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The Scottish Fold CatFairly Recent Breed with a Unique Folded Ear Shape
The folded ears of this unusual looking cat are caused by a mutation which can be linked to certain abnormalities, so its existence is controversial.
Scottish Fold cats have ears which are folded downwards and forwards, giving the breed an almost human look. However, the gene which caused the folded ears can cause certain physical abnormalities. For this reason the breed is banned in Germany, and there is strong resistance to its existence from certain feline authorities. Other people, however, love its unique look and affectionate personality. History of the Scottish Fold CatIn 1961 a shepherd in Perthshire, Scotland, noticed that a cat in a nearby farmyard had strangely folded ears. He pointed this out to the cat’s owners. Two years later this cat produced two kittens with folded ears, one of which was given to the shepherd and his wife - William and Mary Ross. They had a special interest in pedigree cats, so they bred from their new kitten and began to think seriously about developing the cats with the folded ears as a new breed. They contacted a London breeder, who borrowed a male cat from them and began an experimental breeding programme. This cat, Snowdrift, became the founding father of the Scottish Fold breed, with 76 descendents in three years, 42 of which had folded ears. But many experts condemned the new breed as a deformity. Scottish Folds go to the USAIn 1970, three of Snowdrift’s descendents crossed the Atlantic, and the first Scottish Fold cat was registered in the USA in 1973. By 1978 the breed had gained championship status at American cat shows. By the 1990s, despite disapproval in many other countries, it was one of the ten most popular breeds in America. Scottish Fold Cat AbnormalitiesThe problem is that the gene that causes the folded ears is linked to certain physical abnormalities. If one Scottish Fold is mated to another, the kittens all have folded ears, but they are also liable to suffer from two serious defects: a thickened tail caused by fusing of the tail vertebrae, and thickened legs, making walking difficult. For this reason, Scottish Fold breeders only mate their cats to felines with normal ears, and the kittens are then free from these defects. But there is an ever-present threat of physical abnormality should two Scottish Folds get together, and this is the reason for the resistance to the breed. In addition, the Scottish Folds can suffer from deafness. However, this is not linked to the ear shape, but is connected to the pure white coats of many Scottish Fold cats. Scottish Folds are beautiful and unusual cats. But they must be looked after and bred from with extreme care if the breed is to be developed in a healthy fashion. SourceCat World, a Feline Encyclopaedia, Desmond Morris, Ebury Press 1996 Related ArticlesRex Cats: Felines with Curly or Wavy Hair
The copyright of the article The Scottish Fold Cat in Cat Breeds is owned by Helen Krasner. Permission to republish The Scottish Fold Cat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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