This breed of cat was discovered in 1961 by a Scottish shepherd named William Ross. He found a kitten with folded ears and named her Susie. Susie’s mother had normal 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 is very sweet and quiet. They enjoy sitting on laps or next to their favorite people. They have a calm temperament and a soft voice. This cat also enjoys playing fetch and being around children and family dogs.
The shorthaired variety doesn’t need a lot of grooming. You can just run a steel comb through its coat once or twice a week. The longhaired variety needs more grooming, about three to four times a week. This is to remove dead hair and to 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 in the tail. If you notice stiffness, be careful with the tail.
