Scottish fold

The original Scottish Fold was a long-haired white-haired barn cat named Susie, who was found at a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland in 1961. Susie's ears had an unusual fold in their middle, making her resemble an owl. When Susie had kittens, two of them were born with folded ears, and one of the siblings was acquired by William Ross, a neighbouring farmer and cat-fancier. Ross registered the breed with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in Great Britain and started to breed Scottish Fold kittens with the help of geneticist Pat Turner. The breeding program produced 76 kittens in the first three years - 42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears. The conclusion from this was that the ear mutation is due to a simple dominant gene. If one parent provides the gene for straight ears, and one parent provides the gene for folded ears, the kittens will be Folds.

The breed was not accepted for showing in Great Britain and Europe as it was felt that they would be extremely prone to ear problems such as infection, mites and deafness, but the folds were exported to America and the breed continued to be established there using crosses with British Shorthair and the American Shorthair.

Scottish Folds can be either long or short-haired, and they may have any coat colour combination except for Siamese-style points. Pointed Folds have been bred but they are not eligible for showing. The original cats only had one fold in their ears, but due to selective breeding they have increased the fold to a double or triple crease that lies the ear totally flat against the head.

There is one medical problem that has been found to be related to Scottish Fold breeding. If both parents have folded ears, their kittens will be extremely prone to developing a painful degenerative joint disease that fuses the tail, ankles and knees. The disease is not fatal, but as it is easily avoidable, reputable breeders will only breed fold to non-fold.

GENERAL: the Scottish Fold cat occurred as a spontaneous mutation in farm cats in Scotland. The breed has been established by crosses to British Shorthair and domestic cats in Scotland and England. In America, the outcross is the American and British Shorthair. All bona fide Scottish Fold cats trace their pedigree to Susie, the first fold-ear cat discovered by the founders of the breed, William and Mary Ross.

HEAD: well rounded with a firm chin and jaw. Muzzle to have well rounded whisker pads. Head should blend into a short neck. Prominent cheeks with a jowly appearance in males.

EYES: wide open with a sweet expression. Large, well rounded, and separated by a broad nose. Eye color to correspond with coat color. Blue-eyed and odd-eyed are allowed for all white and bi-color and van patterns.

NOSE: nose to be short with a gentle curve. A brief stop is permitted. Profile is moderate in appearance .

EARS: fold forward and downward. Small, the smaller, tightly folded ear preferred over a loose fold and large ear. The ears should be set in a caplike fashion to expose a rounded cranium. Ear tips to be rounded.

BODY: medium, rounded, and even from shoulder to pelvic girdle. The cat should stand firm with a well padded body. There must be no hint of thickness or lack of mobility in the cat due to short, coarse legs. Toes to be neat and well rounded with five in front and four behind. Overall appearance is that of a well rounded cat with medium bone; fault cats obviously lacking in type. Females may be slightly smaller.

TAIL: tail should be medium to long but in proportion to the body. Tail should be flexible and tapering which may end in a round tip. Longer, tapering tail preferred.

COAT (SHORTHAIR): dense, plush, even. Short to medium-short in length. Soft in texture. Full of life. Standing away from body due to density, not flat or close lying. Coat texture may vary due to color and/or regional/seasonal changes.

COAT (LONGHAIR): medium-long to long hair length. Full coat on face and body desirable but short hair permissible on face and legs. Britches, tail plume, toe tufts, and ear furnishings should be clearly visible with a ruff being desirable. Seriously penalize: cottony coat, except in kittens.

PENALIZE: brow ridge.

DISQUALIFY: kinked tail. Tail that is foreshortened. Tail that is lacking in flexibility due to abnormally thick vertebrae. Splayed toes, incorrect number of toes. Any evidence of illness or poor health. Palpable nose break. Any color or pattern showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the pointed pattern, or combinations of these colors with white, etc.

SCOTTISH FOLD COLORS

BLACK: dense, coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat. Nose leather: black. Paw pads: black or brown. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BLUE: blue, lighter shade preferred, one level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to roots. A sound darker shade is more acceptable than an unsound lighter shade. Nose leather and paw pads: blue. Eye color: brilliant gold.

RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red; without shading, markings, or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CREAM: one level shade of buff cream, without markings. Sound to the roots. Lighter shades preferred. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CHINCHILLA SILVER: undercoat pure white. Coat on back, flanks, head and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green.

SHADED SILVER: undercoat white with a mantle of black tipping shading down from sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green.

CHINCHILLA GOLDEN: undercoat rich warm cream. Coat on back, flanks, head and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give golden appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest are cream. Rims of eyes, lips and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: deep rose. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green preferred.

