Scottish Fold

Scottish Fold, breed of shorthaired cat, the result of a genetic mutation that causes the ears to fold down. All Scottish folds can trace their ancestry back to Susie, the first fold-eared cat, who was discovered in Scotland in 1961 by Mary and William Ross, the founders of the breed. Susie's parents were ordinary farm cats; her folded ears were the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation.

The Scottish fold is a controversial breed because the gene that causes the folded ears may also cause cartilage abnormalities in the joints; affected cats suffer from a condition similar to arthritis. Many breeders believe that these problems can be avoided by careful selection of breeding stock and by cross-breeding the fold with the exotic shorthair, a shorthaired Persian; the American shorthair, a sturdy cat with a short, square muzzle; and the British shorthair, a strong, hardy cat with a round head and round eyes. The fold is most often crossbred with the British shorthair.

The Scottish fold is a gentle, quiet cat with a sweet facial expression. Its small ears fold forward and downward and are set like a cap on its rounded head. It has large round eyes, a short nose, and full rounded cheeks. Its body is medium-sized and well padded. Its tail should be at least two-thirds as long as its body, and must be flexible; a short, stiff tail is considered a serious defect, since it could indicate joint stiffening elsewhere in the body. The fold also comes in a longhaired variety called the Scottish fold longhair.

"Scottish Fold," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006

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