The Scottish Fold cat breed has major health problems that give them short, painful lives. Any cat with the folded ears has or will develop, often times severe, arthritis in their lives. They are also highly susceptible to heart and kidney problems.

Our cat Bryson was half Scottish Fold, half British Shorthair, and was seemingly healthy until his sudden death at two years of age. He died from either heart or kidney issues according to our veterinarian, which are common health concerns for the breed. Bryson was also born with a stiff tail and had signs of oncoming arthritis. If he was another breed, he would have had a much longer, healthier life.

We didn’t know about the many health issues of the Scottish Fold until we researched after Bryson’s death, and were devastated to know the truth. There is a myth among breeders, which we once believed, that breeding the Scottish Fold with another breed, such as the American or British Shorthair, will get rid of these problems, but this has been proven false multiple times. Any cat with the folded ears will have arthritis, and many times it will be severe at a young age, not to mention their heart and kidney problems.

We hope to inform others and, most importantly, ban the breed so that no more cats will suffer.

For more information about the Scottish Fold’s health problems:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-scotland-39717634​

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/cute-and-condemned-to-suffering-its-time-to-ban-the-breeding-of-mutant-cats-65874​

https://animalpetitions.org/878607/stop-breeding-cats-with-painful-genetic-mutation/​

https://gulfnews.com/going-out/society/the-painful-life-of-a-scottish-fold-cat-1.2261004​

https://www.ufaw.org.uk/cats/scottish-fold-osteochondrodysplasia