Cute and puffy creatures with folded ears. What can they be? Scottish Fold cats, of course! Due to their unique appearance and sweet personality, these pets are widely-liked among cat owners. There probably is no cat lover that could resist the charm of a Scottish Fold… Learn more about this interesting cat breed and see if it becomes one of your favorites!
- Scottish Fold appearance and characteristics
- Scottish Fold cat personality and temperament
- Scottish Fold intelligence level
- The history of the Scottish Fold cat breed
- Grooming a Scottish Fold
- What to expect while owning a Scottish Fold cat?
- How big can a Scottish Fold grow?
- What do Scottish Folds eat?
- How long does a Scottish Fold cat live?
- Can you keep a Scottish Fold cat together with other house pets?
- How much does a Scottish Fold cost?
Scottish Fold appearance and characteristics
Once you look at a Scottish Fold, you might see a cute round ball of fluff. And… you’re almost correct. This breed includes cats that have medium-sized well-rounded bodies with cute short legs and circular paws that have five toes on each front paw and four toes on each back paw.
Furthermore, the tail of a Scottish Fold can vary from medium to long but is always proportional to the entire body. Going up, the head of this little cutie is also rounded and looks very fluffy. It blends into the neck that is known to be short. To add, the little nose is short and gently curvy.
Here we come to the most exclusive part of the head – ears! These two small rounded triangles are folded forward and downward which gives the Scottish Fold a unique look. Continuously, these animals have wide and rounded eyes that can be in any type of color (blue, odd, green, brown, gold, etc.) depending on the cat’s coating.
The fur of a Scottish Fold cat can come in all types of lengths – short, medium, and long. Semi-long and long-haired cats’ coating needs more care and grooming. Additionally, the coating is very soft and fluffy due to its thickness that can change seasonally.
Scottish Fold cat personality and temperament
Scottish Fold is a type of cat that is very playful but not overactive. Such an animal requires regular playtime with its owner but this is actually some great news! The more time you spend with your pet, the stronger the bond becomes between you two. Don’t miss a chance to get a highly-devoted friend!
Scottish Folds are really loyal cats that are likely to express their affection and other warm feelings towards their owners. If you take good care of your pet, you will definitely receive a decent amount of love! A Scottish Fold cat is an animal that will give you gentle rubs, kisses, purrs, and jump on your lap for a short nap.
Continuously, these animals surely aren’t screamers. They don’t have a high vocality level. This should be great news for those who are looking forward to owning a quiet cat. However, this doesn’t mean that Scottish Folds don’t talk at all. They are likely to greet their owners in the morning or when they come back from work with a soft meow.
To add, a Scottish Fold is known to be a docile animal. Due to this reason, you might have a high chance of success while teaching your cat specific commands and telling it what it shouldn’t do (don’t jump on the table, don’t touch those curtains, don’t scratch my clothes, don’t eat the plants, etc.)
Even though Scottish Folds are considered to be house pets that love getting attention, they are also very independent cats. You can worry less while leaving a Scottish Fold on its own for a day or two. Just leave enough food and water, and your beloved one should do very well until you return!
Scottish Fold intelligence level
Both cute and smart?! That’s a Scottish Fold! Despite its unique and gorgeous look, this type of cat definitely has a decent level of intelligence. A Scottish Fold might be quick to figure out how to get to a hardly reachable place or convince you to feed it more snacks…
There are also some ways how a cat’s intelligence can benefit its owner too. You will supposedly find your Scottish Fold less clumsy and be able to avoid “broken flower pots”. Also, such pets are fast learners and due to this, you can try teaching your cat tricks such as fetch, high-five, sit, stand, and others.
The history of the Scottish Fold cat breed
All Scottish Folds are living nowadays thanks to their ancestor named Susie. This adorable kitten was born in the middle of the 20th century in Perthshire, Scotland. This Scottish Fold was discovered in a group of newborn straight-eared kittens.
Later on, Susie was bred with other domestic cats and British Shorthairs in order to create more folded ear kittens. Britains were the first ones to discover this breed, however, it became super popular in the USA instead of its country of origin.
Interesting fact: Scottish Folds can’t be bred together as their newborn kittens might be born with walking problems. Instead, a Scottish Fold is bred with a straight-eared British Shorthair or American Shorthair. In fact, it only requires one of the parents to have folded ears for their newborns to have them too.
Grooming a Scottish Fold
Taking care of coating is also a duty you will need to carry out if you decide to purchase a Scottish Fold. If your cat has semi-long fur, brushing it once a week should be enough. However, if your Scottish Foldr friend has long hair, it might require grooming 2-3 times per week.
Make sure that you have a quality brush that doesn’t include sharp ends, otherwise, it can feel painful on your cat’s skin. Also, make sure to comb the entire coating thoroughly in order to detangle all tied knots and evenly distribute skin oils to make the fur softer and provide it with a glossy look.
To continue, you should always check your Scottish Fold’s skin, ears, and fur if it goes outside. However, we don’t recommend letting this type of breed cat run around outdoors because it can bring back ear mites, fleas, ticks, and various diseases. Also, there is a risk that your cat might get stolen because of its unique and gorgeous appearance…
What to expect while owning a Scottish Fold cat?
