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Top 10 Purr-fectly Adorable Fun Facts About Scottish Fold Cats You Need to Know

illustration of scottish-fold-cats
Dive into the fascinating world of Scottish Fold cats and unravel the delightful surprises hidden behind those adorable, folded ears!

1. Not Owls, but Cats!

Move aside, Harry Potter: Scottish Fold cats aren't here to audition for the next owl-impersonating contest! Rather, these ear-folded felines owe their origin to a barn cat named Susie from Scotland in 1961 and her equally adorable kittens with the same unique feature. Unfortunately, the little Hogwarts enthusiasts are prone to health issues and breeding them is restricted in some countries and not recognized by certain major cat registries.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Ear-Resistible Anomaly

An ear-resistible anomaly: Scottish Fold cats boast uniquely forward-folding ears due to a genetic mutation first discovered in 1961 on a Scottish farm cat named Susie, though charm comes with a potential side effect—these enchanting ears may also result in osteochondrodysplasia, a condition affecting bone and cartilage development.
Source => litter-robot.com

3. Telephone Pose Cats

Hold the phone! Who needs a mobile device when you can have a Scottish Fold cat striking an uncanny telephone pose to keep you entertained: These feline friends are actually known for their peculiar sitting positions due to Scottish Fold osteochondrodysplasia, a genetic condition that affects their bones and cartilage, giving them increased flexibility and comical posing abilities.
Source => hepper.com

4. McTwist-Ears' Wizardry

Gather 'round, canny creatures, for the tale of McTwist-Ears, the Scottish Fold cat with a touch of wizardry in its lineage! Rumor has it that the school for witchcraft and wizardry ordered owls as pets but ended up adopting these charmed feline fellows who possess bewitched ears: Now, onto the real magic reveal – the unique genetic mutation in Scottish Folds causes their ears to enchantingly fold forward and downward, rendering them an "owl-like" appearance. There's a catch, however, as the spellbinding mutation also imbues them with potential health issues like degenerative joint disease and osteochondrodysplasia. This has led some major cat registries to denounce and ban the breeding of these mystical mousers, focusing on lifting the curse rather than proliferating it.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Tame Party Tricks

5. Tame Party Tricks

While many assume that Scottish Folds have some secret, wild party tricks in their bonny little ears, it turns out they're just as tame as their doe-eyed offspring: Alas, these charming cat breeds have no bone-related issues, but their distinctive folded ears do come from a gene which can cause cartilage abnormalities, leading breeders to cozily mate them with American or British Shorthairs to evade potential health troubles for the wee kittens.
Source => rover.com

6. Hide and Seek Ears

Guess who's played hide and seek with their ears? Scottish Fold cats, that's who! These feline fellows tuck away their ears like a magician's never-ending scarf trick: The real secret lies in a single gene mutation, which leads to the folded ear phenotype developing as early as 3 weeks of age. However, having two copies of this mutation may result in health problems affecting their bones and joints, making it crucial for owners and breeders to test for it and prevent any meow-ful surprises down the road.
Source => vgl.ucdavis.edu

7. Cat-titude with a Twist

If the Scottish Fold could talk, it might say, "I have cat-titude with a twist!"; But seriously: these feline charmers also carry a genetic mutation called osteochondrodysplasia, causing concerns around their cartilage formation and potential deformities, leading to debates on the ethics of breeding these adorably quirky cats.
Source => pets.webmd.com

8. Highland Feline Rockstars

What's the difference between a Scottish Fold cat and a dandy gentleman from the Highlands? Not much in the hair department, it seems! The hirsute Scottish Fold cats rock both fabulous and functional styles like a kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing feline rockstar: While short haired Scottish Folds sport dense, plush coats that stand on end for that perfect punk look, their long haired kin (known as Highland Folds) boast full, feathered hair that adds a touch of regal swank to their tails, feet, ears, and collars.
Source => highlandtitles.com

9. Susie, the Ear-bending Star

Susie, Star of the Scottish Fold Feline Soap Opera: The unusual and quirky ear folds of these charming cats can be traced back to a single farm feline in Scotland named Susie, thanks to a spontaneous genetic mutation. Today, these adorable ear-benders come in longhair and shorthair varieties and can strut their show-worthy whiskers whether their ears are folded or straight!
Source => cfa.org

Ear-resistible Susie's Squad

10. Ear-resistible Susie's Squad

When your typical household feline gets a little too ear-resistible: Scottish Fold cats boast delightfully floppy ears due to a natural genetic mutation found in a barn cat named Susie on a humble Scottish farm. Susie's lineage has unfolded into today's Scottish Folds, all proudly hailing from their crinkly-eared ancestor.
Source => cfa.org

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