About Scottish Cats

Scottish Folds come from Scotland, and they can all trace their ancestry back to a barn cat named Susie who had folded ears and worked as a mouser. Susie’s folded (cropped or cupped) ears gave her a unique look.

When a shepherd found a white barn cat with folded ears in Coupar Angus, Scotland in 1961, it drew the attention of local farmer and cat fancier, William Ross, who adopted one of Susie’s kittens. Along with a geneticist, William began to crossbreed that kitten with British shorthair cats to produce the Scottish Folds. By the 1970s Scottish Folds were being bred successfully in the US and have since become a popular breed worldwide. 

The breed was then consistently molded over a bit of time, and accepted for Championship status with CFA in 1978.  Scottish Folds  are a medium size cats with a rounded, well-padded body and a short, dense, and resilient coat. It has large, round, broadly spaced eyes full of sweetness; well-rounded whisker pads and a short nose with a gentle curve in profile.

Scottish Folds are hardy cats. Their disposition matches their sweet expression. They have tiny and sweet 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 well. 

The Scottish Fold is an undemanding cat. A clean environment, proper nutrition, some exercises and generous doses of love are its only requirements.

The unique folding of a Scottish Fold's ears comes from a mutation in the cartilage. It's extremely important to understand that you cannot ever breed a fold to a fold because the double mutation can exacerbate to other parts of a fold's anatomy, affecting their overall structure and health.

So while we all want to own a fold with curled ears, straights are very important to have within a breeding program and offer the same amazing breed personality characteristics as their folded siblings - minus the folded ears. Today, Scottish Fold kittens are recognized as a distinct breed by several cat registries and are beloved by cat owners around the world, including Portland.