When Scottish kittens' ears droop - newborn fold kitten photo

If an owner wants to purchase a purebred Scottish Fold, he needs to know when Scottish kittens' ears droop. To do this, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the breed, be able to determine which animal’s ears are exactly bent, and also take into account at what period after the birth of the baby the ears are folded and pressed to the head, like a fold-eared cat.

Breeders recommend purchasing a fold-eared kitten during the cold season, since the heat makes even “correct” ears straight.

How to determine if a kitten has lop ears?

Many people ask how to determine whether a newborn kitten is lop-eared.
In a newborn it is not visible at all. Look at the photo above: do you even see anything in it? But from the 18th day it is already clear what kind of ears the kitten will have - straight or curved. Then you will see that some kittens’ ears have fallen a little forward and down. When kittens develop lop ears, it is already clear that their ears droop with one, two or three folds or do not have them at all. There is an opinion among breeders that if there is only one fold, then, most likely, with age the ears will rise completely or rise. If there are two folds, then depending on your luck: they can rise only a little, or they can rise a lot and become so-called helicopters. The treasured three folds are very rare: such ears will lie perfectly throughout your life. However, other breeders will object: sometimes the quality of ear fit does not depend on the number of folds.

So, the signs of lop ears in a kitten are as follows: curved down and forward + folds + smaller size of the ear. There are no other signs, such as the color of the fur on the ears, etc. degrees

Constant sleep of newborns - an alarming signal or normal development of the body

Newborn kittens sleep up to 22 hours a day. This is not a cause for concern, because at this time the baby’s nervous system is developing. Sleep contributes to the favorable course of this process. In the first months, the kitten should not be separated from its mother and brothers and sisters. If his weight is normal, it means that development is proceeding normally, and constant sleep is conducive to this.

Newborn kittens sleep up to 22 hours a day

You can familiarize yourself with sleep norms for the initial stages of a kitten’s life in the table.

Age	Image	Number of hours of sleep
Newborn	22
3 weeks	16
1 month	15-20

In order for a kitten to switch to nighttime sleep mode, it should be provided with sufficient activity during the day: play, run. Thus, by night he will be tired, sleep will be necessary to restore strength and will coincide with the biorhythms of the owners.

Fold cat breeds

A breed of cats with an abnormal ear structure was first recorded in 1961, although they existed before. But it was from this time that scientists began to study such animals. They concluded that lop-eared kittens are born due to a gene mutation. Very soon, scientists realized that if you cross two lop-eared individuals, the offspring will be very weak.

That is why cat breeders cross fold-eared cats with ordinary cats that have straight ears. Kittens from such a union are born healthy and strong. However, in such a litter there are cubs with both straight and drooping ears. Moreover, until the age of two or three weeks it is impossible to distinguish them from each other - they look exactly the same.

When kittens reach three weeks of age, it becomes possible to determine whether they have folded ears or not. In kittens with straight ears, the cartilage that supports the ears in an erect state begins to harden at this time. In lop-eared individuals, or folds, this does not happen, and in place of the cartilages, characteristic folds appear, by which they are distinguished.

Solid colors

This type assumes a solid color of rich colors: black, red, chocolate, white. Any stains are not allowed, both lightened and darkened. In solid dogs, the tabby pattern in all forms is undesirable.

In kittens, in the first months of life, stripes, dots, and rosettes may be visible, but with age they disappear completely or remain barely noticeable on the paws, tail, muzzle, and neck in the form of a necklace.

The solid colors of Scottish Fold cats are among the most popular, especially black and bleached. Breeders have problems with red and ginger cats.

The pattern on their fur is almost always visible and it is very difficult to obtain an even distribution of pigment throughout the entire coat. The eyes of such cats should be orange or copper.

