Scottish Fold cats come in a wide variety of colors. But, since it is believed that the character of a pet depends, among other things, on its color, future owners who decide to get a pet are very interested in the choice of color: after all, they want to know what kind of character their pet will have. Red Scottish Fold cats are very popular, as this color is considered a symbol of joy and prosperity. It is no coincidence that many future owners strive to purchase a red pet. The peculiarities of their character and conditions of detention will be discussed in more detail.
Breed standard
Red Scottish Fold cats, like their counterparts of other colors, are distinguished by well-developed muscles. They have straight, powerful limbs, oval paws. Scottish Folds have a strong and prominent chest and shoulder girdle. Their fur is quite dense, short, and not pressed to the body. The most characteristic feature of Scottish Folds is their flattened ears. All representatives of this breed have a well-built, proportional body. They are fluffy and look very attractive.
Scottish Fold kittens are born with their ears sticking up. Only after 3 weeks do some of them have ears that become crooked. If the ears remain sticking out, these kittens are called straight-eared Scots or Scottish Straight.
Appearance and standards
The Scottish marbled cat stands out among its closest relatives in its color, but otherwise the general standard of the breed is no different.
Dimensions and weight
The Scots have a strong, muscular body with pronounced, rounded features. The structure of their body resembles a rectangle, but despite its external massiveness the animal does not look clumsy.
The paws are neither short nor long, rounded, soft. The tail is long, bushy at the base and tapering towards the tip.
The head of the Scottish cat is round, located on a shortened neck. The breed usually has a short nose and pronounced, strong jaws. The general appearance is complemented by medium-sized round eyes, which make the animal seem surprised. The muzzle is framed by chubby cheeks, which are slightly lowered down.
Marbled Scots are practically no different from other representatives of the breed
The marbled fold cat is distinguished by the structure of its ears, which are curved down and pressed to the head, which is why the animal’s muzzle appears even more round.
Scottish straights do not have this feature, but remain no less remarkable: their ears are located high, even in structure and shape. They smoothly sharpen towards the top and seem to “look” in different directions.
The average weight of cats reaches 4 kg, males, as a rule, are slightly larger - 5 kg. The height of animals at the withers does not exceed 28-30 kg.
Popular colors
The merle color is presented as a contrasting pattern with pronounced spots on the sides and a “butterfly” shape on the animal’s back. The peculiarity of the color is that its borders are slightly shaded over the surface, in turn, the lines of the drawing never merge with the general background.
- The marbled tabby is characterized by stripes in the form of a “necklace” around the cat’s neck;
- The presence of three wide stripes between the neck and tail;
- The tail from base to tip is colored in rings;
- The abdominal cavity of a cat contains a mass of small marks (crumbs) in the form of “buttons”;
Scottish marbled kittens receive a pattern from the first days after birth, which remains unchanged throughout life.
You should not fall for the tricks of scammers who promise that the color will appear with age.
The marbled tortoiseshell color is considered the most traditional for representatives of the breed: it is a two-color tabby on a basic light background. In addition, the color can be black, blue, cinnamon, purple.
The latest experimental color for Scottish Folds and Scottish Straights was the lilac merle color:
- The general background of the fur is pale lavender, with a gray-pink tint;
- The color of the pattern is gray, with “gray hair” present at the edges;
- Lavender nose, paw pads;
- Amber, brown and copper eye shades;
- Rich lilac contour around the nose and eyes;
Lately, purple marble has gained the most popularity.
Signs of disqualification
There are signs of the color of the Scottish marbled cat that are rejected by felinologists:
- A fuzzy pattern, torn at the edges or blurred at the boundaries of contact with the general background;
- Pale marbled color, resulting in shades merging;
- Torn stripes, spots of different sizes;
IMPORTANT: unscrupulous breeders often claim that over time the marble will appear and take on its standard appearance. This is a deception: marble may change, but most likely these changes will be far from the breed standard. For this reason, you should purchase a kitten no earlier than it reaches three months of age.
Character
Red Scottish Fold cats are very sociable, but at the same time, loyal to their owners. They love children and willingly play with them. Representatives of this breed easily get along in the house with other pets.
