Many cat lovers are unaware that due to a genetic mutation, Scottish Folds are at a greater risk of developing painful health issues in comparison to other cats, which can be stressful as an owner and may lead to expensive vet bills.
It’s important owners and potential owners know about the health and welfare issues affecting the Scottish Fold. We believe that all cats deserve a good quality of life, which is why our advice is to consider adopting or purchasing a cat without extreme physical characteristics.
If you are still thinking about buying a folded-ear cat, or already have one, it’s important to keep a close eye on their health and ensure they have regular vet checks.
The most well-known folded-ear cat breed is the Scottish Fold. Scottish Folds have round heads, shorter noses and distinctive ears that fold forward.
Other folded-ear cat breeds include the American Curl and Highlander breeds. The same health issues have not yet been reported in these breeds, but further investigation is needed.
Unfortunately, all Scottish Folds suffer from a condition known as osteochondrodysplasia , which hugely impacts their quality of life. Osteochondrodysplasia is caused by a genetic mutation that gives them their folded ears. It changes the way cartilage forms throughout the body and affects all cats with folded ears bred from Scottish Folds. Clinical signs of osteochondrodysplasia can begin when cats are as young as six months old and cats typically become more unwell with age. Osteochondrodysplasia cannot be cured.
Some Scottish Folds are classed as brachycephalic, which means they have flat faces with shorter noses. In the most extreme cases, this leads to severe breathing problems, as well as causing dental and eye issues.
Folded ears may also impact on social interactions between cats, making their body language more difficult for other cats to understand.
Osteochondrodysplasia causes:
If you already have a Scottish Fold, it’s important to monitor them closely and make sure you have regular check-ups with your vet. Take a look at our advice on recognising the signs of pain in cats.
Scottish Fold cats have attracted a reputation for being calm and gentle. However, in some cases, these behaviours may be caused by the pain they are experiencing due to their health issues, which can make them less likely to move, jump and play.
Due to their osteochondrodysplasia and the other health risks associated with folded-ear breeds, Scottish Folds can be much more expensive to care for and insure than moggies or other cat breeds with fewer health concerns.
If you are thinking about getting a Scottish Fold cat, we’d recommend choosing a cat without extreme characteristics instead. Check your local Cats Protection as we have plenty of wonderful cats looking for loving owners. Our rehoming teams will do their very best to find the perfect cat to match your family and lifestyle.
In Scotland, Scottish Fold cats likely breach conditions for licensed commercial breeders. This is because the mutation that gives them their folded ears causes a disease which leads to severe pain, even though they may hide it well from their owners. It is not possible to ‘breed out’ the problem of osteochondrodysplasia without losing the essential characteristics of the breed.
In the rest of the UK, Scottish Folds are not recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) for pedigree registration due to welfare concerns. While the breeding of Scottish Folds is not banned in the rest of the UK, we are campaigning to educate people about the breed and are calling for the breeding of these cats to be banned.
If you currently have a cat with folded ears, it is very important to keep an eye on their health.