There is often quite contradictory information about lop-eared “Britons.”
Some sources describe the breed’s characteristics in detail, while others believe that the lop-eared British cat is just a myth and prove their case by the existence of two official standards: the Scottish Fold cat and the British Shorthair. In this article, we will figure out why there was confusion with the names of the breeds and find out how real the lop-eared “Brit” is.
British Fold Cats: Does Such a Breed Exist?
To date, there are no descriptions of British lop-eared cats in technological organizations, so it can be definitely stated that such a breed does not exist. However, advertisements for the sale of British kittens with drooping ears are now common. Let’s try to figure out when information about the mythical breed appeared.
According to one version, Scottish fold cats were brought to Russia from Scotland in 2004. Breeders wanted to work on their breeding, but there were not enough candidates for crossbreeding. Then they decided to find cats that looked similar, and the choice fell on the “British”.
Since the lop-ear gene is inherited, kittens with the characteristic ear shape and appearance of British cats appeared in the litter. They decided to call them British lop-eared. But, as we mentioned earlier, the breed was never officially registered.
If we put aside Russian breeders, there was indeed a period when Scottish and British cats were crossed with each other to improve some qualities of both breeds. Moreover, British cats with straight ears initially participated in the development of the Scottish Fold breed. But today, the British cat is a closed breed, and connections with other breeds are prohibited.
Lop-eared kittens – “British” or “Scottish”?
In the official lists of technological organizations, there is only one breed with drooping ears – the Scottish Fold cat, or Scottish Fold. The first kitten with unusual ears appeared by chance, and its ear shape was simply a genetic mutation. As a result, the drooping ear trait became the starting point for the formation of the breed.
The probability that British cats will develop the same mutation certainly exists, but according to the standard, it is considered a defect. Such kittens are not allowed for further breeding and participation in show classes.
You should find a Scottish Fold cattery if you want to buy a lop-eared kitten.
Who sells “lop-eared British”
Breeders who breed cats register their cattery in the club; they a priori cannot sell a non-existent breed. Those who put up for sale lop-eared “Britons” are definitely not professionals, and it would be more correct to call them “breeders”.
It is difficult to say for sure why “breeders” sell a non-existent breed, each may have their own motivation, for example:
- Wishful thinking
A person who is not involved in breeding cats is little informed about this topic. Having heard or seen somewhere about lop-eared “Britons”, he is guided by the picture, not always delving into the details.
“Breeders”, not wanting to explain in detail what’s what can offer a Scottish Fold kitten, passing it off as a “British” that the buyer is looking for. Or, even worse, a British kitten with a defect.
It turns out that this is a scam; conscientious breeders should not do this.
- The “breeder” is illiterate
Unfortunately, there are non-professionals who themselves do not know that such a breed does not exist, and are confident that their kittens are lop-eared “Britons”.
In any case, the “breeders” will not be able to provide a pedigree for a British lop-eared kitten, and if they do offer documents, they will be fake.
If the kitten really is the result of crossing a Scottish Fold and a British cat, and the documents do not matter to you, you can take a pet for the soul, but this is fraught with consequences.
British and Scottish cats: the interbreeding of “lop-eared British” cats is prohibited
Today, it is forbidden to crossbreed Scottish Fold cats with British cats because interbreeding leads to changes in the pet’s exterior and serious problems with behavior and health. Moreover, some diseases appear only in adulthood.
Scottish cats with hanging ears can only be crossed with straight-eared individuals, and lop-eared “Scots” cannot be crossed with each other. If both parents of the Scottish breed are lop-eared, there is a high probability that the kitten will have health problems.
If you see lop-eared British kittens for sale, this is the result of uncontrolled mating or deliberate breeding of cats by non-professionals for financial gain.
Breed Description: Who is considered a British Fold cat?
So, we have found out that there are no British lop-eared cats, at least officially, so we will describe the breeds that are united in the phrase “British lop-eared”: The examples are the British shorthair cat and the Scottish lop-eared cat. However, you will be able to put the two to a confrontation and thereby determine which of the two should be preferred.
Temperament and character
Lop-eared “Scots” are calm and balanced, sometimes even phlegmatic. It is difficult to upset them: in case of a brewing conflict, they will ignore the offender and will not respond with aggression. This does not mean that they are afraid. If, for some reason, they have to defend themselves, they will be able to do that, too, I suppose.
Caring animals develop close bonds not only to their master, but also to the address. They can literally be put into a state of stress by simply rearranging furniture in the apartment. “Scots” also have a hard time with loneliness, especially at a young age. In order not to harm their mental health, you should not leave them for a long time.
Representatives of the breed are well suited for families with small children, with whom they are patient even in the case of mischief – they would rather go to their corner than scratch the baby.
