Scottish Fold

Scottish Folds are tidy cats who don’t need much help with coat care. 

• Brushing: Brushing your cat will help keep their coat soft and shiny and cut down on loose fur that might otherwise land on your floors or furniture. Short-haired cats can be brushed once a week with a good slicker brush. Scottish Folds with longer hair benefit from being thoroughly combed out, using a pin comb, twice a week or so.
• Ear care: Take advantage of brushing sessions to gently lift your cat’s folded ears and check for dirt, debris, or discharge. Their ears should be clean and healthy with no foul odor or redness. If your vet recommends it, you can gently clean your cat’s ears with a vet-approved ear cleaner like Virbac Epi-Otic. 
• Nail care: Trim your cat’s nails every three or four weeks.
• Dental care: You’ll also need to brush your cat’s teeth, as it’s the best way to prevent dental disease. Keep up with professional dental cleanings, too.

Your vet is the best source of guidance for feeding your Scottish Fold. They can recommend the best cat food for your specific pet that meets AAFCO nutritional standards. 

Wet food, dry food, and fresh food can all be good options. No matter which type of food you buy, make sure it’s the right formula for your cat’s age (kitten, adult, or senior).

Portion control is important when feeding a Scottish Fold. Always measure out your cat’s meals—your vet can give you specific guidance. Overfeeding can lead to obesity in cats and put your pet at greater risk for heart disease, joint problems, and diabetes.

Like many cats, Scottish Folds do well with at least two meals a day, although you can divide their total portion of food into smaller, more frequent meals. An automatic cat feeder can handle this task for you if you’re not home throughout the day to dish out your cat’s next meal.

Scottish Fold cats are a relatively docile breed. Because these cats are not especially high-energy, they’re easy house pets. However, this places more responsibility on you, as a pet parent, to ensure your cat gets plenty of exercise and stimulation. 

It’s not too hard to coax a Scottish Fold to play. Because these cats are so sociable and interested in your activities, they’ll readily join you for some games. Sargent says Scottish Folds are up for anything and will gladly chase around a laser pointer or bat a crinkly ball toy. 

You can also try other activities to keep your cat engaged and fit, such as clicker training, interactive puzzles, or even playing fetch.

Scottish Fold cats are very adaptable to a range of living situations. They can live in small apartments or large homes and usually don’t mind sharing their domain with other pets and kids. 

And while this breed is not known to be especially prone to separation anxiety, these cats will be happiest when they can frequently interact with you or another household member throughout the day. 

“[Scottish Folds] are very people-oriented and generally prefer not to be left alone for long periods of time,” Sargent says. “They form strong bonds with their humans, and while they are not high-maintenance, they truly thrive on companionship and being part of their pet parent’s daily routine.”

When you’re away from home, cat toys, enrichment such as scratching posts and cat trees, or another pet can help to entertain your cat. A Scottish Fold is also likely to make good use of a window perch for watching birds outside (or to wait for you to return home).