Scottish Fold Breed of Cat:

The Scottish Fold is a cat breed that has cartilaginous ears that bend forwards and face down.



Due to these folded ears, the cat assumes a distinct look, typically compared to the head of an owl. The cat is so named owing to its ancestry and the folded cartilaginous ear. The Scottish fold has been known by many different names over the years. It has also been popular as ‘Lops’ or ‘Lop-eared’ because of its appearance.



They are also known as the ‘Longhair Fold’ or the ‘Highland Fold’.

The first Scottish Fold was found in 1961. It was a white-colored barn cat and gave birth to kittens who in turn had folded ears. The unusual looking kittens were bought by different cat lovers, one of whom began to breed them.



By the year 1996, Scottish Fold was being successfully bred. Since the folded ear was caused simply due to a dominant gene, it was possible for the breeders to breed this cat in many different colors. Though initially the breed was registered easily in England, the breed was not accepted in shows for a long time. Later, in the 1970s, the registration of the breed was withdrawn due to the rising concerns over genetic problems, infections, and mites. However, even though the Scottish Folds were not accepted as a registered breed in England, they were exported to America where breeding of the cats continued. However, in America, these cats are also crossed with shorthairs.

The Scottish Fold’s registration was removed because of the concern that the cat was prone to developing infections in the ears and was constantly suffering because of mites. However, after it was exported to America, no further problems about any infections were reported. Scottish Fold health issues usually concern their ears. The Scottish Folds do not have unusually high rates of getting ear infections. However, it has been said that they do have a higher tendency to have excessive wax buildup in their ears.
Due to its distinctive physical appearance, the Scottish Fold is much appreciated as a pet. These cats also make for extremely loving companions, which is unusual for their species. Even though they are much more expensive than other cats, they are highly sought after as pets.

A Scottish Fold typically lives for about 15 years. Though Scottish Fold health problems usually concern their ears, they are also highly susceptible to developing polycystic kidney disease. Osteochondrodysplasia is another disease that they are susceptible to. This disease occurs due to the dominant gene that causes folded ears.