EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SCOTTISH FOLD BREED

The Scottish Fold is a breed of domestic cat with a natural dominant gene mutation that affects cartilage throughout the body, causing the ears to “fold”, turning forward and down towards the front of the head, giving the cat what is often described as “Owl-like” appearance.

Scottish fold became the breed name in 1966 after the lop-eared rabbit originally known as lop-eared or lops. Depending on the registry, long-haired Scottish Folds are variously known as Highland Folds, Scottish Fold Longhairs, Longhair Folds, and Coopers.

• Origin: Scotland
• Size: medium
• Weight: 2.5 – 6kg
• Lifespan: 11 – 15 years
• Colors: They come in a variety of colors and patterns.
• Organizes: Scottish Fold Longhair Association

Breed Characteristics

“Scottish fold cats are generally sweet, calm, easy-going, intelligent, loyal, and adaptable. They are social cats that enjoy human companionship. While they prefer the attention of their human family, they are not demanding and generally quiet, There are cats with soft voices.”

Playfulness: 3Point	Intelligence: 4Point
Energy Level: 3Point	Health Issues: 3Point
Affection Level: 4Point	Grooming Effort: 3Point
Pet-Friendly: 4Point	Shedding: 3Point
Kid-Friendly: 4Point	Chattiness: 1Point

History

All Scottish Folds can trace their pedigree back to 1961 to a cat named Susie at McRae Farm near Cooper Angus, a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. This white female farm cat had unique, folded ears, and British Shorthair breeders William and Mary Ross saw this unusual cat and recognized its potential as a new breed.

William Ross asked McRae if he could buy a cat, and was promised a kitten from Susie’s first litter. Susie’s mother was a straight-eared white cat, and her father is unknown, so it is unclear whether Susie was one of the first cats of her kind or whether folded ears had never been reported before. In 1963, Susie produced two fold-ear kittens, and as promised by William and Mary, Ross was given one – a white beauty with folded ears like her mother, whom they named Snooks.

Breeding program

On the advice of British geneticist Peter Dyett, the Rosses began a breeding program using British Shorthairs that were closely related in their catteries and random-bred domestics. They took the name Denysla as their fold cattery, named after the two rivers, Dan and Isla, that flowed through their hut.

William and Mary Ross quickly realized that the gene governing folded ears was dominant; Only one parent needed the gene to pass on the unique trait. Any cat with one copy of the fold gene produces about fifty percent of fold kittens.

Initially, the Rosses called their new breed Lops after the lop-eared type of rabbit. In 1966, however, they changed the name to Scottish Fold in honor of this most unusual feature and the country in which the breed was found. That same year, the Rosses registered their Scottish Fold cats with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). Along with other enthusiasts he met along the way, the Roses began the process of gaining acceptance for their fold friends.

At first, many breeders and fans were enthusiastic about this new and different breed, but soon the GCCF became concerned about potential health problems. Initially, he was worried about ear infections, ear mite infestation, and deafness, but these worries proved to be unfounded. However, the GCCF soon became concerned about genetic problems, which were, unfortunately, very real difficulties. By 1971, the GCCF stopped registering Scottish folds and banned further registrations in their registry. In order to advance to the show ring, the Scottish Fold had to pack its kilts and move to North America.

Registration Of Cat Breed

All genuine Scottish folds can be traced back to Susie. The Scottish Fold was accepted for CFA registration in 1973; In May 1977 Scottish Folds were granted CFA provisional status. In 1978, the foal became the CFA champion breed. In a surprisingly short period of time, the Fold gained acceptance in all North American cat associations and became one of the most popular breeds in North America. The long-haired version of the breed was not officially recognized until the mid-1980s, although long-haired kittens were bred in Scottish Fold litters from the breed’s origins. Being a cat of uncertain origin, Suzy may carry the recessive gene for long hair.

The use of a number of Persians in early outcrosses also helped establish the long hair gene. Today, all associations accept the Scottish Fold Longhair for championships, although many associations have a different standard for longhair and call it Highland Fold or Longhair Fold. The Scottish Fold is known by three other monikers depending on the longhair association. AACE, ACFA and UFO call the breed Highland Fold; The CFF recognizes the breed as the Longhair Fold Read more on en.wikipedia.org

Association

In CFA and TICA, the Longhaired Scottish Fold is a division of the Scottish Fold strain and a standard in each association. CCA the conclusion is Scottish, and the length of the two hours has the same proportion, although the length of the two hours has a different type. In addition, the CCA accepts the Scottish Straight Shorthair and Scottish Longhair under the name Scottish; These are Scottish herds that do not have fold intelligence.

The Scottish Shorthair, also called a Pert-ear, has a similar personality and body type to the Scottish Fold; They simply do not have folded ears. Since folds do not breed valid, pet-quality pet ears can be purchased relatively inexpensively. In the Australian Cat Federation (ACF), the Scottish Shorthair is recognized as a breed in its own right.

Appearance

The Scottish Fold is a medium-sized cat with medium-sized boning. He is a very round-looking cat.

The head is round and the folded ears add to the illusion of roundness. The eyes are very round, bright, and clear.

Temperament

These cats have very similar temperaments, meaning they are not unusually active, but they are more active than lap cats. They are also sociable and friendly and enjoy playing games, exploring, and spending some quality time with their family.

The Personality Profile of a Scottish Fold Cat

Scottish Folds are generally intelligent, sweet-natured, soft-spoken, and easily adaptable to new people and situations. They are loyal and tend to bond with one person in the household. While they usually allow others to hug and pet them, their primal attachment quickly becomes apparent as they isolate their chosen humans.

