Almost any person will be touched when they see a little fluffy dog with neat straight ears. The true loyalty, calmness and even character of the Scottish Straight cat, whose country of origin is cold Scotland, will make her an irreplaceable companion and a wonderful companion.
Scottish Straights are true Scots, considered a separate breed and somewhat similar to the British, but with a number of distinctive features.
History of the origin of the Scottish Straight cat
The name of the breed immediately indicates the country where the animal comes from - Scotland, but some experts today stubbornly insist that these cats were also found in eastern countries in ancient times.
In any case, one thing is certain - this breed was formed thanks to the drooping ears of Fold cats. At the end of the last century, one unusual, although not a sensation, case occurred in Scotland - a cat of the British breed gave birth to kittens with strangely drooping ears.
It is not surprising that breeders became very interested in these individuals and decided to increase the number of these animals. This is how beautiful folds appeared, which managed to gain millions of admirers and admirers.
At the very beginning, the breed developed quite complexly, and sometimes dramatically. The result of crossing Scottish Folds was offspring with bone abnormalities. This is where Scottish straight-eared cats came to the rescue, which were crossed with fold-eared cats. The kittens turned out strong and strong, and the breeders were satisfied.
Scottish Straights were treated rather coolly, using them solely as a solution to the problem of healthy offspring appearing in Folds. This didn't last long. People became interested in the cute and charming kittens of this breed, and the demand for them increased.
Officially, Scottish Straight cats, that is, Scottish straight-eared cats, were identified as a separate breed quite recently, about ten years ago; before that they were considered simply British. Interestingly, these cats were first named “Scottish straight-eared” in Russia in 2004, and then the worldwide recognition of the breed followed.
Character
Scottish Folds are typical animal companions, unpretentious, strongly attached to their home and owner. From an early age, kittens are very playful and intelligent, so they often take part in exhibitions. As the owners note, their pets love to watch TV.
Scottish fold cat.
Scottish fold cat.
Scottish fold cat.
These cats do not suffer from hyperactivity, they are friends with the scratching post, they never hang on curtains, do not climb cabinets and do not create problems for their owners with their behavior.
Interesting features of the breed are a quiet, slightly creaky voice and the ability to stand on its hind legs, like meerkats, which delights the creators of the photo of the Scottish fold cat.
A Scottish fold cat stands on its hind legs.
Cool photo of a Scottish fold cat.
Young Scottish fold cat.
Scottish fold cat.
Carriers of a rare gene anomaly, Scottish Folds, unfortunately, are not immune from specific diseases, including osteochondrodysplasia, which can appear at any age, so the pet’s health must be monitored especially carefully.
Description of the Scottish Straight breed
It must be said that even today Scottish Fold cats are much more popular pets than their straight-eared “brothers,” although caring for the latter is less complicated. In addition, Scottish Straights are very attractive and at the same time refined in appearance.
Recognizable features:
- strong and proportionally built body (female weight - up to four kilograms, male - up to five);
- the body is dense and round, but the animal is not fat;
- the limbs are not too long, the paws are small and neat;
- round head with plump cheeks;
- small straight ears;
- large, widely spaced eyes, the same color as the animal’s fur;
Both types of Scottish cats have either short or medium-length hair. Cats with the second type of coat are called Highland (loose-eared Scottish Highland Fold and Highland Straight).
Color of Scottish Straight cats:
- ginger;
- chocolate;
- black;
- blue;
- purple (most expensive);
- marble;
- white;
- cream;
- tricolor.
There are many of us and we are all different... or what Scots are like
Most people, when they hear about the Scottish cat breed, immediately imagine a round kitten face with small ears pressed to the head. And almost no one, except the breeders of this breed, knows that the Scottish breed includes 4 varieties.
