Scottish Fold Cat Breed- Information, Characteristics and Facts

The Scottish Fold Cat Breed is a well-adjusted docile breed that develops a strong attachment with its owner over time. They are playful by nature and unlike other breeds, behave attentively towards their training. 

This breed dates back to 1961. According to rumours, the Scottish Fold Cat Breed was accidentally invented by a Scottish farmer named William Ross. He saw a white cat called Suzie at his neighbour’s farm near Coupar Angus that had a set of unusual folded ears. Although her mother was a straight white-haired cat, Suzie had altogether a different ancestry. 

Such a breed intrigued Ross to adopt one of Suzie’s kittens and crossbred it with cats that belonged to the British Short hairline. He visited various cat shows to find more about them and even named it ‘Loop eared’. Later in 1966, the Scottish Fold Cat Breed got registered into the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy and was renamed as ‘Scottish Fold’. It was not until the 1970s when the breed reached America. Finally, in 1973, it received recognition from the Cat Fanciers’ Association and also achieved championship status in 1978.

This drop-eared cat might look unusual from the outside, but on the inside, they are an outgoing breed. At birth, the Scottish Fold Cat Breed has a normal set of ears. But as soon as they reach 2-4 weeks, the ears start bending forward. By the age of three months, these cats start owning their exact look. 

Given below is a list of some of the general characteristics of this cat breed.

General Characteristics of the Scottish Fold Cat Breed:

Appearance	It is a round medium-sized cat.It has small ears that bend towards its head.It also has a round head with a wise set of eyes. The legs vary from medium to short along with a short neck.
Size	The size of a Scottish Fold Cat Breed is 10-12 inches.
Weight	The weight of a male Scottish Fold is 12-15 lbs.The weight of a Female Scottish Fold is 8-12 lbs.
Coat Type	Scottish Fold cats have three types of coat- short, medium and long.
Undercoat	Yes
Coat Colour	The coat colours of the Scottish Fold Cat Breed include:white, cream, brown, tortoiseshell, cameo, red, blue, Blue cream, silver and black.
Coat Pattern	The coat pattern of this breed includes:Solid colour, Tricolour/Calico, Tortoiseshell, Shaded, Bicolour, Tabby, Smoke, Spots and Ticking.
Eye colour	The eye colours of this breed include:Blue, Gold, Green, bluish-green and Odd-eyed.
Life expectancy	10-15 years
Price	United States: $250-$500 United Kingdom: £600-£1000 India:  ₹30,000-₹50,000

Temperament and Personality:

The Scottish Fold Cat is a curious breed that likes involvement in anything you do. It loves providing you company for most of the day. It also has a soft and sweet chirpy voice that can be quite chatty at times. As clever cats, these are often caught opening closed cabinets or splashing the water with their paws. Stealing food from their owner’s plate also shows signs of the cat’s dexterity.

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This breed is more comfortable while living with family and craves affection from its owner. As active cats, they are very smart. They enjoy playing with toys like puzzles that test their intelligence. However, leaving them unattended for long hours might not be the best option for you. Keeping them occupied is very important, even if it means leaving them in the company of a different cat. 

Common Health Issues:

Like most cat breeds, the Scottish Fold Cat Breed is also prone to several health diseases. Sometimes, these diseases can also be the result of faulty breeding. Given below are some of the health conditions that are common in this breed. 

1. Anaemia: A situation in which the breed has a drop in the red blood cells which in turn leads to a lesser cell count.
2. Chronic Renal Failure: This is a kidney disease that occurs mostly in older cats.
3. Arthritis: Eating high amounts of unhealthy food can cause obesity in the cat which ultimately leads to arthritis. Here, the breed develops stiffness or discomfort while being handled.
4. Blindness: In case you find your Fold bumping into furniture or walls, there are chances that it has developed blindness. As a result, they might start moving slower than usual. Also, there is a cloudy appearance in their eyes.  

There are other diseases of the Scottish Fold Cat Breed that are genetic. These are:

1. Polycystic Kidney Disease: It is an inherited disease in which fluid pockets are formed in the kidneys.
2. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: It is a condition where the heart cannot pump blood to the other organs of the body.
3. Osteodystrophy: This is a genetic condition where the bones start to deform and enlarge.  This skeletal abnormality occurs mostly when a Fold is made to breed with another Fold.

