Fold gray cats

This cat breed is considered one of the most attractive in the whole world. After all, there is no person who can indifferently walk past such a cute animal with original hanging ears.

This is a relatively young breed. Fold cat breeding began in 1961. It began in Scotland in the Rossi family of farming. They saw an unusual kitten at the neighbors', whose ears were not sticking up, but, on the contrary, hanging down. The farmers were simply fascinated by this cute creature. When, after 2 years, the cat had kittens, they took one of them.

And although the Rossi family members were never true professional breeders, they were in for success. In the first year, a kitten with hanging ears was born. A few years later he was crossed with a British smooth-haired pedigree cat. The result was the emergence of a new species of animals. In 1966, this breed was officially registered as an independent breed. Today Scottish cats have gained recognition and popularity.

Such an interesting appearance is directly related to with a genetic mutation. But the gene responsible for the position of the ears has negative properties: some kittens were first born deaf and with accrete vertebrae. It took several years to fix this problem. Today there are 2 types of Scottish Fold cats:

• Scottish Straight has the usual erect ears;
• Scottish Fold has small ears that are pressed to the head.

Kittens of both varieties can be born in one litter. In addition, it is impossible to immediately determine what the ears will be in the future. You can see this only after 60–90 days.

Among the representatives of the breed, a special place is occupied by lop-eared cats of gray color. They are a bit like the British Shorthaired breed, so there is often some confusion.

The Scottish cat is a medium-sized animal that weighs up to 6-8 kg. And also there are other distinctive features.

• The constitution of such cats is rather stocky, and the chest is large.
• The back of the animal is wide, the hips are massive, and the neck is very short and thick.
• The paws are also quite wide and thick, moreover, they are extremely well developed.
• The flexible tail can be either short or long.
• The head of such beauties is a bit like a ball.
• Lop-eared cats' eyes are widely spaced and round in shape, which gives the animals a slightly surprised look.
• Their nose is small, and the chin is quite powerful.
• The hair of these animals is short and soft, a bit like a plush. However, among them you can also find cats with long and fluffy fur coats. Since their ears are very small, they are practically invisible behind their long fur. Therefore, these rare Scots are more like a ball of fur.
• The small ears of Scottish gray cats are very eye-catching. After all, they are practically broken in half and cover the entire auricle.
• The uniqueness of such cute animals also lies in the fact that their color can be very diverse. Plain and spotted specimens are found.

Scottish Fold cats with a blue color are often called gray by the people. And this is not in vain: after all, the shade of their fur is more light gray than blue. In addition, it is completely monochromatic and even. In such Scots, both the nose and the pads on the paws are painted dark gray. The eyes are amber or green. In addition, you can find cats with yellow eyes.

These handsome gray men are distinguished by a very calm character. They don't like climbing curtains or jumping high. Animals are completely non-aggressive, but they cannot be called cowardly. Cats just try to avoid conflict situations. That's why Scottish Fold cats are taken to those families where there are small children or other pets. Scots quickly get used to the new situation and to the existing rules in the family.

And although many such cats seem completely indifferent, they are not. They are very attached to the owner and devoted to him. However, they do not have enough attention for all the inhabitants of the house, so pets most often choose one of the family members. When this person comes home from work, the cat immediately runs to meet him. This will not apply to other household members, however, the Scots will not show aggression towards them either.

Fold cats have one characteristic that sets them apart from other breeds: they are very afraid of heights and jump badly, which is associated with the structure of their vestibular apparatus... Therefore, their favorite habitat will be the lower part of the room. However, not being able to jump high, they know how to stand on their hind legs... In this position, the cat can stand for quite a long time.

Scottish folds are practically not afraid of stressful situations. Even too annoying guests or a trip to the vet will not make them angry. They will accept all claims with dignity. This behavior is very convenient if the owners are going to take their wards to various exhibitions.

Taking care of such animals is not difficult at all. They do not require much attention to themselves. The only condition is that they must be periodically combed.... It will be enough once a week. This will allow the cat to look not only beautiful, but also elegant.

However, if the pet has long hair, then it is necessary to comb it almost every day. A special comb with blunt teeth should be used so that the cat does not get hurt. From time to time you need to bathe your pets using special shampoos for this. If the cat lives in the house and does not walk outside, it is enough to bathe him 2-3 times every 6 months, or do it as it gets dirty.

Do not forget about proper feeding of such cute pets. For this, you can use both industrial feed and natural food. If the preference is given to the first, then they must be bought in special stores and only of the highest quality. In spontaneous markets, they can be of low grade and therefore have few useful substances in their composition.

If preference is given to natural food, you need to take care of a complete diet for your pet. It should include:

• boiled meat, best of all chicken or beef;
• boiled vegetables;
• some offal, it is good if it is boiled liver;
• sea ​​fish;
• various cereals, such as rice, buckwheat or oatmeal;
• some greenery;
• vitamins that can be bought at a veterinary pharmacy.

In the next video you can learn about the origin and main characteristics of Scottish Fold cats.