Scottish Straight Cat Breed Description

Active: Scottish Straight are a moderately active cat breed. They enjoy playing but usually want to play with their humans rather than alone. While they do not particularly enjoy being carried around they are a very affectionate cat and will follow their humans around and curl up in their lap when the time is right.

Size: Scottish Straights are a medium cat, typically weighing between 5 to 13 pounds.

Characteristics: Scottish Straights are a medium size cat with medium boning and are described as generally "round" - they have a round body, round face, and round whisker pads. The tips of their ears are rounded as well but what their ears are truly known for is the way that they bend forward and downward. Scottish Straight's ears start out straight and remain that way, rather than bending downward and forward like their Scottish Fold siblings. Their round, widely spaced eyes, combined with their domed head and straight ears gives them an incredibly endearing and open look that many cat fanciers have fallen in love with over the years. They have short legs and a very compact body, adding to their unique appearance that has been often compared to an owl or a teddy bear.

Temperament: The Scottish Straight cat breed is as sweet in personality as it is in appearance. They are a highly loyal and lovable cat, following around their favorite humans wherever they go. They are very affectionate so don't be surprised if they get a bit clingy to you. They enjoy playing around and being silly but are still very gentle, even in their play. Scottish Straights are quite clever and dexterous, and you might even find them opening cabinet doors. Their intelligence and dexterity also helps them to take quickly to training. Their personality makes them an ideal cat for homes with children and other pets and they are a relatively quiet cat so they won't talk your ear off. One of the funniest things about the personality of the Scottish Straight is that they love to lay in funny positions and they can often be seen sitting up like a human or sleeping flat on their backs - it's quite a site to see!

Care: Scottish Straight cats are relatively easy to care for because they like to groom themselves much like other cats. A shorthaired Scottish Straight should be combed or brushed once per week and a longhaired twice per week to keep their coat looking its best. Additionally, nail trimming and ear cleaning as needed will help your Scottish Fold not only look good but feel good too.

Coat: The Scottish Straights cat can be either longhaired or shorthaired and can be any color or combination except solid lilac, chocolate and color pointed.

Origin: The Scottish Straight cat breed is in the Scottish Fold cat family which has a unique look that was first spotted in 1961 by a shepherd named William Ross. He saw the intriguing white barn cat named Susie, with its folded ears that faced downward, and he asked the owners for one of her kittens. From there, Scottish Folds were bred with British Shorthair cats and the breed expanded. As other breeders got involved in further the Scottish Fold breed, it was determined that the genetic mutation that caused their ear's unique appearance was the result of a dominant genetic mutation. To grow the gene pool, Scottish Folds have been bred with  Persians, American Shorthairs, Exotics and Burmese. In addition to British Shorthairs. Scottish Folds made their way to the United States in the early 1970s and were soon granted recognition by major associations such as the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) and TICA (The International Cat Association). The Scottish Straight cat can be born in the same litter as the Scottish Fold and the only distinguishing difference between the two breeds is that, at about 3 weeks old, kittens of Scottish Fold cats will have ears that either fold down and stay that way, or remain permanently upright. The Scottish Straight are kittens whose ears have remained upright.