1. Scottish Fold – fold-eared and short-haired.
2. Scottish Straight – straight-eared and short-haired.
3. Highland Fold – fold-eared and long-haired.
4. Highland Straight – straight-eared and long-haired.
The Scottish cat breed originated in the second half of the last century. She began her existence with the birth of a fold-eared cat, who was born in a Scottish village in 1961 and was named Susie. This was the first time that a cat's ears did not stand up as usual, but were pressed to the head, making it look like the head of an owl. After Susie had her first kittens, two of them looked like their mother. This seemed interesting and zealous village breeders, trying to get unusual kittens, carried out an artificial selection of fold-eared animals. But everything would have stopped there, since the fold-eared kittens began to get sick and die. So no one would have understood what was going on if the geneticist R. Peltz had not undertaken to study this issue. Quite quickly, he found out that the gene responsible for lop ears has the property of softening and weakening cartilage, not only ear cartilage, but also joint cartilage. And this leads to disorders of the musculoskeletal system, illness and death of the animal. Then, after many attempts, he realized that for crossing he needed to select pairs with different characteristics. Only then can this gene be transferred to a recessive state and lop ears become established. The ideal option turned out to be British cats, who gave the Scots their plush fur and phlegmatic character. Subsequently, breeders experimented by infusing the blood of Persians and American shorthair cats. As a result, connoisseurs of this breed have the opportunity to become owners of four different types.
Characteristics of the Scottish Straight cat breed
The Scottish Straight cat is very sedate, calm and always extremely important. Thanks to her ingenuity and intelligence, she is able to know what will be inaccessible to others. An inquisitive mind and a good sense of proportion allow them to calmly accept criticism addressed to them, listen to comments and not be naughty.
The Scottish Straight cat is a good-natured pet with a gentle disposition and the ability to get along with all members of the family. The animal adores its owner and shows him due respect, while also paying attention to other members of the household. If a cat does not see its owner for a long time, it becomes melancholy and sad, but with his arrival it shows all the joy and friendliness.
The Scottish Straight cat is afraid of heights, so it will not hang on wallpaper, curtains or lighting fixtures. She will not scratch the furniture, because she is not at all mischievous.
The only thing that the animal does not like is being forcibly held in arms; it prefers to be next to its owner, purring and waiting for stroking.
Owner reviews
Below are reviews from two cat owner buyers. The first author, Zhanna, purchased a Scottish fold kitten from a nursery, the second author, Nikolai, adopted the kitten through an ad on Avito.
Zhanna, 28 years old: “Having a kitten was my childhood dream. When I was little, my parents had no time for it - Perestroika, unemployment... But now I was finally able to fulfill my dream. My husband and I came across Scottish Folds by accident - we were googling funny breeds and saw them. Oh, these eyes, these ears... We immediately found nurseries of these cats in Moscow, compared prices, came to the nursery... The girl who was offered to us, she was... chocolate! Like a teddy bear! We bought it. Yesterday we were at the exhibition with her...”
Nikolay, 32 years old: “We found a kitten through an advertisement, and for some reason we didn’t wonder why a housewife from Nerekhta had a dozen “purebred” Scottish Folds at home. But okay, the pedigree, to hell with it. Natalya swore that the kittens were healthy, but Ambassador began to get sick soon after moving to us. Let's go to the veterinarian... In short, Natalya sold us a defective cat, and that entire litter was defective. It’s a pity, we paid, of course, less than what we would have had to pay to the breeder, but it’s still a pity. The kitten had to be put to sleep..."
To read: Getting to know the oldest breed: the Aegean cat with Greek roots
Buying a kitten is a big responsibility, because we are responsible for those we have tamed. However, buying a Scottish Fold is not only a responsibility, but also a great happiness. A Scottish Fold kitten will become a friend to a child and a companion to an adult, and will be able to console or cheer up at the right time.
This cute creature will certainly bring happiness to every home!
Caring for the Scottish Straight cat breed
Cats are quite easy to care for. It is necessary to comb her fur once a week using a special brush. If this is not done, the pet’s digestive system may be disrupted as a result of intestinal blockage.
Don't forget about claws and ears. The ears should be smeared with cream using cotton swabs to avoid the formation of crusts. The claws are trimmed using special tools.
Periodically, the animal needs to be bathed using cat shampoo or soap.
Health
The Scots are good here too: this breed does not have any special health problems if properly cared for.
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You should regularly check your cat with a veterinarian - they have a slightly weak genitourinary system - and do not allow him to become overcooled or overheated.
Scottish Straights usually live at least 15 years, or even longer, you just need to take good care of them.
Reviews about the Scottish Straight cat breed
- Alina.