Signs of lop ears

The following rules will help you accurately determine whether a kitten is lop-eared and not fall for the bait of charlatans:

Choose a kitten that is at least three weeks old. The older he is at the time of purchase, the easier it will be to determine that he is lop-eared. It is advisable to buy a kitten at the age of two to three months.
Folds not only have unusual ears, but also a slightly different body structure. Their muzzle is wider, with small cheeks, and their eyes are wider apart. The chest is usually larger, and the legs and tail are shorter and thicker.
Feel the kitten's nose - there should be no hump on the bridge of the nose. You also need to feel the tail - there should be no humps or knots on it.
Buy a fold-eared cat in the cold season. The fact is that folds have an interesting feature - in extreme heat, kittens’ ears rise a little.

In addition, there are some general rules for choosing purebred kittens:

The kitten must be completely healthy. His fur should be thick and silky, his eyes should be clear, and his tummy should be soft. His mood is also important - if the kitten is healthy, he will be playful.
If in the future you want to breed purebred kittens or participate in exhibitions, then the kitten you buy must have a veterinary passport and pedigree.
Since healthy offspring are obtained only by crossing a purebred cat with an ordinary one, you should ask who the kitten’s parents are.
When buying a purebred kitten, be prepared to pay a high price for it. Such kittens are really expensive, and if the seller offers you to give them away cheaper, this is a reason to think about whether they are offering you defective animals.

By following these rules, you can easily choose a healthy purebred kitten. But do not forget that the criteria for choosing a four-legged friend are not limited to these. After all, each animal has its own character - some are docile, and some are wayward.

To make it easy for you to get along together, carefully monitor the reactions of the kittens you choose. You can determine the cat that is right for you as follows:

If your baby growls at you, tries to scratch you or run away, it’s better to choose someone else;
If the cat purrs and sits happily on your lap, this is the beginning of a strong friendship!

When folds ears can go up

There are a number of reasons why a fold-eared cat's ears may be erect. If a healthy adult animal slightly raises the tips of its ears, this is considered normal.

An attentive owner will quickly assess the situation and identify the reason that caused such a reaction in the Scottish Fold:

Excitation is a very powerful mechanism that causes all senses (vision, smell, hearing and others) to become active. Depending on the motivator, these components can act simultaneously or only some of them are included in the work.
Stress is the second most important element of influence. It is provoked by multiple reasons, including pain, danger, irritation, and resentment.

The two reasons mentioned above must be taken as the main triggers, and all subsequent ones only use the mechanisms inherent in them:

the reason for a short-term raising of the ears may be hunger, during which the kitten experiences stress;
During active games, the nervous system comes into a reactive state and forces the cat’s body to quickly assess the situation - the hearing immediately comes into play, the ears rise and fall.
a sharp loud sound in the room or outside the window - the body will definitely force the cat to assess the level of danger.

Important! Experts recommend purchasing fold-eared kittens at the age of 3-4 months. The fact is that little Scots' ears can drop and rise again, and even the breeders themselves at birth do not know for sure whether the baby will have fold ears. And by 4 months, all transformations have already been completed, the tips have risen or pressed against the head, and will remain in this position forever.

Causes

The main difference between straight ears and drooping ears is the structure of the eardrum. Immediately after birth, kittens are similar to each other. Only after a while the ears either remain hanging and close the membrane, or rise. And sometimes this happens without any outside influence.

The straightening process is affected by:

climatic conditions;
stress;
hormonal disbalance;
diet;
physiology.

If a fold-eared cat's ears are straightened, then weather conditions may have had a direct impact. For example, in the heat they straighten and stick out in different directions. A rare position occurs when bending backwards. In some cases, after climatic conditions normalize, a return to its original place occurs. This breed is characterized by excessive sensitivity and reaction to any changes in the weather.

This also happens if the animal is under stress. Often, owners noticed changes at times when the animal became nervous. In most cases, this position of the ears became permanent.

Often, a fold-eared cat's ears will rise after giving birth. Hormonal disruptions that occur in the body also affect lop ears. That is why many breeders participate with their pets at exhibitions only until the first birth, while the ears are hanging.

During the mating process, people sometimes take this process lightly and do not pay due attention to the main reason for straightening - genetic predisposition. If the gene responsible for lop-earedness is not fixed, then even if the kitten is born lop-eared, changes will soon occur.

