Scottish Straight Cat Scottish Straight: A Description Of The Breed With A Photo, The Nature And Characteristics Of Care, The Choice Of A Kitten And Reviews Of The Owners

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Scottish Straight: family cats with excellent temperament

Scottish Straight (Scottish Straight) is a young breed, it received official recognition only in 2005. Spontaneous, inquisitive and calm cats quickly gained popularity among owners. Scots are balanced, smart, quickly get used to the owner and feel comfortable with a large family. What are the distinctive characteristics of the breed? How to choose the right pet and take care of him?

Content

• 1 Where and when did the Scottish Straight breed appear

• 2 Appearance

  • 2.1 Differences between British and Scottish cats

    2.1.1 Table: Differences between Scots and British

  • 2.2 Disadvantages of the breed

  • 2.3 Colors Scottish Straight

    1 Photo gallery: examples of the color of the Scottish Straight breed

• 3 The nature of the straights

• 4 Diseases of the Straight Scots

  • 4.1 Genetic diseases

    • 4.1.1 Osteochondrodysplasia (OCD)
    • 4.1.2 Urolithiasis (Urolithiasis)
    • 4.1.3 Cardiomyopathy
  • 4.2 General signs of feeling unwell
  • 4.3 Disease prevention

• 5 Choosing a kitten

  • 5.1 Gender selection
  • 5.2 Video: A Few Pros of Scottish Straight

• 6 Care of Scottish cats

  • 6.1 Toilet

    6.1.1 Table: Comparison of Different Cat Litter Fillers

  • 6.2 Nutrition

• 7 Breeding the breed

  7.1 Sterilization

• 8 Scottish Straight Owner Reviews

Where and when did the Scottish Straight breed appear?

The history of the Scottish Straight breed, or Scottish Straight cat, begins in 1961, when a white cat Susie was born in the house of a farmer from the town of Tayside (Scotland) with her ears bent forward and downward. The owner liked the appearance of the pet so much that he tried to breed similar offspring to her, crossing her with British cats.

The first breeders of the Scottish breed, then not yet divided into subspecies "straight" and "fold", were William and Mary Ross, who found out that the recessive gene FD is responsible for the formation of unusual auricles. The success of the new breed was undoubted, and in 1966 felinologists officially confirmed its name in Great Britain.

Since 1974, the Scottish breeding center has moved to the United States. The American breeders were faced with a difficult task - to preserve the characteristic of the breed (hanging ears) and at the same time achieve completely healthy offspring. The solution was found - to interbreed only straight individuals.

For some time, British cats were taken to help for breeding Scottish cats, which caused confusion. The breeders registered hanging-eared kittens as Scottish and straight-eared kittens as British. This weakened some of the lines of British cats, in whose litter a lop-eared baby is a clear indication of the uncleanness of the breed.

For some time, British cats were used to breed Scottish

After the separation of the two breeds and the decision to cross the Scots only with representatives of a similar breed, the fold-eared individuals were called "Scottish Fold", and their counterparts with standard ears - "Scottish Straight". True, straights were used exclusively as a working material for breeding lop-eared offspring. In 2004, justice was done, and straight-eared Scots were given independence, the right to participate in exhibitions and registration in the World Cat Federation (WCF). From the same moment interbreed mating of Scottish cats is prohibited.

Smart, calm, absolutely non-aggressive Scots - an excellent choice for a family with children

Appearance

Since 2005, the Scottish Straight breed (variants of the names - Scottish Straight, Scottish Shorthair, SCS encoding) is recognized in official felinological organizations: the World Cat Federation (WCF), the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), the International Cat Association (TICA).

