You’re likely familiar with the British Shorthair and their round faces and famous blue coats. You’re also probably quite familiar with the Scottish Fold with their large round eyes and folded ears. But did you know there is a Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix?
Read on if you’re interested in learning more about these adorable crossbreeds!
Breed Overview
Colors:
Orange, blue, brown, black, white, cream, tortoiseshell, tabby, calico, etc.
The Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix is a beautiful cat that comes from two breeds that resemble each other to a certain degree. The biggest difference is the folded ears, which the mixed breed may or may not have. Their appearance and temperament will depend on which parent they take after the most.
While the British Shorthair is well-known for their blue coat, they can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, like the Scottish Fold. This means the mixed breed can be almost any color or pattern and will likely be medium to large in size.
Scottish Fold British Shorthair Characteristics
Energy:
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High-energy cat will need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy, while low-energy cats require minimal physical activity. It’s important when choosing a cat to make sure their energy levels match your lifestyle or vice versa.
Trainability:
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Easy-to-train cats are more willing and skilled at learning prompts and actions quickly with minimal training. Cats that are harder to train are usually more stubborn and will require a bit more patience and practice.
Health:
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Some cat breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every cat will have these issues, but they have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.
Lifespan:
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Some breeds, due to their size or their breeds’ potential genetic health issues, have shorter lifespans than others. Proper exercise, nutrition, and hygiene also play an important role in the lifespan of your pet.
Sociability:
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Some cat breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other animals. More social cats have a tendency to rub up on strangers for scratches, while less social cats shy away and are more cautious, even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed, it’s important to socialize your cat and expose them to lots of different situations.
The Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix can be a relatively down-to-earth and calm cat, but like all cats, they’ll have sudden bursts of energy. They tend to get along with everyone in the household and other pets—provided that they are cat friendly, of course.
However, the Scottish Fold is known to have health problems, so a mixed breed might inherit the same conditions. This can also impact their lifespan.
Scottish Fold British Shorthair Breed Kittens
Image Credit: OlhaTsiplyar, Shutterstock
Finding a specific mixed breed like the Scottish Fold and British Shorthair mix can be tricky. Both breeds are relatively popular, but there aren’t too many breeders of this mixed breed.
That said, Scottish Folds cannot be mated with each other without serious health ramifications and are commonly bred with other breeds like the British Shorthair. So, if you approach a Scottish Fold breeder, you might have a bit of luck, or they can point you to someone else who can help.
Just remember to get to know the breeder and ask to speak with the cat owners who have dealt with them. You’ll want to ensure that they are responsible and ethical, so you know that you’ll be supporting a good breeder and bringing home a healthy and well-adjusted cat.
Otherwise, check with your local rescue groups and animal shelters. You never know when a mixed breed like this will become available.
The parent breeds of Scottish Fold British Shorthair Mix: Left – Scottish Fold (t_watanabe, Pixabay) | Right – British Shorthair (Real Moment, Shutterstock)
Temperament & Intelligence of the Scottish Fold British Shorthair
Both Scottish Folds and British Shorthairs are intelligent breeds, so you can expect the same for the offspring. While these two breeds have certain similar physical characteristics, they do differ somewhat in temperament.
The British Shorthair tends to be far more laidback and calmer, with an independent streak. This means they are fine if their owners are away for the day and prefer sleeping next to you rather than on your lap. The Scottish Fold tends to bond with their families and doesn’t do as well when left alone. They are a little more playful but are also easygoing. The offspring of these two will definitely be calm but might be more or less needy, depending on which parent they take after the most.
Are These Cats Good for Families?👪
The Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix is great for families! They can adjust to almost any home, whether there’s one person or a large family, but adults and older children who know how to treat cats respectfully would be best.
They will enjoy nice cuddles with their favorite humans, but the occasional play session will also be welcome.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
This social breed gets along well with other pets that are cat friendly, so dogs and other cats are most welcome. They must be socialized while kittens, though, which will go a long way when introduced to new people and pets as adults.
