Scottish Fold Cat

One of the most unusual histories of cat breeds is the Scottish Fold cat breed. In 1961, William Ross spotted the first folded ear cat at a farm in Scotland's Tayside Region. Ross asked the owners if he could have a kitten.

So, it was Susie, a white barn cat with folded ears that was the foundation cat for the Scottish Fold breed. The folded ears gave a look that's been compared to a "pixie" or a "teddy bear".

Scottish Folds come in two types: folded ear and straight (normal) ear. The folded ear is caused by an incomplete dominant gene and is the result of a spontaneous mutation. Scottish fold kittens are all born with straight ears, but at three to four weeks of age, their ears fold...or do not.

At this time only folded ear cats of Scottish lineage are permitted in the show ring. However, kittens with straight ears are valuable in breeding programs.

This natural gene mutation makes the ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears to fold down, giving it an owl-like look. The told will usually begin to show within about 21 days after a kitten is born. Now, due to selective breeding, some breeders have increased the fold to a double or triple fold, causing the ear to lie flat against the head.

Since its introduction to North America, the Scottish Fold has developed a look all its own. It is a medium cat with a very rounded, well-padded body and a short, dense, resilient coat. With its huge, round wide-spaced eyes, these cats have an expression that is open and trusting ...and they have dispositions to match.

The Scottish Fold can potentially come in any and all colors and patterns possible, except those showing the presence of the Siamese gene. The Fold is also available in a longhair or short-hair variety. They are healthy and hardy cats with quiet voices.

They enjoy human companionship and will adapt to almost any home situation. The Scottish fold is not demanding, just give them a clean place to live, proper nutrition and lots of love and your have a friend for life.