This breed of cat was first discovered in Scotland in 1961. A Scottish shepherd named William Ross found a kitten with folded ears and named it Susie. Susie’s mother had normal-shaped 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 sit on laps or next to their favorite people. They have a sweet temperament and a quiet, soft voice. This cat enjoys sitting up on their hind legs in a look that resembles an otter or flopping on their back when napping. This cat does not enjoy being home alone and benefits by being paired with another cat or other pet. This cat adjusts to new surroundings like hotel rooms and new people relatively easily. This cat is somewhat playful and will enjoy an occasional game of fetch. Lastly, this cat welcomes the company of children and family dogs.
The shorthaired variety of this breed only needs to be groomed a few times a week with a steel comb. The longhaired variety needs to be groomed more often, three to four times a week, in order 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 animals. One problem is degenerative joint disease, which can be an issue especially in the tail. If stiffness is noticed, it’s important to be careful with the tail.