Cuteness, sweetness, friendliness, playfulness, and an independent personality – this is what you can expect to get after adopting a Scottish Fold! Despite their little folded ears, big rounded eyes, and fluffy coating, these cats also have a well-balanced personality.
Scottish Fold cats have a higher need of attention but they also are independent creatures. You will have to worry less while leaving your cat at home alone for a while. Also, this cat breed is known to be a quiet one, so you can expect a good night’s sleep with no “meow-related” interruptions.
To continue, you will get a playful but not overactive friend. You will be able to strengthen the bond between you and your cat during playtime. Additionally, Scottish Folds are very loving creatures and will definitely show affection to their owners. Loyalty is also a thing that you can be looking forward to.
Popular questions and answers about the Scottish Fold cat breed
For those who are deeply interested in the Scottish Fold cat breed, we have prepared more information that can be found below!
How big can a Scottish Fold grow?
These cuties become even cuter when you get to know that they don’t grow very big! An average Scottish Fold usually weighs around 3-6 kgs. However, if your cat is fully grown and is seemingly above or below such a weight limit, you should consider the option of a vet visit as your beloved one might be having some health problems.
Furthermore, fully-grown Scottish Folds reach the length limit of approximately 25-30 cm. Some big pluses of small cats are that they aren’t heavy or difficult to carry, they don’t take a lot of space in your bed, and they usually need less food to support their bodies.
What do Scottish Folds eat?
Meat and fish. These two products are the ones that should play the biggest role in your Scottish Fold’s diet. Furthermore, these cats can live on a raw meat diet from the products that you have at home (e.g. chicken, turkey, beef). However, you always have to make sure that the meat is fresh!
To continue, you can also feed your Scottish Fold a mixed diet of dry and wet foods. Here you need to make sure that the cat food has around 70% of protein and only a very small amount of carbohydrates. Also, some fat is also good for your cat as it helps the animal to stay satisfied for longer after eating.
Now you might be wondering, why are carbohydrates so bad for your cat? First of all, the cat’s body isn’t built in a way to properly digest them. You should especially avoid grain (it can make a pretty big part of a cat meal in some cheaper foods) because your cat might get an upset stomach, experience vomiting/diarrhea, or even develop food allergies.
How long does a Scottish Fold cat live?
The lifespan of a Scottish Fold doesn’t really differ from other cats’. It is known that these animals usually live up to 10-15 years. We can say that a lot depends on the health condition of the cat. This includes inherited diseases, diet quality, activity level, and lifestyle overall.
Some cats can be more prone to particular illnesses than others. The following conditions (especially the first one) prevail in the Scottish Fold:
- Degenerative joint disease.
Degenerative joint disease is a painful condition that can affect Scottish Folds during any stage of their lives. When this disease becomes progressive, the joints turn stiff and the animal starts experiencing difficulties moving. This condition usually targets the tail, knees, or ankles.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart disease that affects many cats, including Scottish Folds. This condition makes the walls of the heart thicker. Due to this, the organ starts experiencing struggles to deliver blood throughout the cat’s body.
If you are concerned that your cat is not feeling well or started acting in a strange way, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible! Help that is provided on time can be a true lifesaver for your cat!
Can you keep Scottish Fold cats together with other house pets?
Introducing two pets to one another is always at least a little challenge for both the animals and the owner. Even though each cat breed has some personality traits that are likely to be seen in them, you should keep in mind that each living being is also born with its own unique features.
However, Scottish Fold cats are friendly creatures overall. They know how to communicate with people who take good care of them and will definitely show their warm feelings. These cats can also make great friends with other pets. Here are some tips that you can use for a creating a strong bond between your two loved ones:
- It is best to get two animals of the same breed.
- Two pets will have a stronger bond if they grow up together.
- Try including both of them in one game.
- Make sure that each of your pets has its own place where it can stay when it doesn’t feel like communicating.
- DON’T rush the process. Give each animal enough time to sort things out in its own way.
How much does a Scottish Fold cost?
In this part, we are going to talk about all of the expenditures you will need to keep in mind if you want to purchase and take care of a Scottish Fold cat. First, let’s start with the price for the pet itself. Note that it can vary anywhere between approximately £200-£1000.
There are a lot of Scottish Fold kittens that can be found for a price starting from £200 and ending with £350. However, if you want a cat with some type of an unusual appearance or you are looking forward to a show-level pet, you may have to pay even up to £1000.
Continuously, think about all of the expenses that kitten care will require. Make sure that you have enough money for unexpected vet visits, vaccination (~£80), neutering/spaying (~40), and microchipping (~30). Even though many breeders already take care of such procedures, there is a slight chance to get a pet that didn’t undergo all of them.
In this case, you will have to take care of everything yourself but just make sure to find a reliable veterinarian. Afterward, you should think about how much money you can spend on your cat’s other needs. This includes cat food, litter and litter tray, comfy bedding, nail clippers, hairbrushes, toys, etc.
Wrap up
Since you have read a great dose of information about these folded-ear creatures, we suppose that you can’t resist their sweetness now. We are definitely encouraged to think about owning a Scottish Fold in the upcoming future…