Things to Know When Owning a Scottish Fold British Shorthair
Food & Diet Requirements
Like all cats, the Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix needs a high-quality diet rich in animal protein. Both the Scottish Fold and the British Shorthair tend to have stocky builds, so don’t give the mix too many treats, as they might be prone to obesity. Be sure to have wet food as part of their diet, as it contains high water content and is an excellent option for cats that need to lose or maintain their weight.
Finally, a cat fountain is an excellent option to keep your cat hydrated. Certain serious health conditions can occur if a cat doesn’t drink enough water over the course of their lifetime, and cats are naturally drawn to running water.
Exercise🐈
These cats are mellow, so they are more likely to prefer a nap instead of running all over the place. Therefore, it’s essential to provide them with enough enrichment to keep them busy, such as interactive toys, cat shelves, and cat trees.
Be aware that the offspring of the Scottish Fold might have a few of the same joint issues, so keep an eye on them while they are playing, and don’t encourage intensive exercise for this reason.
Training🧶
Training any cat can be difficult, but attempting to train this easy-going and not-quite-so-energetic cat might be even more of a challenge. The Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix is smart enough to take to training, but the bigger question is, will they want to?
Grooming✂️
The British Shorthair and Scottish Fold can be longhaired and shorthaired. The shorthaired mixed breed will likely have a dense coat that will need brushing at least once a week, and the longhaired cats will need to be brushed several times a week.
If this cat has any joint issues from their Scottish Fold parent, hard-to-reach areas like their backs toward their tails will need attention from you. Beyond brushing, you should invest in a cat scratcher to satisfy your cat’s scratching instincts and get dental treats to help keep their teeth healthy. Don’t forget to regularly trim their nails!
Health and Conditions🏥
Unfortunately, the Scottish Fold is prone to serious joint issues, along with a few other health conditions that might affect the mixed breed.
Serious Conditions
Osteochondrodysplasia
Heart disease
Kidney disease
Obesity
Obesity might be a problem due to their stocky builds and calm natures, in addition to any potential pain from osteochondrodysplasia. The latter condition is almost always guaranteed with Scottish Fold cats. The condition that causes their ears to fold affects all the cartilage in their bodies. It affects Scottish Folds at a younger age than other cats prone to this condition. Moving their hind legs, spine, and tail is particularly painful as the condition progresses. It’s serious enough that some countries, including Scotland, have banned breeding the Scottish Fold.
If the Scottish Fold British Shorthair mix has folded ears, they are likely going to inherit this debilitating disorder.
Male vs. Female
Like with most cat breeds, male Scottish Fold British Shorthair mixed cats are bigger than the females and tend to have stockier builds. Additionally, unspayed females will go into heat and try to get outside in pursuit of a male. Spaying the female will make her more comfortable overall and prevent her from running away, and it can also help prevent cancers of the uterus.
Unneutered males will spray your house and wander the neighborhood looking to fight other males and find a female in heat. Neutering the male means less aggressive behavior and no more spraying.
Some people believe that male cats tend to be more affectionate and females to be more standoffish, but this isn’t always the case. How a cat was socialized when they were kittens and brought up by their human family will have the largest influence on their temperament and personality.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Scottish Fold British Shorthair
1. There are few physical differences between the Scottish Fold and British Shorthair.
These are both medium- to large-sized cats with stocky builds, and everything is round-shaped in some way, as they have round heads, eyes, and paws. They also have dense fur that comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. The only obvious physical difference between the two is the folded ears.
2. Only about half of the mixed breed will have folded ears.
All kittens from Scottish Fold and British Shorthair parents are born with straight ears. Those that end up with folded ears will have them fold once they are a few weeks old.
3. Scottish Folds cannot be mated with other Scottish Folds.
They are commonly mated with British Shorthairs and American Shorthairs because mating one Fold with another will only make the mutation more severe.
Image Credit: Tomasz Wisniowski, Shutterstock
Final Thoughts
Considering that Scottish Folds must be bred with other breeds, many Scottish Fold British Shorthair mixes are technically just Scottish Folds. Also, many Scottish Folds don’t actually have those folded ears.
Regardless, these are lovely cats that make loving and sweet companions. Just be aware that if your cat has folded ears, they will likely have a joint disorder.
Featured Image Credit: Marius Sfetea, Shutterstock