These animals are distinguished by their intelligence, they easily remember everything new, and are very curious. They are easy to train due to their mental abilities. However, when starting to train, it is important to let your pet understand that these skills will be beneficial and interesting to him.
The red Scottish Fold cat loves cleanliness very much, so she repeatedly brushes her fur and sharpens her claws throughout the day.
These pets are moderately active, unpretentious and do not require professional care from the owner.
These cats do not like to lie on the laps of their owners; just being next to them is enough for them. The location of their owner is very important for them. They are unobtrusive, but can be intolerant of people and other pets in whose company they are uncomfortable.
Red Scottish Fold pets easily adapt to new conditions and unfamiliar people. They patiently participate in cat shows, and at the same time behave quite relaxed, surprising others with their endurance.
Cats of this breed are distinguished by their dignity. If they are offended, they simply leave the offender without harming him in return. They are very balanced and difficult to anger.
They can be wayward. Especially Scottish Folds do not tolerate it when their freedom is limited. And if you don’t feed them on time, they will loudly inform their owners about it.
Color
Scottish Fold cats can have any coat color. There are more than 350 variations. Among them, the main ones are: chocolate, black, purple and blue. Next comes the drawing: tiger, spot and marble. And these are only 24 main options. Minor colors include: white, silver, color-point, smoky, gold, each with its own variations, such as ticked or striped, shaded and others, officially recorded.
Taking into account the above, the Scottish Fold merle cat can have the color black merle, blue merle, chocolate merle, lilac merle, as well as all sorts of variations of merle with patterns.
There is a long-haired Scottish Fold breed. Depending on the registry, it is called Highland Fold, Scottish Fold Longhair, or Cupari. Long hair and thick fur is formed exclusively around the upper thighs, toes, tail and ears.
How to prepare for the arrival of a kitten in the house
Already at 2 months, lop-eared babies can leave their mother and move to a new home. Naturally, future owners should prepare for the arrival of a furry baby in their home.
Dishes made of porcelain, stainless steel or food-grade plastic are perfect for little Scots to eat and drink.
The kitten will need a litter tray. Toys and a house can be purchased a little later.
To transport a red Scottish Fold you will need a spacious carrier. The kitten will also need a scratching post, but you don’t have to buy one, because you can make it yourself from a simple board. The board must be wrapped with a rope, and then the rope must be secured in a circle.
Acquisition of a red Scotsman
When buying a kitten from a nursery, the potential owner should ask what kind of food the breeder gave him, since a sudden change in the menu can cause negative consequences for the young body.
Scottish Fold babies are given food 4 times a day; over time, teenage kittens change their diet to 3 meals a day, and after 8 months they can already be given food only twice a day.
Cats of this breed love to communicate, they really need human company, but they are not annoying. When no one is home, these cats will still come up with something interesting to do.
When their owners are away for long periods of time, furry pets feel sad, and a dog could brighten up their loneliness. Red Scottish Folds are characterized by great affection for their owners; they show them their kindness and tenderness with great zeal.
Before purchasing a young fiery Scotsman, you should take a closer look at him and understand his character. In order for a relationship of mutual understanding to develop with a furry friend, he must be similar in character to the future owner, then you will be able to be friends with the pet and get along well.
What to feed
The owner must approach the nutrition of red Scottish Fold cats with all seriousness. When purchasing a red fold-eared Scotsman, you need to find out what food the breeder fed him. This is one of the most important questions, since changing food can have unpleasant consequences for a red-haired baby. Usually such kittens are fed 4-5 times a day. As you get older, meals are limited to 3 meals. After reaching the age of 8 months, such pets are fed twice a day.
You should not give your cat cold food from the refrigerator. You should wait until it warms up to room temperature.
At first, the kitten has a poor appetite. There is no need to worry about this, because in most cases it is a consequence of stress caused by a change in the usual environment and separation from the cat mother.
Characteristic signs of appearance
Not everyone knows that Scottish Fold kittens are born with the most ordinary ears.