Breed standard:

• Body: Medium size, rounded, evenly developed at the level of the shoulders and croup.
• Legs are of medium length. Rounded feet.
• Head: Nicely rounded, with a strong chin and developed jaws. Muzzle with rounded vibrissa cushions. The nose is short with a slight depression at the transition from the forehead; a stop (sharp angle) is undesirable. The profile line may vary. The neck is short.
• Eyes: Wide open, large, well rounded, set fairly wide apart.
• Ears: Small to medium in size, set wide apart, open forward, tips rounded, outer lines parallel. The ears should be set so as to emphasize the rounded skull.
• Tail: Medium to long in relation to the body, tapering towards the tip.
• Coat: short, dense, plush, soft, not tight (lagging behind the body due to its density). Regional, seasonal slight variations in coat texture are possible.
• Color: all colors are allowed.
• Disqualification: Hook on the tail, extremely short, fixed tail, malocclusion.

When breeding the Scottish Fold breed (respectively, and the Scottish Straight as its side branch), breeders most often used British, as well as Persian and exotic cats. As a result, there were stripes of various "modifications":

• with wide ears, massive bones, a shortened tail, heavy and squat - from mating with the British;
• with a shortened nose, with a clear sharp transition from nose to forehead ("stop") - the heritage of exotic producers;
• with long adherent hair, irregular bite - "Persian type" straights.

Individuals with deviations from the recognized standard are excluded from breeding.

Differences between British and Scottish cats

Historically, the Scots and the British developed in neighboring territories, therefore, they are similar to each other, like close relatives. It's funny that the British are the oldest officially registered breed in the world, and the Scottish is the youngest.

Left - Scottish Straight cat, right - British Shorthair

Table: differences between Scots and British

Parameter	British shorthair cat	Scottish Straight Cat
Muzzle	Dense, "stuffed" cheeks, developed cheekbones, the head is shaped like a horizontal oval	Round cheeks, developed chin, head in shape - perfectly round
Ears	Wide at the base, set low, set apart	Narrower and more straight
Body	Powerful, strong-boned, stocky. Feet are thick and short.	Medium, more graceful. The paws are slender and long in comparison with the body.
Wool	Dense, with a dense undercoat, short	Thick, plush to the touch, short or long
Tail	Thick, short, inflexible, uniform in thickness, rounded tip	Long, flexible, wide at the base and narrow at the end, pointed tip
Weight	Cat 5-8 kg Cat 3-5 kg	Cat 3–5 kg Cat 2–3 kg

The difference between the muzzle of a British cat (left) from a Scottish cat (right)

Disadvantages of the breed

When two lop-eared sires were crossed, the offspring received genetic mutations associated with insufficient development of cartilage tissue. Their signs can also appear in ordinary offspring of straights, since any Scottish cat carries in its genetic set a recessive gene for lop-earedness, and, consequently, diseases accompanying this external feature.

A stationary, inflexible tail - the most visible sign of this mutation - is a serious flaw. Another result of this mutation is accrete and deformed vertebrae, which is why the cat cannot jump high; as it grows up, it begins to walk "half sideways". Some of the back problems are noticeable even at the age of 3-4 months, when kittens are weaned from their mother, others are detected already in adulthood.

Scottish Straight colors

In color, the breed resembles its British relatives. Most feline associations accept any color. The exception is the Cat Fanciers Association - the CFA does not allow chocolate, lilac shades, colorpoint and their variations with white.

The following colors are most common:

• Solid is solid. It is understood that the color of the coat will be monotonous, without impregnation of other colors. Classic blue is the most popular and common color for both breeders and owners. Less common are black, lilac, red (red), brown and white.
• Tabby. With the light hand of advertisers of cat food, this color is commonly called "whiskas" - a characteristic "M" on the forehead, contrasting spots on the body. Tabby color is brindle (transverse stripes on the sides), spotted (several parallel stripes along the back, spots on the sides and chest - several closed stripes), marble (half rings or streaks on the sides and along the back).
• Tortoiseshell color - on a black background (main color), spots of cream, gray, red or white are randomly scattered.

