This breed of cat was discovered in 1961 by Scottish shepherd William Ross. He found a folded-eared kitten named Susie on his neighbor’s farm. Susie’s mother had normal-shaped ears, but the father was unknown. Ross adopted a white kitten from Susie’s litter and began to breed her with local farm cats and British Shorthairs to establish this lop-eared feline breed. In 1977, British geneticist Oliphant Jackson reported that one-third of kittens from the breeding of folded-eared cats developed osteodystrophy, a skeletal lesion.
This cat loves to be around people and will perch on laps or sit next to their favorite person. They have a sweet temperament and a soft voice. This cat also enjoys lying on its back like an otter, or flopping around when taking a nap. This cat does not enjoy being home alone and would benefit from having another pet or being paired with another cat in the house. They are relatively easy to adjust to new environments and people- even if they are in a new place for just a short time, such as in a hotel room. They are somewhat playful and will enjoy playing fetch every now and then. Lastly, this cat welcomes the company of children as well as family dogs.
The shorthaired variety only needs to be groomed once or twice a week with a steel comb. The longhaired variety needs to be groomed three to four times a week with a steel comb to remove dead hair and prevent mats from forming.
The typical lifespan of a Scottish Fold is about 15 years. This breed can have some health problems, like degenerative joint disease, which can cause stiffness.
