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Scottish Fold

Scottish Fold

We guarantee you cannot stop yourself from gushing over this extremely cute and cuddly stuffed toy of a cat! The Scottish Fold literally looks like stuffed toys because of their round faces and plump bodies.

Want to know more about the Scottish Fold munchkin? Here you go.

The Scottish Fold cat is a type of domestic cat that is primarily characterized by its ‘folded’ ears. This is caused by a gene mutation affecting the ear cartilage, making it bend in a folded pattern. Often described as owl-like or lop-eared, the Scottish Fold cat breed can also be longhaired. In such cases, the Scottish Fold may be called the Highland Fold, Longhair Fold, Scottish Fold Longhair, and the Copuari.

History of the Scottish Fold:

Most Scottish Folds today trace their ancestry to Susie, a barn cat in Perthshire, Scotland. She had folded ears, as did some of her kittens. The unique fold on the ear alongside its round face gives the Scottish Fold an owl-like appearance. Consequently, the Scottish Fold cat breed was registered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in the UK. A breeding program began, and the fold in Susie's ear was identified as the mutation of a dominant gene.

While the Scottish Fold never really gained acceptance in the UK and Europe as the cats showed limb and tail deformities, the Scottish Fold cat breed was exported to the United States. The Scottish Fold were then crossbred with British and American Shorthairs, and the former deformities and tendency towards mite infections have been addressed and corrected in the Scottish Fold cat.

A particularly difficult cat to breed, not all kittens of a Scottish Fold litter may have folded ears. As a result, the Scottish Fold cat breed is significantly more expensive than other regular cat breeds. Today, the Scottish Fold is a widely sought-after breed, marking its popularity among celebrity owners.

Characteristics of the Scottish Fold cats are:

Key Pointers:

  • Weight: 8-15 pounds

  • Height: 8-10 inches

  • Lifespan: 9-12 years

  • Coat: Thick, soft, and dense coat, found in a variety of colour combinations and patterns.

Ratings:

  • Friendliness -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Ability to adapt -⭐⭐⭐
  • Behaviour towards other pets -⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Playfulness -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Tendency to obesity –⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall health -⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Life expectancy –⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Easy to train -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Advisable for first-time owners –⭐⭐⭐

One star = Low/bad
Five stars = High/good

Physical Appearance:

The Scottish Fold cat is a medium-sized furry with a generally rounded face and body. There may be more than one fold in the ear that can cause the ears to lie flat against the head. Scottish Fold fur kiddos have short necks and large eyes, which adds to the super cute and friendly appearance of the Scottish Fold breed. The coats of the Scottish Fold fur babies may vary in colours, textures, and patterns. Scottish Fold come in colours like white, cream, blue, red, brown, silver, and more, with patterns like tortoiseshell, calico, tabby, spotted, among others.

Health:

Breeds such as the Scottish Fold exhibit a good life expectancy, spanning up to 15 years. However, they may be prone to certain illnesses such as:

    • Degenerative joint disease

This ailment is a kind of arthritis and is known to affect a Scottish Fold fur kid’s tails, knees, and ankles. This leads to restricted movement and mobility among the Scottish Fold furry babies. Also, the tail of this Scottish Fold cat breed must be handled with care as it may develop a painful stiffness.

    • Polycystic kidney disease

A condition caused due to a genetic disorder, a cyst in cats like the Scottish Fold affects the kidney and could potentially lead to complete organ failure.

    • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy:

In cases of cardiomyopathy, the heart muscles of the Scottish Fold furry thicken. This limits the flow of blood and causes clots formation that can be combated through medication.

    • Osteochondrodysplasia

A developmental abnormality, osteochondrodysplasia causes folded ears in Scottish Fold as it directly affects the cartilage and bone development. Both Homozygous and Heterozygous folds are affected by this and develop progressively worsening cases of arthritis and bone deformities. Due to this, both the GCCF and Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) do not accept the Scottish Fold cat breed, going so far as to discourage their breeding completely.

Grooming:

Scottish Fold furries are excessive shedders, but they do not require too much grooming. A weekly brushing routine may suffice for the Scottish Fold cat breed. Longer-haired Scottish Fold fur kiddos need to be brushed and combed more frequently to avoid tangling and matting of the fur.

Playing:

Scottish Fold habits include outdoor activities and forming a close bond with their caregivers. The Scottish Fold cat temperament is very genial, and they are particularly playful kitties with high intelligence levels. As a good-natured breed, the Scottish Fold cat temperament is to easily adapt to other pets and animals and is also great to have around large families and little children.

Scottish Fold cat FAQ:

Do Scottish fold cats get along with other pets?

Scottish Fold cat temperament is warm and playful, making most Scottish Fold kitties a great company to have at home, even if you have other pets or little children. Scottish Fold easily adapt to other pets and animals at an early age.

Are Scottish folds cats friendly?

Scottish Fold habits make them love attention and love to be carried or be around their caregivers. The Scottish Fold cat temperament is very playful, and Scottish Fold cat personality is very warm and friendly nature. One of the most delightful Scottish Fold cat traits is to tag along with their caregivers and follow them around.

How long do Scottish fold cats live?

Scottish Fold furry kids have a good life expectancy, and most of these babies can live up to anywhere between 9 to 15 years. However, Scottish Fold may be plagued with health conditions such as severe arthritis.

Are Scottish fold cats easy to groom?

Scottish Fold furries are excessive shedders, but they do not require too much grooming. A weekly brushing routine may suffice for Scottish Fold. Longer-haired Scottish Fold breeds need to be brushed and combed more frequently to avoid tangling and matting of the fur.

Do Scottish Fold cats like to bathe?

One of the Scottish Folds cat traits is to spend time grooming themselves and keeping themselves clean. However, as they have dense fur, so your Scottish Fold fur baby must be washed frequently, especially if they go outdoors. For Shorthair Scottish Folds, they must be bathed once a week. Longer-haired Scottish Folds must be bathed twice a week. You can introduce your Scottish Fold fur baby to warm baths as a kitten, so they enjoy bath time.

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