Scottish Fold

Temperament

Folds are known as gentle, quiet cats that are devoted to their people. They like to sit close to the family or in a lap, and they use their voice sparingly. They are patient with children and usually accept a gentle dog, though they treat strangers and unfamiliar cats with reserve. Many enjoy fetching and playing with a wand toy, but at a moderate pace. They handle long hours alone poorly and are happier in a home where someone else is around, whether a person or a second cat. It is worth knowing, though, that Cats Protection points out one thing: the calmness and reluctance to jump that are seen as part of the breed’s personality can actually be signs of chronic joint pain.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Talkativeness

quietchatterbox

Indoor-only life

needs outdoor accessgreat

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Scottish Fold for?

If you already have a Fold, it needs an owner who will watch for signs of pain, keep its weight in check and adapt the home to its joints. Animal welfare organizations, including Cats Protection and the RSPCA, advise against buying kittens of this breed. People who love the round head and calm personality would do better with a British Shorthair or a Scottish Straight from a breeder who does not mate them with Folds.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

A shorthaired Fold only needs combing with a metal comb once or twice a week, the longhaired variety (Highland Fold) three or four times. Because of their shape, the ears should be checked regularly and cleaned of wax. The most important part of care, however, concerns the joints. The cat should have low, easy-to-reach beds, ramps or steps up to the couch and windowsill, and a litter box with a low entry. Extra weight makes arthritis noticeably worse, and the breed gains weight easily, so portions need to be weighed. Play should be gentle, without pushing the cat to make high jumps. Regular vet checkups help spot pain early, since cats are very good at hiding it. Every Fold that is not a breeding cat should be spayed or neutered.

Health and breed-related conditions

Folded ears are caused by a dominant variant of the TRPV4 gene that disrupts cartilage throughout the body. According to RSPCA Australia and Cats Protection, osteochondrodysplasia affects every cat with folded ears: a cat with one copy of the gene is affected to varying degrees, one with two copies severely and quickly. Changes show on X-rays from 7 weeks of age, and lameness can appear at 4–6 months. Signs include a short, stiff tail, thickened paws, a stiff gait and reluctance to jump. The disease is incurable, and treatment is limited to pain relief. Even crossing a Fold with a straight-eared cat does not protect all the kittens. That is why FIFe and the GCCF do not register the breed, and the Netherlands, Austria and Flanders have banned breeding it.

• osteochondrodysplasia (FOCD)Affects every cat with folded ears: a TRPV4 gene variant disrupts cartilage throughout the body, causing deformities and painful arthritis.
• chronic arthritisChanges show on X-rays from 7 weeks of age, and lameness can appear at 4–6 months; the disease is incurable.
• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)Listed among the breed’s diseases; heart ultrasound is recommended.
• polycystic kidney disease (PKD)Listed among the breed’s diseases; a DNA test is available for the parents.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The first known folded-ear cat was Susie, a white farm cat near Coupar Angus in Scotland, spotted in 1961 by William Ross. Her daughter Snooks became the foundation of the breed. Ross and his wife registered the cats with the British GCCF in 1966, but by the early 1970s the organization had withdrawn registration over concerns about the cats’ health. Breeding moved to the US, where the CFA granted championship status to shorthaired Folds in 1978 and to longhaired ones in 1992. In 2016, scientists identified the cause: a mutation in the TRPV4 gene. Since then, more and more countries and regions have introduced breeding bans.

Fun facts

• All Folds descend from a single cat, Susie, found in Scotland in 1961.
• The CFA recommends mating Folds only with straight-eared cats to limit bone and joint changes.
• The British GCCF stopped registering Folds as early as the early 1970s.
• The mutation behind the folded ears, in the TRPV4 gene, was described in 2016.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Calmest cat breeds

Sources

1. 1RSPCA Australia – Welfare problems associated with Scottish Fold catskb.rspca.org.au
2. 2Cats Protection – Scottish Foldscats.org.uk
3. 3CFA – Scottish Fold breed profilecfa.org
4. 4VCA Animal Hospitals – Scottish Foldvcahospitals.com
5. 5PetMD – Scottish Foldpetmd.com
6. 6Wikipedia – Scottish Folden.wikipedia.org
7. 7FIFe – Recognised breeds (brak Scottish Fold)fifeweb.org
8. 8WCF – Breed standards shorthairwcf.de

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.