Also, after incorrect mating and a thoughtless choice of a partner, kittens may not only change the structure of the auricle, but also develop a number of health problems. The consequence of such a mutation can be fusion of the vertebrae or problems with the musculoskeletal system.

If a fold-eared cat's ears are straightened, then the reason may be in the animal's diet and the replacement of frequently consumed food with some other, less familiar food.

When ears drop: timing

After birth, a kitten’s ears do not yet acquire the necessary shape, so it is difficult to draw conclusions about what kind of cat was born. In a fold-eared cat, already on the 18th day after birth, folds form, and the shell itself is slightly tilted forward, opposite from the top of the head. The number of days can range from 21 to 24 days. The most preferable is a triple degree of ear bending. Both hearing organs must descend.

If the ends do not fall equally or unevenly, then over time they may stand up completely. Ears also rise when there are less than 1-2 folds, so the standard kitten should have 3 of them. It is best to see that the ears are erect or curled when the small cat is 3-4 months old. However, breeders recommend adopting a lop-eared baby at 4-5 months, when the teeth change and the baby's fur falls out.

Source

Straightening - pros and cons

Despite the fact that this breed of cat attracts many breeders and ordinary fanciers, their peculiarity does not always have a positive effect.

Fold-eared cats are more likely to suffer from various ear diseases, even before they are raised. Parasites spread quickly and remain unnoticed until the last stage, because the structure of the auricle is conducive to the formation and accumulation of wax. These areas should be inspected and cleaned regularly by lifting the ears.

Often, the elevated state disappoints the owners, because at an early age the animal may still have fold ears. Many people, in pursuit of the ideal breed, begin to cross incompatible species, after which sick kittens are born with many pathological abnormalities. Don’t despair if the kitten’s ears straighten; in some cases, they may “fall” again.

Fold cats themselves are friendly and quickly become attached to their owner. Because of this “zest”, cat care is carried out more carefully and tolerantly. Sometimes problems arise from physiological characteristics, so it is important to regularly carry out preventive measures. In a raised state, sulfur and other dirt do not accumulate in them, and any symptoms can be immediately noticed.

Changes related to the position and structure of the ear canal occur 5 weeks after birth. They can be temporary, that is, if the ears rise in hot weather, it is more likely that after some period they will fall again.

It also happens that irreversible straightening occurs. More often after the first birth or first mating. There is no need to forcefully try to return your former lop ears. This can happen to any kitten in the litter, even if he has a good pedigree. It is rare to find cats whose position does not change throughout their lives, and therefore such breeds are raised for presentation at exhibitions and other similar events.

Straightening occurs for various reasons; before getting a cat of this breed, you should consider the characteristic features so as not to be disappointed in the choice later. Fold-eared cats require special care, even if the structure of the ears has changed. When buying a purebred cat, you need to study its pedigree - this will help you avoid scammers who offer ordinary animals at high prices.

>How to choose a fold-eared kitten?

How to choose a fold-eared kitten? 0 February 6, 2015

Adding to the family: how to care for a mother and her newborns

In the first weeks after the birth of kittens, providing proper care is the key to healthy babies and cats. The list of necessary actions on the part of the owners is as follows:

Provide a warm, dry box for mother and kittens.
Place a white sheet over it to help track your cat's waste.
Provide your cat with a balanced diet.
Organize constant access to water for babies and mothers.
Do not try to separate the kittens from the cat.

The last point determines the development of the kitten and its viability. If you separate small pets from their parents, you can cause physical harm to them, because the bones are still fragile during this period, deprive the kittens of milk, which is responsible for their immunity, and disrupt their psychological state.

Creating favorable conditions for cats and newborn kittens

What should you pay attention to when choosing a Scottish Fold kitten?

If you want to get a Scottish Fold kitten, we advise you to visit a cat show or go to one of the breeders’ websites on the Internet, where you can choose the gender, color and breed of the cat, as well as their parents, and evaluate the conditions in which they are kept. Choosing a Scottish Fold kitten is not an easy process, and one of the reasons is that different lines can develop differently. It often happens that the flattened ears of a Scottish Fold kitten rise, but it also happens quite the opposite - the ears, which are not very dense initially, after some time can become flattened due to the growth of the kitten.

