Scottish Fold Cat |Personality | Lifespan | How To Care For Scottish Fold Cats


The Scottish Fold Cat is a breed of domestic cat that has been selected to have a very distinctive appearance, it has a natural dominant-gene mutation that affects cartilage throughout the body, causing the ears to “fold”, bending forward and down towards the front of the head, which gives the cat what is often described as an “owl-like” appearance. These type of cats are originated in Scotland and can very much all be traced back to only a single cat.

The Scottish Fold Cats are an amazing breed of distinct looking cats, and if you have been thinking of adopting or buying one for yourself, am not surprised because they are adorable to look at, and loyal companion to have in the house.

This article is predominantly written as an exploratory point for anyone looking into bringing the Scottish fold cat home. The goal is to give you arr the information you need on hand to see if keeping a Scottish fold feline in your home is worth considering.

It’s perfectly normal to have questions when considering to bring home a pet, it doesn’t matter whether is a reptile pet, a dog or feline. So, in this guide, learn all you need to Know about Scottish Fold Cats, from their characteristics to finally where to buy or adopt it.

With the popularity of Scottish Folds cats in recent year, it’s a lot easier to get complacent when choosing a pet based on the trends and ignoring the key factors you have to think about when choosing which cat breed type is ideal for your lifestyle and theirs.

So, it is important that you evaluate your lifestyle and finding out whether the feline breed like Scottish folds felines are an indoor cats breed or they are outdoor cats before you bring them home.

So, Are Scottish folds indoor cats?

Yes! Scottish fold cats are predominantly an indoor cat breed. And with that, it means you can happily keep the Scottish feline in high rise flat or apartment without worrying about them being stressed that they are not having access to outdoor living.

So, if you have been looking for a cat breed, that is perfect for a life inside, with the Scottish Fold, have a perfect match made in heaven for an indoor cat.

Characteristics of a Scottish Fold Cat

Scottish Fold Cats resemble the appearance of an owl a little bit because of their fluffy coats cute tilted ears.

When they are kittens, their ears appear standing upright pretty much like any other normal cat breed, However, due to their genetic mutation tendencies, once they reach three months of age, the mutated cartilage will stop holding them in place then they fall and appear folded.

The folding ears of the cat are in three types, a single fold, double fold or triple-fold

These type of cats are also known to have a very tiny voice, they are not vocal at all, their voices are tiny with a chirpy and soft range. When it comes to fur or hair, they come in short and long-haired varieties.

These cats have long tails that tend to have rounded tips sometimes…

Scottish Fold Cats Temperament.

The Scottish fold cat breed is predominantly known for their tolerant, docile behavior. Especially if you have the longhaired variety also known as the Highland Fold, you will find them to be very hospitable and loyal cat breed to have as a pet.

Are Scottish Fold cats good pets?

Yes! Scottish fold cats are good pets to have as they are a sweet, calm cat who enjoys cuddles, gentle handling even from being around kids who can sometimes handle felines in an awkward way that make other cats to lose patience.

So, if you are looking into the Scottish Fold cats, they are temperamentally docile, and if you get a highland fold kittens, you should know that they are born with what looks like normal ears. … Given time, their mutation gen begins to let their ears fold downward, hence their name “the Highland fold cat breed”

The Scottish fold cats also known as Highland fold cats, are very adaptable felines capable of adapting to many different environments and can get along well with children, other cat breeds, and are also very tolerant to dogs as long as they are not dominant.

The History of the Scottish fold cat

The history and breed of the Scottish fold cat be traced back to one particular cat which was located in Dundee, Scotland in the 1960s.

Researchers found that the cat was born with a mutation that affected the cartilage in its ears, hence the fold ears, from that particular cat, the Scottish fold cat was born and it’s been moving from generation to generation till today in the 20 1st century.

Size and lifespan

The Scott fold cats are usually big and will weigh about 8 to 13lbs when they are adults. These cats tend to gain a lot of weight if you don’t control their diet, so it is advised to restrict it’s diet appropriately to prevent unhealthy weight gain that may lead to many other health problems.

Researchers have found that this breed lifespan is 11 to. 15 years depending upon where you look, these cats have a long lifespan because all the health issues they come across at some point are not life-threatening at all. But these health problems can make life uneasy for them instead.

 With all things considered, you would think that highland fold cats being born with a gene mutation would be a put-off, however because of their cuddliness, the Scottish folds continue to win more fans especially those looking for a cuddly can breed.

So, Are Scottish Folds Cuddly?

Yes! Scottish folds are cuddly and loyal cat breeds who enjoy lavishing their humans with affectionate cuddles. While you may know highland folds for their cute ears and good temperament, what you may not know or realize about the Scottish Fold cats is how cuddly and love for curling up on your lap whenever they can.

… As a work from home Scottish fold owner, I know this too well that our little highland fold enjoys curling up on my lap while I record my podcasts or Youtube live casting… she is always sat on my lap if not on my desk.