SHADED GOLDEN: undercoat rich warm cream with a mantle of black tipping shading down from the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to cream on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: deep rose. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green preferred.

SHELL CAMEO (Red Chinchilla): undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head, and tail to be sufficiently tipped with red to give the characteristic sparkling appearance. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest white. Nose leather and paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold.

SHADED CAMEO (Red Shaded): undercoat white with a mantle of red tipping shading down the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as face. The general effect to be much redder than the shell cameo. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BLACK SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: black. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BLUE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue with narrow band of white at base of hairs which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: blue. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CAMEO SMOKE (Red Smoke): white undercoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter "M." Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach.

MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencillings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an "M" on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body.

SPOTTED TABBY PATTERN: markings on the body to be spotted. The spots can be round, oblong or rosette shaped. Any of these are of equal merit but the spots, however shaped or placed, shall be distinct. Spots should not run together in a broken Mackerel pattern. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots. The markings on the face and forehead shall be typically tabby markings. Underside of the body to have "vest buttons." Legs and tail are barred.

TICKED TABBY PATTERN: body hairs to be ticked with various shades of marking color and ground color. Body when viewed from the top to be free from noticeable spots, stripes, or blotches, except for the darker dorsal shading. Lighter underside may show tabby markings. Face, legs, and tail must show distinct tabby striping. Cat must have at least one distinct necklace.

PATCHED TABBY PATTERN: a patched tabby (torbie) is an established silver, brown, or blue tabby with patches of red and/or cream.

SILVER TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, pale clear silver. Markings dense black. Nose leather: brick red. paw pads: black. Eye color: green or hazel.

BLUE-SILVER TABBY (Pewter Tabby): ground color, including lips and chin, pale, clear, bluish silver. Markings sound blue. Nose leather: blue or old rose trimmed with blue. Paw pads: blue.

BLUE-SILVER PATCHED TABBY: ground color a pale bluish silver. Markings sound blue and cream or softly intermingled areas of cream on both body and/or extremities. Undercoat white. Lips and chin are the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather: blue or old rose trimmed with blue and/or pink. Paw pads: blue or old rose and/or pink.

BLUE-SILVER (Pewter): undercoat white with a mantle of blue tipping shading down from sides, face and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, underside and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. Rims of eyes, lips and nose: outlined with blue. Nose leather: blue or old rose trimmed with blue. Paw pads: blue.

RED TABBY: ground color red. Markings deep, rich red. Lips and chin red. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BROWN TABBY: ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Back of leg black from paw to heel. Nose leather: brick red. paw pads: black or brown. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BLUE TABBY: ground color. including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole. Nose leather: old rose. paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CREAM TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, very pale cream. Marking of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast but remaining within the dilute color range. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. Eye color: brilliant gold.

CAMEO TABBY: ground color off-white. Markings red. Nose leather and paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold.

TABBY AND WHITE: All tabby patterns and colors [silver, blue-silver, brown, blue (classic, mackerel, spotted, ticked and patched), red, cream, cameo (classic, mackerel, spotted and ticked)] with the addition of white. Eye color: brilliant gold, deep blue or odd-eyed. Odd-eyed will have one blue and one gold eye of equal color depth.

TORTOISESHELL: black with unbrindled patches of red and cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable. Eye color: brilliant copper.

CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red. White predominant on underparts. Eye color: brilliant gold.

DILUTE CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue and cream. White predominant on underparts. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BLUE-CREAM: blue with patches of solid cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities. Eye color: brilliant gold.

BI-COLOR: white with unbrindled patches of black, white with unbrindled patches of blue, white with unbrindled patches of red, or white with unbrindled patches of cream. Eye color: brilliant gold, deep blue or odd-eyed. Odd-eyed will have one blue and one gold eye of equal color depth.

OSFC (Other Scottish Fold Colors): any other color or pattern with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white. Eye color: appropriate to the dominant color of the cat. Odd-eyed and blue-eyed allowed in all bi-color and van patterns.

Scottish Folds are hardy cats, much like their barnyard ancestors. Their disposition matches their sweet expression. They have tiny voices and are not extremely vocal. They adore human companionship and display this in their own quiet way.

Scottish Folds adapt to almost any home situation and are as comfortable in a room full of noisy children and dogs as they are in a single person’s dwelling. They don’t usually panic at shows or in strange hotel rooms, and they adjust to other animals extremely well.

Scottish Folds come in any and all colors possible with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or a combination of these and white.

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