Photo gallery: examples of the color of the Scottish Straight breed

Unusual arrangement of differently colored zones is a distinctive feature of the tortoiseshell color

Lilac is a rather rare solid color variety

Chocolate is a very rare color, show kittens can cost up to 100 thousand rubles

The classic version of the color - blue - is the most popular among breeders and owners

The tabby stripes look very attractive

The nature of the straights

Scottish Straights are cats with a very light temperament, non-aggressive, friendly and easily adapting to a new environment. They love to be close to a person, although they rarely allow themselves to be held in their arms, they prefer to sit next to them, hugging the side of the owner.

It should be noted that the Scots do not tolerate coercion. If a person wants to cuddle a cat, the latter will simply flee. Representatives of the breed will never respond with aggression, it is easier for them to hide in a safe place. Scots get along well with all family members, including children, however, they choose one as their favorite. They are restrained in communicating with dogs, but, due to their gentle nature, after a short time they easily get along with them.

Straights need toys and cat houses to feel and feel good.

The owners note that sometimes these cats behave like dogs - they meet the owner at the door, expressing their joy with a purr, and accompany them in moving around the house. A person will sit on the couch - the Scotsman will definitely sit next to him. These cats will definitely find something to do in their free time, and if they have a playhouse and favorite toys at their disposal, the Scottish can be left for the whole day.

Scots can only be trained if you can prove that the execution of your commands is beneficial to them. Curious, they can watch the pouring water for hours or watch TV. Often, when an unexpected and incomprehensible sound occurs, the straights take the "gopher pose" - they sit vertically on their hind legs, folding the front ones on their stomach. This, incidentally, is a distinctive feature of Scottish cats (both straights and folds) and is associated with the special structure of the spine.

Sitting "on the fifth point", or "gopher posture", is one of the characteristic features of the Scottish

Above, we analyzed the external differences between two similar breeds - British and Scots. These "cousins" also have different personalities:

• The British are phlegmatic, they like to dominate the family, they are balanced, aristocratic and independent. Representatives of this breed like to sit in high places, providing themselves with an overview and control of the territory.
• Scots are more playful, affectionate, easily excitable, more choleric in temperament. They prefer to be at the level of the sofa bed, they do not climb high.

Diseases of the Straight Scots

Like any breed, Scottish dogs have several characteristic diseases that are transmitted at the genetic level.

Only a specialist can correctly diagnose, self-medication often causes irreparable harm

Genetic diseases

The predisposition to certain diseases is inherited. Of course, it is not at all necessary that the cat will get sick, but the probability of this is quite high.

Osteochondrodysplasia (OCD)

When breeding lop-eared offspring, folds are crossed with straights, then the “lop-earedness” gene manifests itself in the first generation only by a fold on the ears of a part of the offspring. It affects the formation of cartilage throughout the body, and kittens (both straights and folds) can appear with bone and spine mutations.

As a rule, such deviations are the result of unscrupulous work by breeders in breeding Scottish Folds, when two lop-eared individuals are crossed. A large number of kittens with folded ears appear in the litter, and all of them begin to suffer from OCD with age.

Sometimes the pathology can be seen immediately by the immobility of the tail, the deflection in the back and the awkward movements of the animal. Kittens jump hard, often fall, sometimes even refuse to jump on high objects. And sometimes the mutation manifests itself in adulthood, when the pet has long been living in the family. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cure such disorders, and the owners can only choose a diet that prevents further deterioration in the well-being of the Straight, and put up with some restrictions.

Animals are prescribed chondroprotectors, and for painful movement - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers. Massage can have a good effect. In severe cases, surgery is prescribed.

Cats with OCD need proper nutrition containing phosphorus, calcium, iodine, iron, and E vitamins. Such animals are inactive, and the owners need to strictly control their weight, because obesity threatens heart disease, and extra pounds form an excessive load on damaged joints.

Urolithiasis (Urolithiasis)

Cats, like humans, can suffer from urolithiasis. In 25% of cases, the disease affects castrated cats, in unsterilized males and females, it occurs in about 4-6 cases out of 100.

