Scottish Fold

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Scottish Fold

History:
In 1961, a shepherd by the name of William Ross spotted the first known Scottish Fold cat at a farm near Coupar Angus in the Tayside Region of Scotland, Northwest of Dundee. Ross asked the owners if he could have one of the kittens, and proceeded to develop the breed from the original, Susie, a white barn cat. The unique thing about this cat was that her ears folded forward and downward on her head. The resulting look gave the impression of a “pixie”, “owl”, or “teddy bear” that has captured the hearts of many American cat fanciers and judges. The Scottish Fold was granted championship status by The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in 1978.

The first documented and recognized ancestor of all Scottish Folds is "Susie," a folded-ear barn cat found on the McRae farm at Coupar Angus in the Tayside Region of Scotland. There are earlier references to folded-ear cats, however. Recently there was a beautiful antique Oriental wall hanging depicting a folded-ear cat and her kittens on an internet auction site. The 1975 Guide to the Cats of the World by Loxton includes the statement, "The idea of a drop-eared Chinese breed was a persistent one." The first known written reference to these cats appears in 1796 in the Universal Magazine of Knowledge in which folded-ear cats were mentioned as wild cats in China. Guide to the Cats of the World continues, "A century later a sailor returned from China with a drop-eared cat...." There is no more documented evidence of these cats until 1938 when a second cat was found with these characteristics. At that time the rare mutation was thought to be restricted to white longhaired cats.

Is it just coincidence that the first Folds in Scotland were white as the previously mentioned ones were and that the Oriental art also depicts white drop-eared cats? We cannot be certain, but sailors did roam the seas. These stories do persist and the idea of a natural mutation appearing from time to time is not without merit.

General Information:
Scottish Folds come in two types: folded ear and straight (normal) ear. The folded ear is produced by an incomplete dominant gene and is the result of a spontaneous mutation.

Over the last two decades the Scottish Fold has developed a look all its own...even though allowed outcrosses include American Shorthairs and British Shorthairs. The Fold does not necessarily resemble the American Shorthair’s hard, powerful “working cat” body and squared-off muzzle. Nor does it look like the British Shorthair’s massive, compact body, short legs, and flat planed top-head. The Fold, instead, is a medium cat with a rounded, well-padded body and a short, dense, and resilient coat. It has large, round, broadly spaced
eyes full of sweetness; well-rounded whisker pads and a short nose with a gentle curve in profile.

Scottish Folds are hardy cats, much like their barnyard ancestors. Their disposition matches their sweet expression. They have tiny voices and are not extremely vocal. They adore human companionship and display this in their own quiet way.

Scottish Folds adapt to almost any home situation and are as comfortable in a room full of noisy children and dogs as they are in a single person’s dwelling. They don’t usually panic at shows or in strange hotel rooms, and they adjust to other animals extremely well.

Description:
Scottish Fold kittens are born with straight ears. At about three to four weeks of age, their ears fold...or they don’t! It is usually around eleven to twelve weeks of age that the breeder can determine the quality (pet, breeder or show). Presently, only folded ear cats of Scottish lineage are permitted in the show ring, and naturally, every breeder wants to produce show cats. The straight ear progeny of Scottish Folds, nevertheless, are invaluable to the breeding program.

Scottish Folds come in any and all colors possible with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or a combination of these and white.

HEAD: well rounded with a firm chin and jaw. Muzzle to have well rounded whisker pads. Head should blend into a short neck. Prominent cheeks with a jowly appearance in males.

EYES: wide open with a sweet expression. Large, well rounded, and separated by a broad nose. Eye color to correspond with coat color. Blue-eyed and odd-eyed are allowed for white and bi-color and van patterns.

NOSE: nose to be short with a gentle curve. A brief stop is permitted but a definite nose break considered
a fault. Profile is moderate in appearance .

EARS: fold forward and downward. Small, the smaller, tightly folded ear preferred over a loose fold and large ear. The ears should be set in a caplike fashion to expose a rounded cranium. Ear tips to be rounded.

EARS: fold forward and downward. Small, the smaller, tightly folded ear preferred over a loose fold and
large ear. The ears should be set in a caplike fashion to expose a rounded cranium. Ear tips to be rounded.

BODY: medium, rounded, and even from shoulder to pelvic girdle. The cat should stand firm with a well padded body. There must be no hint of thickness or lack of mobility in the cat due to short, coarse legs. Toes to be neat and well rounded with five in front and four behind. Overall appearance is that of a well founded cat with medium bone; fault cats obviously lacking in type. Females may be slightly smaller.

COAT (SHORTHAIR): dense, plush, even. Short to medium-short in length. Soft in texture. Full of life. Standing away from body due to density, not flat or close lying. Coat texture may vary due to color and/or regional/seasonal changes.

COAT (LONGHAIR): medium-long to long hair length. Full coat on face and body desirable but short hair permissible on face and legs. Britches, tail plume, toe tufts, and ear furnishings should be clearly visible with a ruff being desirable. Seriously penalize: cottony coat, except in kittens.

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