Scottish Fold

The Scottish Fold is a breed of cat with a natural mutation to its ears. The ear cartilage contains a fold so the ears bend forward and down towards the front of their head. The original Scottish Fold was a long-haired white-haired barn cat named Susie, who was found at a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland in 1961. Susie's ears had an unusual fold in their middle, making her resemble an owl. When Susie had kittens, two of them were born with folded ears, and one of the siblings was acquired by William Ross, a neighbouring farmer and cat-fancier. Ross registered the breed with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in Great Britain and started to breed Scottish Fold kittens with the help of geneticist Pat Turner. The breeding program produced 76 kittens in the first three years - 42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears. The conclusion from this was that the ear mutation is due to a simple dominant gene. If one parent provides the gene for straight ears, and one parent provides the gene for folded ears, the kittens will be Folds.
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Red mackerel tabby Scottish Fold
Photo: Scott McKiernan/Zuma

Weight: 10-12 lbs.
Overview
These quiet, sweet-natured, easygoing cats are most content when they are around people and dislike being alone. Although Folds prefer the company of humans, another cat will satisfy their need for companionship if nobody is at home for much of the day. Their laid-back temperament makes them very good with children.
Appearance
Folds are medium-size cats with a robust, rounded appearance. They have rounded heads, short necks, and large, round, widely spaced eyes. Kittens are born with "normal" ears, but at about two to four weeks of age, some begin to develop a noticeable bending forward of the ears; by three months of age, the fold, which varies in degree from cat to cat, is permanent, giving the cat an owlish look. Scottish Folds have dense coats that stand out from their bodies. They come in many colors and patterns.
Special Grooming Needs
Scottish Folds should be brushed two to three times a week to remove loose fur.
Origins
Today's Scottish Folds trace their ancestry to Susie, a white barn cat born in Scotland in 1961 with uniquely folded ears. Susie had a litter of kittens that included a female with folded ears, which in turn produced a fold-eared male. A London breeder determined that a dominant mutant gene was responsible for the folded ears.
Special Alerts
Some kittens born to two fold-eared parents experience a crippling skeletal abnormality called congenital osteodystrophy, a progressive stiffening and fusing of the joints that ultimately makes walking painful.