General Description: One word to describe The American Fold Cat is round in every sense of the word. Round Head, Eyes, Ears, and Feet. Scottish Cats are NOT another breed with or without folded ears!
American Fold Shorthair (AFS)American Fold Longhair (AFL)American Straight Shorthair (ASS)American Straight Long Hair (ASL)
History: The first folded ear cat was found in a barn on the McRae farm at Coupar Angus in the Tayside Region of Scotland. Her name was “Susie.”
Friends of the McRae’s, Mary and William Ross were British Shorthair breeders who fell in love with Susie and were promised one of her kittens. In 1963 the Rosses were given a folded-ear white female they named “Snooks,” who was bred with an unknown red tabby male. Her first litter produced one male kitten, “Snowball,” who was bred to a white British Shorthair, “Lady May,” and their litter produced five folded kittens. Thus begins the lineage of the Folds. Three of these kittens arrived in the US in 1970.
Interesting discovery in history was that the 1975 Guide to the Cats of the World by Loxton includes the statement, “The idea of a drop-eared Chinese breed was a persistent one.” The first known written reference to these cats appears in 1796 in the Universal Magazine of Knowledge in which folded-ear cats were mentioned as wild cats in China. Guide to the Cats of the World continues, “A century later a sailor returned from China with a drop-eared cat….”
There is no more documented evidence of these cats until 1938 when a second cat was found with these characteristics. At that time the rare mutation was thought to be restricted to white longhaired cats.
Is it just coincidence that the first Folds in Scotland were white as the previously mentioned ones were and that the Oriental art also depicts white drop-eared cats? We cannot be certain, but sailors did roam the seas. These stories do persist and the idea of a natural mutation appearing from time to time is not without merit. Once the folds were brought to America, little was known about the natural mutation which results in the folded ear. In the early 1970s Dr. Oliphant Jackson, an English geneticist, released a report stating that the breed carried a bone problem. The decision was made, the report stated, that changes and the vital use of outcrosses were needed to restore the original health of Folds. About this time, x-rays of Folds started showing bone lesions. According to Dr. Jackson’s report, there had been no previous mention of associated skeletal deformity before the ’70s. Scientists and breeders agreed that these were being caused by excessive in-breeding early in the history of the Folds rather than by the (Fd) gene itself.
It is through careful breeding over the last 15 –20 years that we are now seeing folded cats showing no adverse affects caused by the early inbreeding. Yes, we can have healthy, happy Scottish cats again as they were originally!
Order of Importance: Tail –20 Ears –15 Head Shape –10 Eyes –5 Torso –5 Musculature –5 Coat texture –5 Legs –4 Coat length –4 Muzzle -3 Nose -3 Profile -3 Feet –3 Boning -3 Coat Pattern -3 Coat Color -3 Balance -2 Condition -2 Chin -1 Temperament -1
Tail-20 Points: Length in proportion to body. Normal Flexibility (does not mean you can tie it in a bow or a knot or manually manipulate each vertebra) A Scottish Fold tail should be examined the way you would examine any other breed’s tail. If there is a fault, you will find it. You do not have to dig to find it. Excessive manipulation is not necessary. PLEASE be gentle in your examination of Scottish tails. Too many judges are looking for “something”… that something will find you if there is a problem.
Ears-15 Points: American Folds-Folded forward and down, Not set high on head, Small tight folded ear preferred, Set cap like to expose rounded cranium, Tips rounded , Size not as important as set and fold Interesting note –American Folds are born with normal ears and begin to fold or stay straight at about 21 days of age. Once folded, the ears are not forever in one place. They go up, they go down and can go back and forth even from week to week. This generally happens with age and or breeding. This is why you usually don’t see older Folds (other than Alters) in the show ring…their ears are not still folded as nicely as they once were.Ear Points-15: American Straight-Medium to Small, Not set high on head, Set wide to expose rounded cranium, Tips rounded, Size not as important as set
Note: Scottish Fold ears are unusually tiny, even if standing upright (see picture on previous page) While we want a smaller ear in the Straights, there should be no evidence of this being a folded ear cat whose ears have lifted. A Straight’s ears should be not unusually small but should look like a ‘normal’ medium to small cat ear.
Head Shape 10 Points: Rounded from any angle, Prominent cheeks, Sweet & open expression, Top head blends into short neck.
Eyes-5 Points: Large Round Wide open Sweet expression
Note –eyes should NOT be set on a bias. There should be a surprised look as opposed to a scowled stoic look. “Sweet expression” is in the Standard and is important to Folds and Straights alike!
Torso-5 Points: Medium Well rounded Even from shoulder to hip.
Musculature-5 Points: Firm w/ no signs of softness or flabbiness. Note: Cats may carry some padding. While we do not want soft or flabby muscles, Scottish cats tend to be softer bodied.
Coat Texture-5 Points: AFS/ASS–plush, dense, resilient Double coat Not to lie flat to body
SFL/SCL–Soft, stand away from body Allow for seasonal changes in coat.
Legs-4 Points: Length in proportion to body length Cat should stand firmly w/ no weakness or lack of mobility in hindquarters.
Note –Try to watch the cat take a step or two either on the table or when entering in the cage to check for mobility. We also want straight ankles showing no signs of arthritis.
Coat Length-4 Points: AFS/ASS–Short AFL/ASL–Semi-long AFL/ASL–Toe tufts & ear furnishings clearly visible.
Muzzle-3 Points: Wide and Well rounded whisker pads.
Nose-3 Points: Broad and short nose Note –A bit more upturned nose/muzzle seems to help create the “sweet expression”.
Profile-3 Points: Gentle curve, brief stop permitted.
Feet-3 Points: Toes to be neat and well rounded Need we mention facing forward???
Boning-3 Points: Medium.
Coat Pattern-3 Points: Comes in all patterns.
Coat Color-3 Points: Comes in All Traditional and Pointed Categories ► Comes in All Divisions and All Colors
Balance -2 Points: Medium and Well balanced & proportioned.
Condition-2 Points: Healthy Condition.
Chin-1 Point: Moderate.
Temperment-1 Point: Unchallenging, Sweet tempered, and affectionate.
Jessica Betts