Continuing our look at some of the most loved, unusual and even outlandish cat breeds in the world we turn our attention to the Scottish Fold. This is a breed you are probably familiar with already. They are hugely popular around the world and for good reason.
A Little Bit of History
The Scottish Fold breed as we know them today began life in Perthshire, Scotland. However, cats with folded ears were not new at that time, in fact the very first written documentation dates to 1796, but they are believed to be a lot older. The current breed started with Susie, a kitten with folded ears who was bred with both domestic cats and British Shorthair cats. All of the Scottish Folds living to this day all trace their ancestry all the way back to the 60’s kitten, Susie.
Appearance – Those Ears!
Scottish Fold’s are easy to identify thanks to their adorable ears that do indeed have a folded appearance. The folded ears contribute to the roundness of the cat, which is medium in size with males weighing on average up to 12lb. Females can reach the same weight but often are slightly smaller, averaging between 8 and 12lb.
Eye colouring included blue, gold, green or two different coloured eyes. The colours range widely, everything from white to solver, black and tortoiseshell. This wide range of colourings matched with the various patterns including tabby, spotted and smoke all add to the ability to find a unique Scottish Fold that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Care and Attention
Unlike other breeds, the Scottish Fold does require grooming and are high maintenance for the medium to long hair breeds. The short hair is the easiest coat to care for. However, it is vital that all grooming and playful activities are performed with great care. The Scottish Fold breed has a common problem that results in the tail stiffening and becoming extremely painful for the cat. Providing you are gentle this stiffness can be avoided. It is important to understand the problem and ensure all family members always understand the need to be gentle.
Much Love to Give
One of the reasons this breed is popular is down to their charm and gentle personalities. They quickly become a much-loved member of the family, showing affection and enjoying spending time together. Grooming and exercise should become part of the quality time routine. Exercise is important as the build and general ‘roundness’ of the Scottish Fold does mean they can suffer with obesity and weight problems.
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