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 her Susie. Susie’s mother had normal-shaped ears, but the father was unknown. Later, 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. 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 people’s laps or next to them. They have a sweet temperament and a soft voice. This cat also enjoys sitting up on its hind legs, which looks like an otter, or flopping on its back when napping. One downside of this cat is that they do not enjoy being home alone and would benefit from being paired with another cat or pet. This cat also adjusts to new surroundings relatively easily and is somewhat playful, enjoying an occasional game of fetch. Lastly, this cat welcomes the company of children and family dogs.
The shorthaired variety of this breed needs little grooming. Just run a steel comb through its coat once or twice a week. The longhaired variety needs more grooming. You will need to groom it three to four times a week to remove dead hairs and prevent mats from forming.
The typical lifespan of a Scottish Fold is about 15 years. Breeders should be careful to select healthy stock and monitor for health problems such as degenerative joint disease, which can occur in the tail and lead to stiffness.
