Scottish Fold
Scottish Folds are a unique breed of cat whose ears and fold forward and down. The have a very nice, easy going temperament and a great personality. They are a medium sized cat with a rounded body.
Scottish Folds come in a very wide variety of colours. There are self-coloured Scottish Folds that are white, blue, red, black and cream. Other recognised colours include Shaded Silver, Shell, Shaded Cameo, Tabby, Tortoiseshell, Calico and Dilute Calico.
While they are a shorted haired cat they also come in long haired, but the short haired varieties are significantly more common.
Scottish folds have a double coat and therefore they require regular brushing to keep their coat in top shape. Longer haired varieties will also require a bit more grooming. Nail clipping and ear cleaning will also be required on occasions.
Their folded ears, round face and eyes give the Scottish Fold an owl like appearance. When they are born their ears appear normal but as the kitten begins to grow their ears fold over. Not all Scottish Folds have ears that fold over.
Male Scottish Folds weigh between 4 to 6kg and females weigh between 2.7 and 4 kg.
The average lifespan of the Scottish fold is 12 to 14 years.
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Personality and Temperament
The Scottish Fold is the ultimate couch potato that fits in well in any household, even one with other animals and children. At the same time this cats is no shrinking violet, it is inquisitive and bold. It has been reported that you may find this cat using their paws to open cabinets to find something to play with, playing fetching or sneaking food from its owner.
Not much phases this cat and they are very adaptable which means they travel well.
Common Scottish Fold Diseases & Conditions
Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
- Polycystic kidney disease. PKD is a condition that is inherited and symptoms can start to show at a young age. Polycystic Kidney Disease causes cysts of fluid to form in the kidneys, obstructing them from functioning properly. It can cause chronic renal failure if not detected. Look for symptoms like poor appetite, vomiting, drinking excessively, frequent urination, lethargy and depression. Ultrasounds are the best way to diagnose the disease, and some cats can be treated with diet, medication and hormone therapy.
- Furballs are not really ball shaped at all they are cigar shaped clumps that the cat may vomit. They are caused by the cat digesting fur that gathers in the stomach due to grooming. The mass sits in the upper intestine or stomach and it can result in a blockage. Fur balls can occur if the cat is losing more hair than normal due to stress, a skin irritation or obesity. A healthy diet will help ensure that furball episodes are kept to a minimum.
- Congenital Osteodystrophy. This is a genetic disease that can affect the Scottish Fold breed. It presents itself as skeletal deformations of the vertebrae, metacarpal and metatarsal bones, and phalanges.
- Ringworm is also known as dermatophytosis and it is the most common fungal skin infection that affects cats. It is a parasite that invades the dead outer layers of the skin which includes claws and fur. Long haired cats are more susceptible to ringworm than short haired cats. Ringworms can be passed from cats to humans and vice versa. Ringworm appears as round patches of rough, scaly skin with a red outline and bald patches may be present.
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History
The Scottish Fold is a relatively new breed of cat that was developed during the 1960s. It has been reported that the first Scottish Fold was a cat named Susie that came from a farm near Coupar Angus in the Tayside Area of Scotland.
Susie’s unusual folded ears had not been seen before and when number of kittens from Susie’s litter also had folded ears William and Mary Ross adopted a white female kitten from the litter who they named Snooks.
It was the Ross’s breeding program that established the breed. The cats were originally called lop-eared or lops at the time. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy originally registered the breed but ceased registration in 1971 when they became concerned about breeding abnormalities including deafness.
In the United States breeders began to develop the breed during the 1970s from Susie’s descendants by mixing them with American and British shorthairs.
The Scottish fold was provisionally acknowledged as a breed by the Cat Fanciers Association in the United States in 1977. The cat was able to compete for champion status in the 1979 show season, but the long haired fold was not able to compete until 1993.
Scottish Fold Facts!
- The Scottish Fold is not a very verbal cat and will often open their mouth to meow with no sound emerging.
- Maru is a male Scottish Fold that has become a social media sensation in Japan with videos of Maru viewed over 200 million times.
- Scottish Folds are popular with a number of celebrities including Kirsten Dunst, Mia Farrow and Taylor Swift whose Scottish Fold named Meredith is a regularly featured on Twitter.
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MORE INFORMATION
The Cat Fanciers Association: http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/breedssthrut/scottishfold.aspx
NSW Cat Fanciers Association: http://www.nswcfa.asn.au/
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