How to Care for your Scottish fold cat?

The Scottish fold cat will need proper care like any other normal cat, you must take it to the vet for routine check-ups, find time to brush its coat, clean its ears, and trim its nails regularly.

Buy the right food for it and make sure you choose high-quality brand name food, but don’t feed it to much to avoid health issues.

These are very affectionate cats that love to be around humans so make sure you interact with it almost every day at least for 30 mins

Here is how to take care of your Scottish today cat:

1. Brush it regularly.

If your Scottish fold is long-haired then you will need to brush it every day, using a wire slicker brush, but if it’s the short-haired type then you must brush it once or twice a week using a metal comb, you must brush it in the direction of its hair growth and you must brush the entire body, abdomen, and chest inclusive.

2. Make sure you check its ears once a week.

 Always make sure you check the outside of its ears for bald spots and make sure the inner surfaces of its ears are light pink and clean. Check its ear canals by gently folding its ears back. The ear canal should be dirt-free, have a healthy pink color, and have minimal earwax.

When your cat’s ears look dirty, then use a damp cloth or cotton ball to wipe away dirt and debris. You can moisten the cloth with an equal parts water and apple cider vinegar solution for a thorough clean. Never stick anything into your cat’s ears to clean them.

2. Make sure you brush its teeth daily.

It is advised to brush your Scottish cat’s teeth daily, but if you are always busy and cannot manage to brush its teeth daily, then once or two times a week will do.

Avoid using the human toothpaste because the fluoride in it and other ingredients can make your cat sick. Visit a pet store, they will know exactly what you need to clean your cat’s teeth

4. Make sure its litter box is clean.

Check your cat’s litter box twice a day for cleanliness, i.e., once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Make sure to remove any waste and refill the litter box with fresh, clean litter.

Wash your cat’s litter box with hot water and a mild, unscented soap every two weeks. Do not use scented cleaning products (especially lemon-scented products) or cleaning products that contain ammonia or deodorants to clean your cat’s litter box.

Health problems

Yes, Scottish fold cats ears are very cute but they come with problems, you see, they are hard to keep clean and hence they provide a more attractive environment to bacteria. Below we have listed the health problems that Scottish fold cats will face somewhere during their lifetime:

1. Osteochondrodysplasia

You will need to know more about this illness if you are thinking of buying a Scottish fold cat. You see the genetic mutation that causes the cat’s ears to fold may affect the cartilage of their entire body mostly the tail, knees, and ankles, these type of cats may then suffer from painful, crippling degenerative joint disease and hence the cat facing movement problems.

2. Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Cats also have two kidneys responsible for getting rid of waste products in the cat’s bloodstream and polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a condition where normal kidney tissue is replaced by cysts, impairing kidney function and ultimately ending in kidney failure and the death of the cat.

3. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

These cats are also familiar to this disease, a heart condition which results in a thickening of the walls of the chambers of the heart, and reduced heart function.

This illness then causes poor health to your cat as the heart struggles to provide the cat’s body with oxygen and can sometimes result in heart failure… 

Diet and nutrition

If you are thinking of buying a Scottish fold cat then you must know what their dietary needs are. The main reasons why you need to be especially careful with the diet of a Scottish fold cat are these:

  • They have sensitive stomachs and often react badly to carbs
  • They need to eat mostly meat, organ meat, cartilage, and bone
  • They don’t get as much exercise as they used to in the wild

The danger of feeding your Scottish Fold the wrong food – such as lots of carbs – is even higher when you consider that they now live a comparatively sedentary lifestyle inside the home and obesity is a serious risk, and you may be late in detecting the problem since the Scottish Fold is a naturally round, soft-edged cat.

Where to buy and the price

Despite the cat being a common breed, the price of a Scottish Fold is unexpectedly high due to its difficulty inbreeding and its susceptibility to genetic diseases. Depending on your purpose of raising a Scottish Fold, there are many price options to choose from.

Price of Scottish Folds with limited registration

Such kittens have no breeding rights. However, many people are still willing to spend $550 – $1200 on a pet-only Scottish Fold because of its docile and lovely temperament.

Price of Scottish Fold with full registration

Fully registered Scottish Folds are allowed to breed. Their price, thus, is often much higher than pet-only ones. Apart from requirements about the origin, lineage, and appearance, the gene is the priority when evaluating a Scottish Fold.

If you are considering owning a Scottish fold cat, be cautious of offers from a wide variety of kittens of all colors and ages. Normally, with a budget of $500 – $1500, you can easily find yourself a lovely and healthy Scottish Fold.

Though it is perfectly acceptable to buy a highland fold kitten fro a pet classifieds website, finding the historical data and genetic lineage is key, so if you are looking for a quality Scottish Fold, be worry of many websites that claim to be a good place to start ordering your highland fold kitten.

In spite of the quality, kittens are still sold online and they are competitively priced though not cheap for everyone as they can range from $700 – $1800.

Happy meowing!

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