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The
Scottish Fold Cat
 In its early
years, this unique breed of Folded eared
cats was met with scorn at its native
British Islands but has since rapidly
progressed to become one of the top ten
most popular breeds in the world.
 Today,
the distinctly round face with forward
Folded ears charms cat lovers
everywhere.
Breed
History
The
Scottish Fold breed originated from
Susie, a cat that lived on a farm in
Perthsire, Scotland during the early
1960s. Susie was a white mixed breed cat
with one exceptional feature - her ears
were Folded.
William
Ross, a local shepherd with an interest
in purebred cats, noticed Susie and
obtained one of her kittens, another ear
Folded cat. Shortly after that Susie
died, leaving behind only one more
Folded kitten - a neutered Male. Ross
contacted Pat Turner, a London breeder
with an interest in feline genetics, and
so a breeding program for Folded eared
cats was established.
At first,
British cat fancy associations rejected
the breed on the grounds that the Folded
ears gene was compromising the health of
these cats. In the early 1970s a
breeding program was established in the
United States and by the end of that
decade, the Scottish Fold gained
championship status at the cat shows.
Breed
Description
The most
prominent feature of any Scottish Fold
cat is of course the ears, which must
Fold forward and downward. The ears are
usually small and tightly Folded, giving
the cat's head a unique round
silhouette. The head shape itself is
also round, with prominent cheeks, a
short nose and well rounded large eyes.
Scottish
Folds are medium sized cats and can be
either shorthaired or longhaired. All
colors and patterns are acceptable
except for pointed patterns that suggest
hybridization with Siamese or Himalayan
cats.
These
cats are considered to be sweet tempered
and intelligent. These docile cats are
not very vocal and form deep attachments
with their loved humans.
Special Needs
The gene
responsible for the Folded ear mutation
is a dominant gene. This means that if
the gene is passed from one of the
parents, it is enough to produce a
Folded kitten. If both parents
contribute the Folded gene, the kitten
is likely to suffer from congenital
osteodystrophy, a genetic condition that
causes deformities of the bones
(especially fused tail vertebrae and
thickened legs). That is why responsible
breeders never breed one Scottish Fold
to another - all Scottish Folds must be
constantly outbreed to prevent the birth
of sick kittens.
Healthy
Scottish Folds appear not to have any
special health or grooming problems.
These cats are not particularly prone to
ear infections or ear mites, as was
suspected some years ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-2MJ7gJ3lM
(Cats 101: scottish
fold video)
TIDBITS FOR THE
MONTH: When looking into cat
furniture consider cedar. The oils
found in cedar wood posts are appealing
to your cat's sense of smell and contain
a natural insect repellent
Cats and dogs can eat saturated and
unsaturated fats without the risks that
humans are concerned with, such as
clogged arteries, high cholesterol,
coronary artery disease or stroke. |
