Straightears

By Linnea Danielsen & DeLynne Satimore

What is a Scottish Fold without folded ears? Trick question? No. There really are Scottish Folds with "normal" ears. We call them Straight Eared Scottish Folds.

All Folds are born with straight ears. At around three to four weeks, the ears begin to fold – if they are going to.

What causes the folded ear? It is a spontaneous mutation and is produced by an incomplete dominant gene (meaning neither the straight nor folded ear ear gene is dominant over the other). This genetic "quirk" means a folded ear Fold should not be bred to another folded ear.

The straight ears are valued highly in Scottish Fold breeding programs as reputable breeders pair straight ears with folded ears to preserve the integrity of the gene and the breed. Scottish Folds also have two allowable outcrosses: the American Shorthair and the British Shorthair. Outcrossing to any other breed is not allowable.

Over time, it is estimated that when a Fold is bred to a straight-eared cat, approximately 50 percent of the resulting litter will have folded ears. Although the number of folded eared kittens in any given litter will vary greatly, usually only half of them are female.

Photo courtesy of Linnea Danielsen

The Straight Eared Folds make wonderful pets. They have their own special appeal. Many people who find they don't quite like the Folded look, really fall for the Straight Eared kittens. Both have the same sweet, wide eyed look. They both have the same plush, teddy bear coats. Both types have the same wonderful Scottish Fold personality and they come in both long and shorthaired coat lengths.

While the Straight Ears can be registered, they are not accepted for Championship competition in most of the USA registry associations. Many pet owners have had a great deal of fun showing them in the Household Pet Divisions.

When you contact a breeder for a Fold, don't forget the straight ears. Because many Fold kittens do not fold, the supply of available folded kittens is not great; therefore, the supply is far below the demand.