This breed of cat was first discovered in Scotland in 1961 by Scottish shepherd William Ross. Ross found a kitten with folded ears and named it Susie. Susie’s mother had normal ears, but the father was unknown. Ross then 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. However, 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 on people’s laps or next to them. They have a sweet temperament and a quiet voice. This cat enjoys sitting up on their hind legs, in a way that looks like an otter, or flopping on their back when napping. However, this cat does not enjoy being home alone and benefits from being paired with another pet or another cat. This cat is also relatively easy to adjust to new surroundings, such as hotel rooms and new people. 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 needs little grooming – just run a steel comb through its coat once or twice a week. The longhaired variety needs grooming three to four times a week to remove dead hair and prevent mats from forming.
The typical lifespan of a Scottish Fold is about 15 years. They can have some health problems, like other breeds of cats. One problem is that they can get joint disease, especially in their tails. If you notice stiffness, be careful with their tails.
