PetStyle

This is a new breed that began as a spontaneous mutation discovered in 1961 when a white kitten with folded-down ears was born on a farm in Scotland. This kitten, named Susie, later had kittens and two in the litter had folded ears as well. One of Susie's daughters, named Snooks, had a litter with a white male with folded ears. This was the beginning of the Scottish Fold breeding program.The gene causing the folding of the ears was a non-lethal mutation, a single dominant gene (possibly an incomplete dominant). The responsible gene appears to manifest itself in the cartilage in the ears and may affect cartilage development elsewhere in the body. There is considerable controversy about the breeding of Folds. Some breeders believe that breeding together two folded-ear adults may lead to kittens with other abnormalities such as gnarling of the feet, a condition resembling arthritis, or cartilage growth around the joints which makes it difficult for the Fold to walk. Breeders have found that if the tail is short and stiff, this may be evidence of stiffening in other parts of the cat's body. Some breeders, however, believe these concerns to be unfounded and claim they have bred Fold-eared adults together with no adverse effects.Choice of outcross is, of course, important for healthy kittens. The breed has been established by crosses to British Shorthairs and domestic cats in Scotland and England. In America the outcrosses are Exotic, American and British Shorthairs. The British Shorthair outcross produces a denser coat and rounder eyes.

This naturally curly cat originated from a housecat found in a shelter in Wyoming. She was given to a Persian breeder who bred her to a black Persian. The litter resulted in three curly kittens out of six - proving that, not unlike the Devon Rex and the Cornish Rex, this mutation was dominant. Because it is dominant, curly kittens can be born in the same litter as straight haired kittens. Allowable outcrosses for this breed are Persian, Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair and American Shorthair.

The Siamese cat is reported to have originated in Siam (Thailand). Old paintings show a cat with darker color on the ears, face, paws and tail.There were large classes of Siamese shown in the United States in the 1960s. By the 1980s the breed had dropped off dramatically, though it is making a comeback in recent years. In the early 1960s there was a cat named Fan Tee Cee who changed the whole concept of Siamese. His head and body were very long, his eyes were almond-shaped and his coat was short and glossy. Some judges and breeders could not stand this change, others longed for it. The new body shape won out in the end.