthairs to establish this lop-eared feline breed.
• In 1977, British geneticist Oliphant Jackson reported that one-third of kittens from the breeding of folded-eared cats developed osteodystrophy, a skeletal lesion. As a result, Scottish Fold breeding in Great Britain came to an abrupt halt. Even today, this breed is not accepted by Great Britain's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
• Reputable breeders in the United States worked hard to weed out this gene that causes osteodystrophy and regards it as a very healthy breed.
• In 1978, the Scottish Fold earned championship status by the Cat Fanciers Association.

Scottish Fold Behavior Concerns

• Loves to perch on laps or next to their favorite people.
• Sweet temperament and quiet, soft voice.
• Enjoys sitting up on its hind legs in a look that resembles an otter or flopping on its back when napping.
• Does not enjoy being home alone and benefits by being paired with another cat or other pet.
• Adjusts to new surroundings like hotel rooms and new people relatively easily.
• Somewhat playful and will enjoy an occasional game of fetch.
• Welcomes the company of children and family dogs.

Look of Scottish Folds

• Spotlight on the folded ears, the result of a natural mutation
• Scottish Folds feature round faces, round eyes, short necks, round whisker pads that curve forward and a round, sturdy body accented by a bushy tail. They look like they are smiling.
• This breed's dense, resilient coat comes in shorthaired and longhaired versions.
• This breed's coat comes in nearly every color and combination except for pointed colors.

Grooming Scottish Fold Cats

• The shorthaired variety requires little grooming - just run a steel comb through its coat once or twice a week.
• The longhaired variety requires grooming three to four times a week to remove dead hairs and prevent mats from forming.

Suggested Nutritional Needs for Scottish Fold

• Prone to being overweight, so measure food portions and control caloric intake.

Fun Facts of Scottish Folds

• At birth, all Scottish Fold kittens sport straight ears. In some kittens, the ears begin to fold within the first month or so.
• Only folded-eared Scottish Folds are eligible to compete in cat shows.
• Due to the ears, this breed is often affectionately known as Lops. Some also refer to this breed as an "owl in a cat suit."

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