A farm cat called Susie
Every Scottish fold descends from Susie, a white barn cat with folded ears found on a farm in Perthshire in 1961.
Fancy cats · Time every day
Scottish fold
Pedigree breed · from Tayside, Scotland
A round-faced cat with big round eyes and small ears that fold forwards and down, like a cap.
- Size
- About 25cm at the shoulder; 3 to 6kg
- Lives for
- 11 to 14 years
- Suits
- Read the note below before choosing this breed
Pads after you, wide-eyed. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the scottish fold
Born with straight ears
Kittens are born with ordinary ears. In some, they fold at about three weeks old.
An owl's face
The folded ears and round eyes give it a look that people compare to an owl.
It sits like a person
It often sits upright on its haunches with its legs out in front.
The fold is a fault in the cartilage
The gene that folds the ears also affects the cartilage in the joints, and can cause painful arthritis.
Not recognised at home
Because of this, the main British cat registry will not recognise the breed, and some countries have banned breeding it.
The real thing
Photos of the scottish fold
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Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
Care is as for any short-haired cat, with regular vet checks on its joints and tail. Watch for stiffness or a reluctance to jump.
Before you get one
Vets and welfare charities advise against buying a cat with folded ears. If you love the look, a British shorthair has the same round face without the problem.
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