They thrive on attention, but it should be on their own terms. Despite their devotion, they are not clingy, demanding cats and generally prefer to be close to you rather than on your lap. They enjoy a good game of catnip mouse catch now and then and keep their playful side well into adulthood.

Despite being folded, the fold’s ears are still expressive and move to hear, fall back in anger and suck when the food canister is opened.

Ear folds can become less pronounced when a cat is upset or sick. Although some folded family members notice increased wax production in their cat’s ears, folded ears do not generally make a cat more susceptible to mites or ear infections. The previously reported susceptibility to deafness may be related to the fact that some of the early Scottish folds were white, and white cats may be susceptible to a form of deafness unrelated to the fold gene.

Health Concerns to Look Out For in Scottish Fold Cats

Like any other breed, Scottish folds are prone to some health problems. According to our claims data*, the top conditions affecting these cats include:

Anemia – This occurs when your cat’s red blood cells decrease, causing the number of cells to be lower than normal.
Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) – Also known as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), this is more common in older cats.
Weight Loss – If a cat is at an unhealthy weight, it almost always leads to a number of other health problems. Talk to your veterinarian about recommended foods and diet plans for your cat.

Blindness – Signs of blindness include your cat bumping into furniture more often, difficulty going up and down stairs, moving slowly together, or you may notice a milky or cloudy look to their eyes. If your cat’s vision loss is a slow progression, chances are they will adapt and still be able to lead a normal life.
Arthritis – If your cat has developed arthritis, symptoms may include reduced flexibility, lethargy, overall stiffness, and discomfort when being picked up or handled.

If you notice any of these symptoms or erratic behaviors in your cat, it’s key to take them to their vet for a checkup. Although there are many cat health problems that cannot be completely cured, there are many treatment options available that will help you give your cat a happy and healthy life.

Scottish Fold Cat Care: A Comprehensive Guide

Because of their folded ears, it is important for Scottish Fold parents to check their cat’s ears on a weekly basis and clean the ears as needed.

If the ears look dirty, you can use a 50/50 mixture of water and cider vinegar, or you can get an ear cleaner recommended by a veterinarian. Simply dampen a cotton ball or soft cloth with your favorite cleaner and gently clean the ear. Avoid using cotton swabs to clean your cat’s ears as they may accidentally damage or hurt your cat’s inner ear.

As a pet parent, you’ve surely noticed that cats will, on occasion, have a discharge forming in the corners of their eyes. To clean around their eyes, use a soft, damp cloth and wipe the eyes outwards. Be sure to use a separate area of ​​the cloth for each eye – this will prevent the risk of spreading any possible infection from one eye to the other.

Best Food For

• Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d with Chicken Wet Cat Food
• Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food
• Hill’s Science Diet Adult Chicken Recipe Cat Food
• Hill’s Science Diet Adult Ocean Fish Entrée Cat Food

Feeding

Dry food is a convenient product, comparable to fast food: it is cheap, easy to store, and less messy than ready-made. However, feeding only dry food is like feeding your children only fast food, 3 meals a day.

Ingredients are a big problem, depending on the brand, because many dry cat foods contain grains and carbohydrates, which cats aren’t even equipped to digest as carnivores: they don’t have enzymes.

An improper diet can lead to medical problems such as diabetes and obesity. Cats need to eat meat, bones (for calcium), offal, and fat – and nothing else.

But the biggest problem is already in the name: DRY. All domestic cats are descended from the desert cat (Felis sylvestris labia) and have a low thirst. Their water intake must come from their food to get enough. This is the main reason many cats suffer from kidney problems – they don’t get enough water each day to really flush their kidneys.

The teeth-cleaning properties of kibble are an urban legend. Most cats just crack and swallow, but if they actually chew it, it will be like trying to clean your teeth with a firecracker. The best thing for them is to really sink their teeth into a piece of meat.
But even if this is not possible, you can still brush your cat’s teeth or take them to the vet for periodic cleanings. This is not an option for their kidneys.

The best diet for cats would be raw food, but that’s pretty much it unless you can find a pet store that offers pre-mixes.

Grooming

Overall, Scottish Folds do not require any special grooming. To keep their coat healthy and remove dead hair, your cat should be brushed at least once a week – more brushing usually results in less hair on your furniture and your clothes.

In addition to thorough brushing, your feline friend will also need their nails trimmed every few weeks, or as needed. There are many cat toys and scratching posts available that you can get to help your cat groom their own nails naturally. Although you’ll still need to trim them, having a toy to scratch will help spread out the trimming sessions.

It is also important to brush your cat’s pearly whites at least once a week. Weekly dental cleanings can help prevent periodontal disease.

Training

You may wonder how to train your Scottish Fold, but first, why do we need to train these little cats?

Training with a Scottish Fold should be an important part of your life. It is a common belief that cats cannot be trained like dogs. But this could not be further from the truth.
Indeed, the way you interact with your Scottish Fold is an ongoing training. It is true that cats are wild, independent, and semi-domesticated. But you can influence their behavior with patience and a basic understanding of their mindset.

When I talk about training your cat I am not referring to any behavior that could cause harm or discomfort to the animal.

I have in mind the actions we want our pets to take, for a better life together. Training is also a means of communication between you and your furry friend.

First of all, remember the basic and most important rule in training: if your Scottish Fold likes the result of a certain behavior, he will definitely do it again.

So positive reinforcement is key to training your Scottish Fold. Reward behavior you like, ignore behavior you don’t. Never use punishment, as it will only create fear and stress in your cat.

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