There is nothing a Scottish Fold–named for their folded ears–likes
better than to be with their people, participating in whatever they are
doing. As the name implies, Scottish Folds come from Scotland, and they
can all trace their ancestry back to a barn cat named Susie who had
folded ears and worked as a mouser.
These cats are sensitive, expressive, and active. They love to play and
are not the best cats to leave home alone. They prefer a companion–even
another cat–to keep them company. If you can provide this loving feline
with the attention they crave and keep up with their needs, they just
might be the new furry family member you’re looking for.
History:
Cats with drooping ears or folded ears are ancient. The first word of one goes as far back as 1796. In this year, an English
sailor brought back one of these cats when he returned from China. The
Chinese also contributed the second example of a folded ear cat to the cat
fancy history when one was noted in 1938. But the Scottish Fold as we know
her today was first born in 1961 in Pertshire, Scotland. There, a kitten
with folded ears was discovered in a litter of otherwise "normal" eared
kittens. This kitten, named Susie, was then bred to domestic cats and
British Shorthair cats to establish the folded ear.
To this day, every Scottish fold can trace her ancestry to Susie.
While the British established the Scottish Fold as a breed, she has never
been as popular there as she is in the United States. Not only did
Americans fall in love with this breed, but developed the breed into the
beautiful cat she is today.
The Scottish Fold is difficult to breed. The
folded ear cat must not be bred to another folded ear cat. Allowable
outcrosses, in addition to a straight-eared cat, are the American
Shorthair and British Shorthair. If two folded eared cats are bred to each
other, the resulting kittens can be impaired to the extent of having
difficulty walking. Even with this outcross, Scottish Folds tend to have
small litters and not all of these kittens have folded ears.