The kitten quickly adapts and easily gets used to new places. Quite tame, he allows himself to be hugged, stroked and kissed, but if he gets wild, it is almost impossible to stop him. Loves to sit in your arms. After castration, his character did not change; he remained eccentric and sometimes harmful. A very inquisitive animal. He eats everything, he got used to the tray very quickly. Here are some photos of my Scottish Straight cat Vasily.
- Katerina.
The cat quickly got used to all the household members, but most of all she became attached to me, she also sleeps with me. In addition, she quickly learned to go to the litter box. She is affectionate and gentle by nature, but sometimes she can be very lazy. Doesn't like strangers in the house. In the photo, my Scottish Straight cat is two years old.
Some subtleties of education and care
Like any cat, Scots need to be trained from early childhood, otherwise there is a high risk of getting an uncontrollable creature with illogical actions. If you don’t immediately explain to a cat what is good and bad, it will explore the world in all the ways known to it. And given its unstable attention, you may encounter the fact that the cat will look for entertainment in absolutely everything, which may not be entirely convenient for the owners. Therefore, despite the cute appearance of the little charms, it is necessary to accustom the kitten to the tray, scratching post and proper behavior in the house as early as possible. Moreover, the natural intelligence of this breed allows you to quickly learn home science.
Caring for the animal is almost the same as for most cats, but has some differences.
- During the molting period, animals shed heavily, which can cause significant inconvenience to the owners, especially if the cat has long hair. Conventional combing techniques using a slicker will not help, since the Scots have a special undercoat structure. A furminator will help you cope with the abundance of shedding fur, with the help of which you can effectively remove the undercoat.
- Scots should not be washed often, although they welcome water and treat it calmly. This is again due to the structure of the undercoat. It is difficult to dry it after bathing, and when wet it can cause a lot of discomfort to the cat, including skin eczema. They resort to washing only if the animal is very dirty or has an important event ahead in the form of an exhibition. It is better to limit yourself to washing your paws or completely switch to dry shampoos, which effectively solve the problem of dirty fur.
- Due to the special structure of the ears, Scots often suffer from otitis media. Therefore, regular ear cleaning is a must.
- Kittens quickly get accustomed to the litter box, but these picky cats prefer exclusively natural litter. The training process may be delayed if the litter does not meet the cat's requirements. As a note of protest, the cat can leave a “gift” next to the tray or in another place - on the windowsill or on the bed. In this case, you should be patient and immediately get used to clumping fillers.
Cost of a kitten. Which nurseries can I buy it from?
The cost of an animal is influenced by its color, pedigree and other nuances, so only the breeder can tell you the exact price.
On average, you can buy a Scottish straight-eared cat for around eight thousand rubles.
Finding a nursery is not difficult, since today the breed is very common both in Russia and in the rest of the CIS countries. Here are some of the best nurseries:
- "Golden Line";
- "Alva Viva"
- "Art House".
How much does it cost and where to buy
The cost depends on what category the Scottish kittens belong to. If you just choose a beautiful pet, the price may be less than 10 thousand rubles.
If a kitten with a rich pedigree meets breed standards and can participate in exhibitions, the price will increase to 50 thousand rubles.
You should only buy from trusted places, preferably from a nursery. Experienced breeders will help you choose the right kitten according to your wishes.
How to distinguish from an ordinary cat
You can easily distinguish a Scotsman from an ordinary cat after he reaches 3-6 months. By this time, all the signs of the breed appear and it is easier to determine whether the cat you are being offered is purebred.
It is better to trust a professional, he will be able to distinguish earlier. The Scottish cat has the main distinctive features: the structure of the body and paws, the shape of the muzzle and the structure of the coat.
Health and feeding of the Scottish Straight cat
Don’t forget to visit a veterinarian, get your cat vaccinated, and buy flea and helminth treatment.
The pet's diet must be special due to the presence of individual characteristics of the genitourinary and digestive systems. It should contain natural products and dry food with a vitamin complex in its composition. Required: porridge, milk, vegetables, cottage cheese.
It is forbidden to consume fatty and salty foods; this can lead to a decrease in the motor activity of the Scottish straight-eared cat and, consequently, to obesity.
Scottish straight cat photo
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