By the first month of life, some ears remain straight, while others become recumbent, which makes them stand out among the felines. This trait, which has become the reason for special interest in the breed, is the result of a random mutation, so it is almost impossible to predict in advance which kittens will be in the litter. From childhood, kittens have a round, hard head with powerful jaws. A feature of their muzzles are pronounced cheeks, which are especially noticeable in males. Model ears should be small and curved forward.
The Scottish Fold cat is known for its very expressive eyes. Large and round, combined with floppy ears, they always have a slightly amazed expression. The legs are strong, not very long, but not short either.
The average Scot weighs approximately 4-5 kg. Females are usually slightly smaller than males. Some representatives can reach 6-7 kg, or even more.
Scottish Fold cats have a wide range of colors. They can be any color, although the most common are gray and purple. Recently, red fold-eared kittens have become especially popular.
The breed also differs in the length of its coat:
- shorthair (Scottish fold);
- longhaired (highen fold).
Both have very soft and pleasant coats that require good care. This is especially true for long-haired representatives of the breed.
The red fold-eared cat is in particular demand, since this particular representative of the breed has a very gentle disposition and a beautiful color that looks like red marble.
Features of care
Caring for Scottish Fold ginger cats, photos of which are presented in the article, is simple. If the eyes are inflamed and fester, they should be wiped several times a day with a special solution, some kind of medicinal product or a weak infusion of chamomile. If the inflammation does not go away, you should contact your veterinarian.
Particular attention should be paid to caring for the ears, which need to be wiped at least twice a month with a special liquid. At the same time, you cannot pull the cat’s ears too far and turn them inside out, as he will be afraid of this procedure. You shouldn't use cotton swabs, but cotton swabs will do. Naturally, the procedure requires the owner to be extremely careful so as not to damage the pet’s ear. If the cat has healthy ears and no discharge, then there will be only a little earwax on the cotton wool. If a cat has a brown crust in its ears, this indicates ear mites. You should immediately contact a veterinarian, because if you contact a specialist in a timely manner, serious problems can be avoided.
To cut the claws of a cat like the red Scottish Fold, whose photo is presented in this article, you need to use special clippers for the claws of small animals. You can only cut off the very tips of the claws! Otherwise, you can damage the blood vessels, which will cause the kitten severe pain and lead to adverse consequences.
Mating rules
Not everything was simple with the genes of this cat. There is a so-called folding gene. During the period of intrauterine development, the kitten developed serious abnormalities associated with the skeletal system: fusion of the vertebrae, as well as curvature of the limbs. Such changes occurred when mating a cat and a cat with hanging ears.
In this regard, geneticists have developed mating rules that determine the crossing of fold-eared cats with cats with straight ears, and vice versa. Nature has made sure that kittens are born in the litter with the hereditary characteristics of one and the other parent regarding the ears. The coat color of a kitten may differ from the coat color of its parents. For example, a marbled Scottish Fold kitten (pictured below) could have been born to parents of the same color.
Bathing a ginger cat
The red Scottish Fold should be taught to bathe at an early age. First, you should wipe them with a damp towel, and then give him his favorite treat so that the kitten understands that water procedures are not scary and not dangerous for his life. After some time, the kitten can be bathed. It is recommended to protect your baby's ears from water getting into them during bathing by covering them with cotton swabs or your hands. You can drip special protective oil into your eyes before bathing, but this procedure is not necessary.
The water temperature should be at least 36 degrees, because swimming in cool water can make the animal sick, and swimming in hot water will increase the heart rate of the red Scotsman and make it difficult for him to breathe. In addition, the cat will not tolerate uncomfortable conditions and will simply run away from the bath.
The shampoo should be a special cat shampoo; a human hair wash will cause dermatitis in your pet and deteriorate the quality of the coat.
Health and education
Scottish Straights do not have any special genetic diseases: they are distinguished by strong immunity and, with proper care, will please the owner for at least 15 years. However, the key to a cat’s health and longevity is caring for the animal. It is necessary to undergo regular examinations by a veterinarian, timely vaccinations, and preventive treatments for internal and external parasites.
A balanced diet is an important factor affecting the health of a pet. Vitamins and minerals, taurine and biotin, omega-3 fatty acids should be included in the feed, and when feeding “natural” vitamin complexes should be added to the food. They will also take care of the pet’s digestive system and make the fur shiny.
