|
 Photo by Tom Thai @ flickr.com |
What sets Fold kittens apart from many other breeds is of course their folded outer ears. Ears can range from tightly curled to loosely curled. The ears tend to fold forward and downward over the head, almost “hugging” the skull. The folded ears feel soft to the touch.
Some Fold kittens have regular non-folded ear lobes. Folds with regular ears look similar in body structure as their folded relatives. Scottish Fold kittens with regular straight ears make great pets; however, they may not be the best representative of the Fold breed in cat shows.
The Scottish Fold kitten has a rounded body as well as a rounded tail. A solid build and gentle face fit the breed quite well. Round “owl-like” eyes accent the breed’s heavy, muscular structure. Folds can be either long or short haired. An adult Fold can grow up to 6 to 13 pounds.
Colors
Scottish Fold kittens come in a variety of colors and patterns. Shaded, solid, tabby, part-color, bi-color, tortie, and tipped are the most common types. Eyes colors range from copper, blue, and green and can even be odd colored in white colored Folds.
Temperament
When you think of the Fold as a breed, the words, quite, sweet, and gentile come to mind. The breed is “middle of the road” in terms of their temperament. They are not a high energy breed, yet they are also not “lounging” cats. Folds love people and are very adaptable to changes in their environment. However, they dislike having their ear lobes pulled and yanked on.
Development
Breeding to Scottish Fold cats with folded ears can cause devastating birth defects in the resulting offspring. Breeding to Folds with the curled ear gene can result in kittens with skeletal deformities. The folded ear is created by a dominant gene. So, only one parent cat has to carry the gene to obtain some folded eared kittens in a litter. One must breed one straight ear Fold and one curled eared Fold to propagate the breed successfully.
Care
Caring for short haired Fold kittens is relatively easy. Just a bit of combing once and week and you’re done. Longer haired Folds take longer to brush and groom. In both types of cats, cleaning the ears is a part of the grooming ritual. Gently roll open the lobes to expose the ear canals (openings). Use a damp cloth to wipe around the canal (not in the opening) to remove excess debris.
Health
The Scottish Fold kitten is known to live a long and healthy life. Just be sure to monitor your cat’s weight and diet as Folds are known to overeat and have naturally heavy body types.
Return from Scottish Fold Kitten
to List of Cat Breeds
Return from Scottish Fold Kitten
to All About Cute Kittens Homepage