British cats are friendly to all family members and do not demand excessive attention. They also become attached to people and love to be together in the same room, but in the absence of their owners, they will sleep peacefully on a soft bed. Also, the “Britons” value personal space, so they are not always happy when they are picked up or placed on your lap.
With age, the desire for active games subsides, and British cats become sedate, but sometimes the desire to play with a ball or a teasing toy still appears. “Britons” are equally good at being in the neighborhood with other animals and at being the only pets in the house.
Appearance
Scottish Folds are medium-sized cats with well-developed muscles but light bones and an elongated body. The pets’ limbs are elongated, and the tail is also long and tapers towards the end.
The ears are set high; the auricles are folded and pressed. There are three types of lop-earedness:
- only the tips of the ears bend,
- the ears are completely folded back, but there is a gap between the auricles and the surface of the head,
- the ears are thoroughly pressed down so that it seems as if there are no ears at all.
The wool of the “Scots” is soft and dense and does not attach to the body, due to which it seems fluffy. There are no clear criteria for the color tone according to the standard, it can be any. But there are requirements for the combination of the color of the wool, eyes, nose and paw pads.
The British have a different build: they are large, and strong, with a heavy bone structure, which can make them clumsy. The limbs of British cats are shorter, the tail is also short and thick, not tapering to the end. The ears are set wide and low, tilted to the sides.
The pets’ fur is short and dense, with a thick undercoat. When stroking, the elasticity of the fur is felt, reminiscent of plush. The standard describes certain requirements for color, its shades, and patterns. For non-compliance with the prescribed types of colors, the “Brit” is disqualified.
Care and maintenance
Scottish Fold cats are very unpretentious; they require a standard set of hygiene procedures. Pets are clean, so they themselves are reverent about caring for themselves and quickly get used to the litter box.
A brush for short-haired cats will be useful for combing; the procedure itself is enough to be carried out once a week. You should systematically inspect the ears and eyes for dirt and clean them as needed. Trim the claws as they grow.
“Scots” are bathed on average once a month. If the pet plans to visit an exhibition, water procedures are arranged more often, taking into account the color of the fur. In any case, special products for cats are needed and sold in pet stores.
“Britons” also do not cause any particular difficulties in maintenance. Their thick fur does not mat, so one combing per week is enough. During the period of seasonal shedding, it is worth removing fallen hairs more often, otherwise fluffy fur will settle all over the apartment.
British cats’ ears are cleaned twice a week; their eyes are checked and washed about once a week. Claws are trimmed on demand. Pets do not need frequent water procedures, light dirt is recommended to be cleaned locally.
Nutrition
Scottish Fold cats do not always know when to stop and can sometimes eat much more than they actually need. Excessive food consumption affects weight gain and can have a negative impact on the musculoskeletal system, so you need to strictly monitor the feeding schedule and portion sizes.
To ensure that the diet of “Scots” contains all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, use ready-made super-premium products for feeding. The food developed by nutrition experts is well-digested and supports the health of the pet, taking into account individual needs.
It is also important for British cats to follow feeding standards: due to a sedentary lifestyle, pets can gain excess weight, leading to obesity. Feeding recommendations will be the same – balanced food from natural and easily digestible ingredients.
For both breeds, super-premium Purina ONE® food is suitable. It contains all the components that cats need for a long and healthy life: vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and fiber.
The Purina ONE® line offers food tailored to suit age and special needs, such as sensitive digestion
Health Features and Life Expectancy
Scottish cats have ears due to inherited cartilage tissue predisposition, and, thus, the breed’s representatives’ Achilles’ heel is thought to be the muscular-skeletal system. This is the reason, along with the fact that its weight increases, why the pet’s weight should be closely controlled.
Other hereditary diseases include:
- osteochondrodystrophy, which is a disorder of the development of cartilage and bone tissue;
- polycystic kidney disease,
- cardiomyopathy.
Non-mutation-related pathologies are not more common in Scottish Fold cats than in other breeds. In general, the health of the “Scots” is not bad; with proper care, they live for 12-15 years.
British cats have heart disease, decreased blood clotting, kidney disease, eye, and dental diseases. These are the most common diseases of the breed, which are not considered specific to the “Britons.” The main danger for British cats, according to veterinarians, is obesity. Their life expectancy is on average, the same as that of the “Scots”.
Now, you know more about the characteristics of the two breeds and will be able to distinguish true information from fictional stories.
“Remember that if you need a lop-eared pet, look for a reliable nursery that breeds “Scottish.” Competent and responsible breeders monitor the purity of the line and will offer you a purebred kitten with a good pedigree.”
