lly built cats with a broad, full chest, short strong legs and a short, thick tail tapering slightly to a rounded tip. The British Shorthair has a massiveness that the plush coat emphasizes while the British Longhair cuts an imposing figure as the full coat swirls around the rounded, muscular body. Their round heads have short noses, chubby cheeks and prominent, rounded whisker pads creating an enigmatic smiling look to the face. The round eyes are wide open and, combined with the smile, give the cat an amused air as it watches over its dominion-the look that Lewis Carroll captured so well in the Cheshire Cat!
Maintaining the British Shorthair coat in top condition is easy as the coat does not tangle. A quick comb through easily removes any loose dead hair. A little extra combing in the spring and fall ensures seasonal coat changes do not leave any dead hair to turn into mats. The British Longhair coat takes more work but a daily combing prevents any tangles. It is a good idea to bathe your British Longhair regularly to keep the coat in peak condition. If you plan to bathe your cat, start when the kitten is young and maintain a regular routine so the cat learns to enjoy this extra special time with you.
These cats love food and with their sedentary ways can quickly gain weight so it is important to keep a careful eye on their portions to make sure they do not get fat. They are a heavy, solid cat ranging from 9 to 18 pounds but that weight should come from their massive muscular bodies, not from an excess of food. Encouraging them to play burns calories off while toning muscles: Teaser toys provide lots of gymnastic entertainment; training your cat to fetch adds running to their day; and chasing a laser light pen gives their muscles a real work out.
Breed Information provided by The International Cat Association
The unique folded ears of the Scottish Fold give it a look reminiscent of an owl. The tightly folded ears fit closely to the skull resulting in a cap-like appearance. Big, round shoe-button eyes open up the face in the rounded head. A sturdy body is covered with padding resulting in a solid feel to this medium-sized cat. The folded ear is a spontaneous mutation and comes from an incompletely dominant gene that results in both folded and straight-eared cats
The first Scottish Fold, found in 1961 by shepherd William Ross, was a barn cat named Susie who lived in Scotland. Folds have since developed into a round and beautiful family lap cat with wonderful temperaments. Susie was a solid white longhaired female and the cat fanciers bred her to various breeds like Persians, American Shorthairs, Exotic Shorthairs and even Burmese to achieve the round sweet look of the Scottish Folds we have grown to love today. Every Scottish Fold alive today can trace his or her ancestry back to the original Susie. Today TICA Scottish Fold breeders are allowed to use the British Shorthair and the American Shorthair in their breeding programs.
Scottish Folds are intelligent, inquisitive, and are loyal to their family. They tend not to hide around the house or be shy, but rather they will always be around, even following you from room to room. Some learn cute antics like how to open cabinet doors and take a look inside and they can even be trained to play fetch. Most love to drink from running water, and some eat and drink with their paws. Most folded eared Folds sit up like prairie dogs to have a look around when they hear something. One of the cutest things is to see a Fold sitting up like a human which to many in the Fold world is referred to as “the Buddha sit”…they look like they need a remote control and a lounge chair. This breed gets along well with both children and, once properly introduced, other family pets as well. Scottish Folds today are carefully bred by experienced breeders to produce healthy happy kittens for you to enjoy for a lifetime.
Scottish Folds come in all colors and patterns as well as long hair and short hair varieties. All eye colors can be found, but copper eyes are the most common color. Scottish Folds have 