This breed of cat was discovered in Scotland in 1961. A shepherd named William Ross found a folded-eared kitten 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 enjoys sitting on laps or next to their favorite people. They have a sweet temperament and a quiet, soft voice. This cat also enjoys flopping on their back when napping. One downside is that they do not enjoy being home alone and would benefit from being paired with another cat or pet. They are somewhat playful and will enjoy an occasional game of fetch. Lastly, this cat welcomes the company of children and 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 by removing dead hair and preventing mats from forming.
The average lifespan of a Scottish Fold is around 15 years. The breed can be prone to some health problems, including degenerative joint disease, which can cause stiffness in the tail.
