Scottish folds are medium-sized cats with the females weighing 6-9 pounds and the males weighing 9-13.

The overall description of this cat is “rounded” from its face, eyes, head, and body. Scottish folds also have broadly spaced eyes that give them a cherubic look. Depending on the breeding, Scottish folds can be long-haired or short-haired and come in nearly any coat color.

The original cats only had one fold to their ear but through selective breeding, Scottish folds can have one to a tighter three folds, which is more common in show cats. This folding phenomenon is caused by a genetic mutation in the cat’s cartilage that may affect the rest of their body.

Scottish folds are a domestic breed of cats. The first reported one was in 1961 at a farm in Perthshire, Scotland. A cat names Susie had folded ears and gave birth to two kittens; one was adopted by William Ross who registered it and with the help of geneticist Pat Turner, they bred 42 folded-eared cats. Over the years, they were bred with other cats such as the British Shorthair to give us their unique look today. Scottish folds are loved in America, but Europeans are not interested due to the genetic defects that sometimes accompany them.

Scottish folds should have a diet that is high in protein and low in carbs with a mixture of wet and dry food. Like all domestic cats, they are related to big, active cats such as leopards and pumas; so, going to a sedentary lifestyle needs much less carbs. It is important to be vigilant with the Scottish fold’s diet because they’re already rounded so detecting obesity may come too late.

Scottish folds are all born with pointy ears, and won’t develop folded characteristics until they are around 2-4 weeks old.

Some Scottish fold kitten ears will remain straight which will earn them the name of Scottish shorthairs.

You should never breed two Scottish folds together as the health problems will be too dangerous even if all kittens will be guaranteed to have folded ears.

The only ethical way is to breed them with straight-eared breeds such as the British or American shorthaired and have 50% folded ears and 50% straight eared with no health problems.

Scottish folds used to be called lop-eared or lops before they were officially registered as Scottish folds.