Scottish Straight

Appearance and features:

Recognized as a separate breed in some registries, these are the straight-eared (also known as pert-eared) progeny of Scottish Fold.

All Scottish Folds and straights are born with straight, unfolded ears. With in the first 21 days, those kittens with the Fold gene will begin to show the fold in the ear. The kittens that do not develop folded ears are known as Scottish Straights.

They have large, round eyes and rounded head, cheeks, and whisker pads add to the overall rounded appearance. The nose will be short with a gentle curve and the cat’s body well-rounded with a padded look and medium-to-short legs. The head is domed at the top, and the neck very short. They can be either long- or short-haired. Short hair Scottish Straights have thick and soft fur, and long hair having longer and exceptionally dense fur around their upper thighs, toes, ears, and tail.

Size:

This is a medium-size cat weighing 6 to 10 pounds.

Family:

The Scottish Straight, comes from the exact same breedings as the Scottish Fold, therefore is a natural breed. However, the Scottish Straight does not inherit the dominant-gene mutation that affects cartilage throughout the body, causing the ears to “fold”.

Coloring:

Available in nearly any coat color or combination of colors (including white)

Origin:

Scottish Straights originated from a white barn cat named Susie, who was found at a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1961. When Susie had kittens, two of them were born with folded ears, and one was acquired by William Ross. Ross registered the breed with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in Great Britain in 1966 and started to breed the Scottish Family kittens. The breeding program produced 76 kittens in the first three years—42 with folded ears and 34 with straight ears. All Scottish Straight cats share a common ancestry to Susie.

Temperament:

The Scottish Straight personality is identical to that of the Scottish Fold.
Whether with folded ears or with normal ears, are typically good-natured and placid and adjust to other animals within a household extremely well. They tend to become very attached to their human caregivers, do not like to be left alone for long periods of time, and are by nature quite affectionate. They are playful, easily groomed and intelligent, are known for sleeping on their backs, and can be quite stubborn. Scottish Straights typically have soft voices and display a complex repertoire of meows and purrs not found in better-known breeds.

Health concerns:

Scottish straights are susceptible to

Osteochondrodysplasia (OCD) is a developmental abnormality that affects cartilage and bone development throughout the body.
polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
HCM Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Degenerative joint disease, most commonly affecting the tail, ankles, and knees