A medium-sized cat (9-13 lbs. for males and 6-9 for females), the Fold's entire body structure, especially the head and face, is generally rounded, and the eyes large and round. The nose will be short with a gentle curve and the cat's body well-rounded with a padded look and medium-to-short legs. The head is domed at the top, and the neck very short. The broadly-spaced eyes give the Scottish Fold a "sweet expression".
All Folds are born with straight, unfolded ears, and those with the Fold gene will begin to show the fold usually within about 21 days. The original cats only had one fold in their ears, but due to selective breeding breeders have increased the fold to a double or triple crease that causes the ear to lie totally flat against the head. A Scottish fold's ears are meant to be treated with care; they are very delicate.
The breed's distinctive folded ears are produced by an incompletely dominant gene that affects the cartilage of the ears, causing the ears to fold forward and downward, giving a cap-like appearance to the head. Smaller, tightly folded ears set in a cap-like fashion are preferred to a loose fold and larger ear. The large, round eyes and rounded head, cheeks, and whisker pads add to the overall rounded appearance. Despite the folded ears, folds still use their aural appendages to express themselves – the ears swivel to listen, lay back in anger and prick up when the treat bag rustles.
Scottish Folds, whether with folded ears or with normal ears, are typically good-natured and placid and adjust to other animals within a household extremely well. They tend to become very attached to their human caregivers and are by nature quite affectionate. Folds receive high marks for playfulness, affection, and grooming, and are often intelligent, loyal, softspoken, and adaptable to home situations and people.
The Scottish Fold, was originally a spontaneous mutation of farm cats in its native Scotland, and has been further established through breeding with American and British Shorthairs.
The folded ears which give a winsome appearance of a tight little cap and the resulting sad expression are the hallmarks of the Scottish Fold, which is becoming increasingly popular, although officially banned in its native county. The ears can show many degrees of tightness of the folded ear with the smaller tighter fold being the kind preferred in the show rings.
To make sure that no genetic problems such as shortening of the tail, thickened limbs, problems with gait and other structural abnormalities are produced, good breeders will not attempt a fold to fold breeding but prefer to use either a straight eared Fold or cross to American or British Shorthairs.
Scottish Folds are a medium sized cat with a rounded appearance, and huge, expressive eyes. The coat, comes both shorthair & longhair, comes in a broad range of colours and requires minimal care.
Scottish Fold
All Breeds of Cats
