Special Notes

Since the Scottish fold’s folded ear gene is dominant, all Scottish fold cats must have at least one folded ear parent to have folded ears themselves. When a fold is bred to a straight-eared cat, approximately 50 percent of the kittens will have folded ears, although the actual number of folds in any given litter can vary. The rest will have straight ears. These straight-eared folds are very useful in fold breeding programs and are also sold as pets.

Breeding two folds together increases the number of fold kittens in the resulting litters, but also greatly increases the chances of serious skeletal deformities. Homozygous folds (folds that inherit the folded ear gene from both parents) are much more likely to develop a genetic condition that causes crippling distortion and enlargement of the bones.

Avoiding fold to fold breeding reduces the problem; however, controversy surrounds the breed because of this defect. When buying a fold, be sure to check for signs of the disorder. Short, coarse legs, splayed toes, thickness and lack of mobility in the legs or tail are sure signs of trouble. Determine tail flexibility by moving your hand down the tail in a very gentle slightly upward-arching movement.