You need to raise a kitten as soon as it gets into your home. Despite their easy-going nature, kids can be capricious and touchy. But the kitten must learn the concept of “impossible”: this way the floor will remain clean and the furniture intact. You need to educate with words, not shouting, and especially not spanking.
Vaccinations
The key to a cat's health is timely vaccination. The very first vaccination is given to kittens at two months of age. Before vaccination, treatment is carried out against fleas and helminths. A comprehensive vaccine will protect your pet from life-threatening diseases: distemper, rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis and chlamydia. After two to three weeks (depending on the vaccine), revaccination is carried out by adding the rabies vaccine. Then vaccinations will be required annually.
Features of marble color, types
The fur of a Scottish marbled cat looks very impressive. There are several general features of the drawing:
- the presence of dark lines on a light background;
- bright arrows coming from the outer and inner corners of the eye;
- the letter "M" on the forehead;
- hairs at the base are light, darkening towards the tips;
- striped tail (wide rings);
- bright stripes on the neck and chest, framing them like a necklace;
- spots, circles on the sides, located symmetrically relative to the line of the spine.
Each individual type has its own color scheme. Black marble (another name is brown) has a warm beige background, and a dark brown pattern, almost black in places. The undercoat is light beige. The animal's eyes are a rich amber color, and its paw pads are black.
Marble on silver differs from the one described above in the color of the undercoat. On a light, silver background, dark spots look like a bright contrast. The color of a cat's eyes varies from amber to honey. There are individuals with green irises. Paw pads are black.
Blue marble has a bluish-grayish primary coat color. The peculiarity of the type is that the pattern is not as pronounced as that of the black or silver type. It's slightly blurry. The iris is amber. The color of the paw pads is grey.
If an animal has the pheomelanin gene, then the predominant coat color is red. These individuals include red marble. Red marbled kittens have a rich yellowish base color of fur, on which there is an orange pattern. The pigment is also present in the iris; it is yellowish-brown. The pads on the paws are soft pink.
The tortoiseshell species is especially interesting. It can only be seen in females . The organism of individuals combines two pigments: black and red. As a result, the animal looks like black marble, in which there are chaotically scattered red spots. Such “sunny” inclusions do not always make the pet attractive. You can see a spot on one of the toes. Tortoiseshell cats, respectively, produce black or red Scottish merle offspring, so this species is a favorite of “cat lovers.”
Marble on gold is considered a rare color. The sheen of noble metal is provided by the undercoat. The drawing amazingly combines black and apricot colors. The iris of the eyes is green, the skin of the paw pads is black.
The chocolate shade contains different shades of brown. This is a very beautiful pet with amber eyes and brown paw pads. Breeders approach with particular scrupulousness the selection of a pair of marbled tabby cats, so that as a result amazing offspring are born.
Don't buy a kitten from strangers. Take advantage of reviews from friends and acquaintances. There is a false merle color that is clearly visible on the baby. As you grow older, the drawing will lose its saturation. Don't believe it when they tell you it will become brighter. Buyers who contact dishonest sellers are not immune from such trouble.
Description of the breed, character
The Scottish breed has a round head located on a strong, short neck. The nose is short, the jaws are powerful. The animal's tail is long, becoming narrower towards the tip. Rounded legs of medium length. A characteristic feature is round eyes, giving the muzzle a funny, surprised expression. The pronounced cheeks are slightly lowered downwards.
The character of this breed is flexible. The animal is calm, sociable and at the same time does not require increased attention to its own person. Often he sympathizes more with one member of the family and becomes attached to him. This cat cannot be called tame. The pet will prefer to sit or lie next to its owner rather than spend time in his arms.
The Scot is an intellectual. He accepts the living conditions in the apartment and knows what he is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do. Such a resident does not cause any trouble: he does not damage furniture, wallpaper, etc. Their playfulness and curiosity are moderately developed. Kittens quickly adapt to their surroundings, regardless of the predominance of noise or silence, so families with children can have this breed. Hyperactivity in kittens disappears over time. As the animal grows up, it becomes calmer and more balanced.
