Scottish Fold

Infobox Catbreed
name = Scottish Fold

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imagecaption = Scottish Fold with characteristic rounded face, large eyes, and forward-folded ears.
altname =
nickname =
country = Scotland
aacestd = http://www.aaceinc.org/pages/breeds/sco.htm
cfastd = http://www.cfa.org/breeds/standards/scottish.html
acfastd = http://www.acfacats.com/scottish_fold_standard.htm
ticastd = http://www.ticaeo.com/Content/Publications/Pages/SF.pdf
ccastd =
acfstd =
gccfstd =
fifestd =
otherstd =
notrecognized =
extinct =
note = Not recognised by FIFe and GCCF|

The Scottish Fold—sometimes called Coupari by Canadian breeders [http://www.petfinder.com/cat-breeds/Scottish+Fold Petfinder "Scottish Fold"] ] —is a breed of cat with a natural dominant-gene mutation that makes its ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears bend forward and down towards the front of their head, giving the cat what is often described as an "owl-like" appearance. [http://www.petplace.com/cats/choosing-a-scottish-fold/page1.aspx Pet Place: Choosing a Scottish Fold] ] [http://www.scottishfold.com/folded_ears.htm ScottishFold.com "Folded Ears"] ] [http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/scottish-fold-faq.html Cat Fanciers Scottish Fold FAQ] ] [http://www.cfa.org/breeds/profiles/articles/scottish.html CFA breed article on Scottish Folds] ]

Originally called Flops (for "floppy" ears), the name Scottish Fold became the breed's name in 1966. [http://www.pegkenscats.com/page/page/3536013.htm Pegken's Cats "Scottish Fold"] ] Longhaired Scottish Folds have various official names depending on the certifying agency, being known as the Highland Fold by the ACFA, AACE, and UFO, Scottish Fold Longhair by the TICA, NCFA, ACA, CCA, and CFA, and Longhair Fold by the CFF.

Breed

Origin

The original Scottish Fold was a long-haired white-haired barn cat named Susie, who was found at a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1961. Susie's ears had an unusual fold in their middle, making her resemble an owl. When Susie had kittens, two of them were born with folded ears, and one was acquired by William Ross, a neighbouring farmer and cat-fancier. Ross registered the breed with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in Great Britain and started to breed Scottish Fold kittens with the help of geneticist Pat Turner. The breeding program produced 76 kittens in the first three years – 42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears. The conclusion from this was that the ear mutation is due to a simple dominant gene; if one parent provides the gene for straight ears, and one parent provides the gene for folded ears, the kittens will be Folds. [http://www.scottishfold.com/history.htm ScottishFold.com "History"] ] [http://fanciers.com/breed-faqs/scottish-fold-faq.html Fanciers.com "Scottish Fold FAQ"] ]

Susie's only reproducing offspring was a female Fold named Snooks who was also white; a second kitten was neutered shortly after birth. Three months after Snooks' birth, Susie was killed by an automobile. All Scottish Fold cats share a common ancestry to Susie and Snooks, the origination point assurance a lineage quality rare among pedigreed animals.

Acceptance

The breed was not accepted for showing in Great Britain and Europe as it was felt that they would be extremely susceptible to ear problems such as infection, mites, and deafness, but the Folds were exported to America and the breed continued to be established using crosses with British Shorthairs and American Shorthairs. Since initial concerns were brought, the Fold breed has not had the mite and infection problems, though wax buildup in the ears may be greater than in other cats.

Popularity

The distinctive physical traits of the breed, combined with their reputation as unusually loving companions, make Folds highly sought-after pets and Fold kittens typically cost considerably more than kittens of more common breeds.

Characteristics

Ears

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.

Body

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". [http://www.terrific-cats.com/breeds/scottish-fold.asp Terrific Cats "Scottish Fold"] ]

Coat

Scottish Folds can be either long- or short-haired, and they may have nearly any coat colour or combination of colours (including white) except pointed colours. According to cat-fancy website [http://www.terrific-cats.com Terrific-Cats.com] :

ocial

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.

Habits

Folds are also known for sleeping on their backs. Scottish Folds typically have soft voices and display a complex repertoire of meows and purrs not found in better-known breeds.Fact|date=July 2008

Health

The typical lifespan of a Scottish Fold is 15 years.

Medical complications

Scottish folds are susceptible to polycystic kidney disease (PKD), [http://www.scottishfold.org/pkd.html ScottishFold.org "Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)"] ] osteochondritis, [http://www.ava.com.au/avj/9902/99020085.pdf Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cats] – Australian Veterinarian Journal] [http://www.scottishfold.org/osteo.html ScottishFold.org "Osteochondritis"] ] and cardiomyopathy. [http://www.scottishfold.org/cardio3.html ScottishFold.org "Cardiomyopathy"] ]

Breeding

Because the ears fold nearly a month after birth, Fold kittens cannot immediately be judged as to their type or value, as prominent animal website [http://PetFinder.com PetFinder.com] describes:

Ethics

One particular medical problem arises in the Scottish Fold if both parents have folded ears. In such a breeding scheme, their kittens will be extremely likely (1:4 ratio, virtually guaranteeing at least one per litter) to develop a painful degenerative joint disease that can fuse the tail, ankles and/or knees; the condition is believed to be caused by the dominant (folded-ear) gene, being especially likely to affect Folds with the gene present in pair, rather than mixed single with one recessive (unfolded-ear) gene. This condition can also affect Scottish Folds with one copy of the gene, but usually to a much lesser and medically manageable degree. For this reason the breed is not accepted by either the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy [http://www.gccfcats.org/health.html "The GCCF says Health Comes First"] – The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy] or the Fédération Internationale Féline; [http://www.fifeweb.org/wp/lib/lib_rls_breg_2008_03.html "Breeding and Registration Rules (date of issue: 01.01.2008)" — as described in §2.7.3 "Genetic Diseases"] – Fédération Internationale Feline] this is the reasoning behind the widely-held belief that the only ethical manner of breeding Folds is Fold/nonfold and not Fold/Fold (in the same way Munchkins are bred).

Literature

Biography

The Scottish Fold is featured in-depth in the short novel "The Cat Who Went to Paris" by Peter Gethers."The Cat Who Went to Paris" – ISBN 9780449907634 – by Peter Gethers] The book and its two sequels, "A Cat Abroad" and "", document the life of Gethers and his Fold, Norton, from their first meeting to Norton's eventual death and Gether's experiences after the loss."A Cat Abroad" – ISBN 9780449909522 – by Peter Gethers] "The Cat Who'll Live Forever" – ISBN 9780767909037 – by Peter Gethers]

How-to

Additionally, books specific to the Scottish Fold breed are available, including "Scottish Fold Cats: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual" (ISBN 0812049993), "Guide to Owning a Scottish Fold Cat" (ISBN 079382172X), and "Scottish Fold Cats (Cats Set III)" (ISBN 1577658671).

ee also

*
*Cat body type genetic mutations
*American Curl, a breed with ears curving up and back, somewhat opposite to the Scottish Fold

References