The Scottish Fold is a gentle cat whose most noticeable feature is its small, folded ears and almost owl-like appearance. The breed came into being in the 1960s after a white kitten was born in Scotland with a spontaneous mutation of the ears, which were folded down towards the nose.

Mating Scottish Folds with other Folds results in deformities, but breeding them with straight-eared cats produces healthy litters. Only half of the kittens in each litter are Folds, and the kittens without folded ears are called Scottish Shorthairs (very similar to British Shorthairs).

This is a medium-sized cat weighing between 4 and 6 kg. It has large round eyes and, as mentioned, small, tightly folded ears with the earflaps covering the ear opening. Its coat is short and thick and comes in a wide variety of colours. Most Scottish Folds are short-haired, although long-haired Folds also exist.

The Scottish Fold is a fairly inactive cat with a loving temperament. Despite their appearance and their calm conduct, they are alert, intelligent cats that are very affectionate and loyal to their family.  They are good with children and their easy-going, devoted character also makes them great pets for the elderly.

As long as Scottish Folds are crossed with non-fold breeds, there are no particular health concerns. Their double coat requires a weekly brushing session and their ears may need cleaning occasionally. The Scottish Fold has a life expectancy of 10-15 years.