Detection:

The easiest way to identify this breed is by looking at its unusual ears. A Scottish Fold Kitten has normal straight ears like any other kitten; at birth. But once it starts growing, the ears start bending towards the head, making the breed look like an owl along with its round head and wide eyes. 

Besides these, there are other ways to detect a Scottish Fold Cat Breed. These are:

1. Checking if the kittens are neutered: You can ask the breeder to show proof about the spraying of the kitten. This way you can know if you are talking to a genuine breeder who knows the value of irresponsible breeding.
2. Learning about their parents: Knowing about the birth parents of the kitten is very important for it concerns life risks. Only proper breeding can lead to healthy Scottish Fold cats. In case both parents of a kitten are Folds, the kitten can be born unhealthy or be prone to some serious health problems.
3. Asking about tips to clean the ears: If the breeder is capable of telling you about the ways to prevent ear infections and mites of the Scottish Fold cat Breed, he is a reputed breeder. Cleaning the ears of Scottish Fold is more difficult than it seems. Thus, a professional breeder will be well aware of the specific ways to clean it.  

Grooming and Shedding:

As affectionate cats, the Scottish Fold Cat Breed requires proper grooming. Brushing the teeth of this breed is essential so that it does not develop periodontal disease. Also, ensure that the corner of the eyes is cleaned properly using a damp cloth. This, as a result, reduces the chances of eye infections and prevents discharge stains. You should even clean its ears regularly to avoid any wax build-up. Since the tail of this cat breed is very fragile, the slightest mishandling can cause stiffness in it.  

 

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Grooming these cats once a week will not only keep the coat shiny and healthy but also prevent excessive shedding. This breed sheds throughout the year with excessive shedding during springtime. The ones having longer coats should be groomed twice a week to remove dead hair cells. 

Feeding:

Feeding a Scottish Fold Cat breed is the same as feeding a domestic cat. You can provide your cat wet or dry or a combination of both foods. As carnivores, their diet should contain high amounts of protein. You can even provide them with small amounts of plants, but make sure it does not hamper their meat intake.

But, there are a set of nutrients that should be present in the diet of this cat. The food of a Scottish Fold must include Vitamin A, taurine, niacin and arginine. Till the cat grows older, make sure you provide it with only kitten food. This food is designed to enhance the growth of kittens. 

Training and Exercise:

The Scottish Fold might be semi-domestic but it is preferred to keep them indoors. Besides keeping the behaviours in check, training also helps to develop a bond between you and your cat. If your cat finds behaviour that is liked by you, it will try to repeat it.

Note: Do not use any kinds of punishment on them. They are highly sensitive towards negative reinforcements and might get frightened of you.

One of the most important training that should be taught to a young Fold is to use a litter box. This practice will not only keep their coat clean but will also maintain their hygiene. After they have used the litter box, make sure you cover it completely. Just like other cats, even Folds have a habit of scratching furniture. Therefore, train them to scratch on poles. You can also make these poles for them by using cardboards and ropes.  

Since not a cat is perfect, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the cat exercises regularly to avoid obesity and other health conditions. 

Living with families:

The Scottish Fold Cat Breed is one of the friendliest cat breeds. Therefore, they can reside peacefully with families and children. Even with other pets, these cats share a similar bond. They love being pampered and can even survive alone but not for long hours. These cats are best suited for apartments because of their ease of socialization.

Fun Facts about Scottish Fold Cat Breed:

1. The Scottish Fold Cat Breed originated in Scotland.
2. They have straight ears at birth. But, after 2-4 weeks, they start bending towards the head.
3. They sometimes resemble an owl or a teddy bear.
4. The long-haired variety of this breed is called Highland Fold.
5. Those who have folded ears are capable of taking part in cat shows.
6. Some of these cats do not have ear mutations. Such a breed is known as ‘straight’.
7. The colour of their eye is used to determine the colour of the cat’s coat.
8. Surprisingly, these cats are not allowed in Scotland due to their ear infections. 

Conclusion:

With time, this breed has gained huge popularity. Several people have owned this human-friendly cat including the famous musician Taylor Swift. She had two of these kittens and named them Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson. 

This breed is also famous for having several names. While the Cat Fanciers’ Association refers to it by the name ‘Scottish Fold’, other organisations know differently. The American Cat Fanciers Association, American Association of Cat Enthusiasts, and United Feline Organization call this cat by the name ‘Highland Fold’. On the other hand, the International Cat Association, the American Cat Association and the Canadian Cat Association refer to this breed by Scottish Fold Longhair.

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