Be sure to pay attention to the tail of the fold-eared kitten you are going to purchase - it should be long, not have any kinks or knots and be mobile, since problems with the tail in fold-eared kittens are much more common than in other breeds. The reason for this is the gene responsible for lop ears, Fd, which affects not only the ears, but also the entire cartilage tissue.

Spend time watching the kitten you like: evaluate its gait, behavior, playfulness, because if the baby hides under the closet or looks scared and does not go into your arms, do not believe the breeders’ beliefs that it will adapt to your home in a new place, because the kitten , not tamed, will remain so, and the baby’s psyche and his behavior in a new place is a very important factor when choosing a cat. We also advise you not to pay attention to statements that a two-month-old kitten is a show class, since it is simply impossible to predict the class of Scottish Fold cats at this age.

Pay attention to the build of the kittens - it should be approximately the same. The abdomen should be soft and not bloated. Look under the kitten's tail - it should be clean, but if not, this may indicate diarrhea in the baby, one of the causes of which may be infection. A fold-eared kitten should not puff from its mouth, and its ears, nose and eyes should be free of discharge. Healthy kittens have clean, soft and shiny fur; the opposite indicates poor nutrition or health problems. Scottish Fold kittens at the age of two months are very playful, active and curious.

Be sure to ask to see the mother cat’s place of residence: there you can see what the cats eat and what kind of litter is in the tray, as well as evaluate the cats’ parents in order to have an approximate idea of how they will grow up with you.

A reputable breeder will help you with any questions you may have about feeding or keeping a Scottish Fold kitten, and will also advise and give important advice on how to make the adaptation of a fold-eared kitten to a new home the least painful, on necessary vaccinations, etc.

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Tabby

Tabby is a pattern that is formed due to the special coloring of the hairs. The guard coat is divided into areas with varying pigment intensities. This effect is called ticking.

There are several types of tabby Scottish Fold cats.

Tiger or mackerel - there is a longitudinal dark line on the back and upper part of the tail, and dark stripes on the sides. A very popular drawing.

Marble is a bright and memorable pattern of wide and non-straight stripes, which is formed by darkened wool. There are a number of dots in the abdomen area, and a blurred butterfly pattern on the shoulders. Three fuzzy stripes along the spine are required.

Spotted tabby - rounded spots on the sides, and a dark stripe with breaks on the back. Sometimes this pattern alternates with lines.

The background can be anything, even the color points on the colored areas are tabby. The brighter the pattern, the more valuable the Scottish Fold color. These cats have a dark outline around the nose and eyes. Light areas and white spots are undesirable. The eye color is in harmony with the main background and can be orange or copper.

Spotted colors

This is one of the most expanded categories . On any background the following types of spotting are possible:

Harlequin - colored spots on the head, tail, back;
Van - spots of any color on the head and tail on a white background. The ears should be white;
Bicolor - a white spot on the face in the form of an inverted Latin letter “V”, a random shape on the paws, chin, chest, belly and a collar on the neck.

Important: A symmetrical arrangement of spots in all of the listed points is desirable.

Until recently, Scottish Folds with white spots were very rare. Now breeders are developing this direction. Tabby may appear on the spots. Bicolors have golden or blue eyes of varying intensities.

Calicos, tortoiseshells

It is known that predominantly cats are born this way, and a male tri-colored individual is a rare occurrence and without the possibility of procreation. Tortoiseshell Scottish Folds are distinguished by alternating red and black spots.

Color variations are possible, for example, lightening, then areas of the coat will be blue and cream. Breeders strive to produce “turtles” with uniform coloring and a symmetrical arrangement of spots.

Calicos are rare among Scottish Folds, but the cats look very impressive. They are recognized by their white background and colored spots. There may also be bright colors and weakened ones. Diluted Calico - there is much more white base.

Eye color depends on the base color and the distribution of spots on the head and face. In any case, a bright and shining color is welcome.

Calico cats are prized for their diversity of offspring. The name of the color in translation is “patchwork”, which fully describes the appearance of the animal.