Tweet

Scottish Straight at a Glance

The Scottish Straight is the straight or normal eared sibling of the Scottish Fold. Like their siblings, they are fun loving and even sometimes comical. Sweet and lovable, they get along well with children and other pets. They can be found in both the long and shorthair varieties. They are easy to groom with a comb through weekly. Find out more about this breed and if the Scottish Straight is right for you and your family.

• Temperament: Sweet, Loyal, Inquisitive

• Size: Medium-sized cat, 7-10 pounds

• Colors: Scottish Straights, like Scottish Folds, come in all colors and patterns of the Traditional and Pointed Divisions as well as long hair and short hair varieties.

• Life Expectancy: 11 - 14+ years

About the Scottish Straight

The Scottish Breed Group is made up of four breeds - The Scottish Fold, longhair and shorthair, and the Scottish Straight, longhair and shorthair. These can all be born in the same litter as one another and are identical except that the ears of the Scottish Straight are normal, upright ears and the Scottish Fold ears are folded forward and down. Both Scottish Folds and Scottish Straights have the same structural features and personalities.

They are a sweet and charming breed. Scottish Straights are intelligent, inquisitive, and are loyal to their family, often following them around the house. They can be found in both the long and shorthair varieties.

Activity Level: Scottish Straights are good eaters and not as energetic as other breeds and therefore need to be engaged on a regular basis to be active. Take advantage of their love for human interaction and attention by keeping them engaged in interactive play to keep them fit and healthy. Challenge their brain by teaching them tricks and provide puzzle toys to test their intelligence.

They prefer the company of their humans, other cats, and cat-friendly dogs rather than being left alone for hours at a time. This breed gets along well with both children and other pets.

Care

Grooming
Scottish Straights are found in both the long and shorthair varieties. They lightlyshed year-round, with heavier shedding periods during the spring and fall. Comb shorthaired Straights weekly to remove loose hair. Longhaired Straights may require combing several times a week, but depending on the amount of undercoat, maybe less. Monthly bathing will help remove loose hair and keep the coat clean.

As with all cats, keep their nails trimmed, ears cleaned, and teeth brushed regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste and provide a nice tall scratching pole to help their natural scratching instinct.

Nutrition:

Scottish Straights tend to be good eaters and are not as active as other breeds. Special care should be taken with their nutrition to prevent them from becoming overweight. As with all cats, Scottish Straights are obligate carnivores and require a good quality meat protein rich diet.

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here's a tip from cat behaviorists - place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Straights love to drink from running water, so consider a filtered drinking fountain to use in place of a water bowl.   

Health

Scottish Straights do not have the folded ears of their siblings, the Scottish Fold, and do not have any of the joint issues. They should, however, be checked for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and polycystic kidney disease. It is important to always buy your Fold/Straight from a reputable breeder who does careful breed planning, veterinary screening, and genetic testing to insure healthy, happy kittens.

History

The first Scottish Fold, found in 1961 by shepherd William Ross, was a barn cat named Susie who lived in Scotland. Folds have since developed into a round and beautiful family lap cat with wonderful temperaments. Susie was a solid white longhaired female and the cat fanciers bred her to various breeds like Persians, American Shorthairs, Exotic Shorthairs, and even Burmese to achieve the round sweet look of the Scottish Folds we have grown to love today. The straight ear kittens in the litter have recently become their own breed known as the Scottish Straight. Every Scottish Fold/Straight alive today can trace his or her ancestry back to the original Susie. Today TICA Scottish Fold/Straight breeders are allowed to use the British Shorthair and the American Shorthair in their breeding programs.

Did You Know?

• Kittens are born with straight ears and the folds appear around three weeks of age. About 50 percent of a litter will have folded ears.
• Scottish Folds have been known to sit up like a prairie-dog in order to improve their vantage point when they hear a noise.
• They are known to sit like humans which is lovingly called “The Buddha Sit.”

The Breed Standard

The Scottish Fold occurred as a spontaneous mutation in farm cats in Scotland. All bona-fide Scottish trace their pedigree to Susie, the first fold-ear cat discovered by the founders of the breed, William and Mary Ross. The Breed was subsequently established by outcrosses to both pedigreed breeds and domestic cats in the United States. One word can describe the Scottish and that is ROUND in every sense of the word. Round head, body, eyes, and feet. The Scottish Fold is best known for its distinctive ears and large, round eyes, which give it a sweet, open expression. They retain a "kittenish" expression their entire life. The shorthair is medium in size with a plush, dense coat. The longhair has the same standard as the Shorthair Fold/Straight with the exception of the coat, which is semi-long and stands away from the body. However, the longhair gives the breed a somewhat softer overall look. The Scottish Straight is identical with the same sweet open expression but with straight ears.

Click here to read the full TICA Scottish Straight Breed Standard.

Accepted For Championship in TICA in 2014

• Scottish Straight Breed At A Glance
• Breed Introduction
• Printable Breed Introduction
• Scottish Straight Breeders
• Breed Standards 
• Breed Committee
• Breed Seminar

Photos used courtesy of © Helmi Flick Cat Photography.