Scottish Fold

The most noticeable feature of a Scottish Fold cat is its ears, which are small and tightly folded forward to cover the ear opening. The tips of the ears are rounded. The Scottish Fold is of medium size with a solid compact body. The head is rounded, with well-defined whisker pads, and is set on a short neck. The eyes are large and wide open with a sweet expression. The coat of the Scottish Fold is short and dense. It comes in a variety of colours and patterns.

The need-to-know

Playful and curious cat
Friendly but independent cat
Quiet cat

Average build cat breed
Requires grooming once a week
Non hypoallergenic breed

Indoor cat
May require familiarisation before living with children

Previous Next

Scottish Fold cat is standing on the floor

1 of 1

Personality

The Scottish Fold cat breed has a sweet, gentle temperament despite its strange appearance. Folds are not an active breed, and this may be because of pain involved in movement.

Previous Next

Scottish Fold cat is laying on a windowsill

1 of 1

History and Origins

Country of Origin: Scotland

Named after its forward folding ears, the Scottish Fold cat breed was first seen as a natural mutation in Scotland in the 1960s. British cat show judges and numerous veterinary surgeons decided that the cat's folded ears were an undesirable deformity and would make it impossible for the cat to clean its ears. Deformities of the spine, hind legs and tail also appeared when folded-ear cats were bred to one another. Therefore, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in the UK decided against allowing the registration of the Scottish Fold cat. The breed is popular in the USA and elsewhere.

Health and Common Issues

Scottish Fold cats can suffer from painful degenerative joint disease throughout their lives. This arises as the Scottish Fold cat mutation detrimentally affects cartilage, most obviously seen making the ear cartilage fold. As the disease progresses the joints stiffen, bones fuse and movement becomes more difficult and painful. Cats progress from slight lameness to reluctance to move.

Nutrition and Feeding

Every cat is unique and each has their own particular likes, dislikes, and needs when it comes to food. However, cats are carnivores and every cat must obtain 41 different and specific nutrients from their food. The proportion of these nutrients will vary depending on age, lifestyle and overall health, so it's not surprising that a growing, energetic kitten needs a different balance of nutrients in her diet than a less active senior cat. Other considerations to bear in mind are feeding the right quantity of food to maintain 'ideal body condition' in accordance with feeding guidelines and catering to individual preference regarding wet or dry food recipes.

Grooming Scottish Fold

The short dense coat of the Scottish Fold cat is easily cared for and needs no special grooming, though brushing helps remove dead hairs. The Scottish Fold's ears are difficult for the cat to clean itself, so owners need to remove any wax or dirt build up from the outer ear to prevent ear infection.

Best Cat Breeds for Children

While this breed is not widely recognised as one of the best breeds for children, all cats are different and with the proper familiarisation may still be able to live with children.

Ginger kitten sitting on woman's shoulder

Kitten advice

Everything you need to know

Getting a new kitten is incredibly exciting for all the family, but it can be quite scary for your new arrival. Find out how to deal with everything from behaviour to health questions with our expert kitten advice.

Learn more

Cat Articles

Cat facts you need to know

With many households in Singapore owning a cat, there's still so much that we don't know about them. From the speed cats can run, to how close they are genetically to tigers, we bet you haven't heard some of these fun facts!

Learn more