The color of the Scottish Fold cats

When asked what color Scottish Fold cats are, most people in the street will answer that gray, or rather, blue. Yes, this Scottish Fold color is perhaps the most popular, but far from the only one. There are various solid color options, tabby, tortoiseshell and others. It was possible to obtain such a color variety by crossing carriers of different genes. What colors are typical for these adorable cats, we will tell you in this material.

On one of the American farms, a semi-wild tabby was born a kitten with curled ears.Who was the father of this cutie, named Susie, is unknown.

When the kitten grew up and began to bring kittens, the owner of the farm drew attention to one very cute white fold-eared kitten and decided that it was worth starting to breed such handsome men. She crossed with a Briton, in 1961 the first official litter of a Scottish Fold cat appeared, an examination at the genetic center showed the absence of mutations.

Often the ears of Scottish Fold kittens begin to acquire their unusual shape only after a few weeks. The owners love these plush cats for their kind disposition and obedience. The Scots look very cute, and the kittens do not leave anyone indifferent at all - their muzzles with large round eyes and a flattened nose look so adorable.

Especially Scottish Fold owners like it when the Scots stand up in a column, leaning on their hind legs. This feature is typical for cats of this breed. Experts say they do this to stretch their backs.

Today, the number of Scottish Fold colors includes about a hundred variations. Moreover, the color of the Scottish cat's coat is not immediately established. At six months, the kitten expects the first molt, after which the baby's fur changes to an adult. Later, the coloring may change a little more and is finally established only by two years.

The Scots have 2 main genes that are responsible for the red and black coat colors. In addition, there is a third gene called a diluent, which determines the saturation of the pigment. One of the two main genes takes over, the combination occurs in a different order, resulting in different colors in Scottish Folds.

It is because of this play of genes that a bluish color turned out from black, lilac from chocolate, and so on. Even during the formation of color, such indicators as the degree of staining of each hair of the coat and the presence of spots and patterns are important. Among Scottish Folds, there are also pure white individuals. This means that they lack the gene responsible for color and suppression of the gene for this color by other genes.

For such colors of cats, uniform dyeing of the coat is characteristic. If there are blotches, it means that this color is non-uniform. Due to the presence of such a small defect, the price of a kitten is reduced. This group includes:

• blue;
• White;
• chocolate;
• lilac;
• black - ebony;
• faun;
• Red;
• cinnamon - reminiscent of the color of cinnamon;
• cream or peach.

The coat color of these representatives of the feline consists of two parts: one is white, and the second is one of the monochromatic or striped. Ideally, the pattern should be symmetrical on the cat's body.

The color in this case resembles the color of Siamese cats, that is, the main body color is always light, and the mask, ears, tips of paws and tail are darker. There are subspecies with lilac, chocolate, cream blue and even tortoiseshell splashes. This color is due to a special gene that darkens areas of the body with a lower temperature.

The name of this rare color comes from the English word for "turtle". The coloring is formed by spots of dark, red or cream colors. They are black or chocolate red, blue or purple-cream. At the same time, the colors are evenly distributed, so they should not be confused with tricolor cats. Normally, this coloration occurs only in females. If a male tortoiseshell Scottish fold is born, then this is the result of a mutation, and he will not bear offspring.

The color assumes that the hairs are of a uniform color almost along the entire length, and brighten at the base. The color of the hair when it is partly silvery white and partly any other shade is called tipping. The dominant silver gene is responsible for it.

Everyone's favorite minke whales are also among the Scottish folds. They are characterized by a pattern in the form of a "crown" on the head, highlighting behind the ears, a border around the eyes and nose, stripes on the neck, legs and tail. Tabbies are divided into different subspecies:

• brindle;
• leopard;
• marble.

By color pigment, tabbies are classified as follows:

• silver with a pattern of black tone;
• silvery blue with a whitish undercoat;
• blue - a blue pattern is located on a creamy blue background;
• brown with black stripes, spots, or streaks;
• cream;
• Red;
• cameo tabby, suggesting the presence of a red pattern on a white background.

They combine two colors at once: white and tortie.

In this color, the tipping effect takes the following form: only one eighth of the villi is colored dark, and the rest of it is white. Among them, the following varieties are distinguished:

• silvery;
• gold;
• blue golden - the rarest type of color.

The ticking effect involves dyeing the hairs not in two, but in three colors at once.

In them, the pigment stains only the very tip of the villi, and the rest of the pile is white. There is a light undercoat, a shaded part of the hair fibers on certain parts of the body - at exhibitions, experts assess how evenly and correctly it is located. Signs of a tabby pattern are prohibited. They are divided into:

• Red;
• silver;
• golden.

In their color, a white body is combined with a tail and muzzle of a darker shade, possibly interspersed with several spots with a monochromatic or tabby pattern.

These are white individuals with a dark tail, as well as spots that are not located next to each other, but are distributed throughout the body. Such animals look very colorful, which is why they got such an interesting name.

Many people wonder what colors are the most unusual, valuable and expensive. Among breeders, rare cake, because they carry both red and black genes, which is very beneficial for breeding. The market has become fashionable today silver and gold Scottish folds... However, due to their popularity, they are no longer rare today.

Non-common colors include color-pont - they borrowed it from the ancestors of the British, who had the Persians in their family. Citamong - also a unique warm color that looks no worse than rich chocolate.

Golden (blue) - an unusual coloring, which is created due to the undercoat of the color of baked milk and tipping of a blue tint. It is not often possible to find such a color as tabby marble on silver.

This parameter is determined by genes, but the final color may not appear immediately, but only after a while. This takes four months to a year. The shade is fully revealed by the age of two, besides, it can become richer by this age. Eye color usually goes "in conjunction" with Scottish fold color.

• A rare blue eye color is characteristic of white, and also a point color.
• A lighter blue is observed in point and two-color animals.
• Green combined with blue tends to be found in the silvery chinchilla.
• A pure green shade of eyes is characteristic of individuals of silvery colors: chinchilla, shaded, tabby. Also found in golden shaded.
• Golden eyes are often found in Scottish Folds in white, red, black, blue, cream, smoky, shaded, chinchilla red, bicolor and tabby red, brown, blue and cream shades.
• Fold-eared Scots smoky, shaded, blues and tabby cameos have copper eyes.
• Eyes of different colors are a rare occurrence and are observed in white and double-colored colors.

Scottish Fold cats are striking in a variety of colors. Some colors are at the peak of popularity, while others, on the contrary, are no longer relevant. Do not chase after fashion and choose a kitten based on your personal sympathies, because he will spend his whole life with you.

For the characteristics of Scottish Fold cats, see below.