The general conditions affecting the occurrence of urolithiasis are called:

• male sex (in cats, the disease develops 5 times more often than in cats);
• unbalanced diet with the use of salty foods and with an excess of proteins in it;
• feeding with cheap factory feed;
• insufficient fluid intake (as a result, urine becomes too concentrated, and sand forms in it);
• drinking low quality water saturated with lime salts;
• hereditary predisposition;
• urinary tract infections;
• dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic gastroenteritis and colitis (these diseases change the acid-base balance of urine, which can lead to the formation of calculi);
• deliberate delay in urination by the cat due to unwillingness to go to a dirty litter box (which is why it is so important to clean the toilet on time).

ICD can develop imperceptibly, over several years, and can quickly turn into an acute phase. The cat shows anxiety when visiting the toilet, meows plaintively, urination frequency increases or urinary retention is detected, blood appears in the tray. If one or more signs are found, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

The owner can suspect urolithiasis in a pet by his posture during urination

KSD treatment is comprehensive:

1. At the first stage, it is necessary to relieve the spasm and reduce the pain; for this, warm heating pads are used (gently placed on the abdomen and perineum) and antispasmodics.
2. Next, the doctor prescribes drugs that dissolve and remove stones and sand.
3. In the future, the animal needs a constant diet that reduces the risk of re-exacerbation.

Cardiomyopathy

The most common heart disease is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM); in addition to Scottish, British, Maine Coons, Sphynxes, Ragdolls and Norwegian Forest cats are susceptible to it. Thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) leads to the development of heart failure, blood stasis, pulmonary edema and, as a result, death.

In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle thickens, making it difficult for the organ to function

This disease is extremely insidious. Sometimes the first sign is pulmonary edema, which leads to the death of the animal within a few hours. In milder cases, lethargy, shortness of breath appear, the animal cannot play for a long time, is often interrupted and rests, breathes with an open mouth.

Veterinarians found out that the disease is hereditary, and abroad only producers who do not have a predisposition to HCM are allowed to breed. This can be determined using a special blood test, as well as by the results of echocardiography and electrocardiography. The animal is also diagnosed on the basis of these studies.

Common signs of feeling unwell

Even domestic cats that do not leave the apartment can get sick. Straights, of course, have good immunity, but no one is immune from infections that owners can bring along with dust on shoes and outerwear, from colds and parasites.

That is why you need to know the main symptoms of poor health of the tailed friend:

• change in habitual behavior - the cat avoids communication, hides in secluded dark places;
• refusal to eat for more than 2 days;
• increased body temperature, tremors, fever;
• sneezing, discharge from the eyes, nose, profuse salivation;
• absence of stool, blood in feces, diarrhea;
• vomiting;
• loss of a large amount of hair, its dull appearance;
• bad breath.

The appearance of one or more symptoms is a reason to immediately contact your veterinarian. Only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. An attempt at self-diagnosis leads, at best, to the uselessness of therapeutic measures, at worst, the disease takes on a more severe form.

Disease prevention

Vaccines have been developed against most dangerous diseases of cats.

Kittens at the age of 3 months (recall, the age when babies can be safely taken away from their mother) from good breeders should have vaccinations in their veterinary passport. The absence of those speaks of the seller's dishonesty; it is highly undesirable to buy unvaccinated kittens.

Vaccinations reduce the risk of disease by up to 90%, they are necessary to protect your straight

Choosing a kitten

When crossing straight and fold before the third week, it is not clear which kitten has straight ears and which has folded ears. After the expiration of the specified period, the folds are just drooping. When breeding straights, the need for sires of a different breed has disappeared, so most kittens are born with the usual ears for cats.

Only after 3 weeks of age it will become clear which kitten will fold and which will straight.

It is best to take a kitten after 3 months. At this age, the baby already eats solid food on his own, the character is already clear and behavioral features are visible, you can also notice genetic mutations, if they are present (back deflection, fixed tail).

When choosing a kitten, we pay attention to its activity, reaction to toys, physical development. Movements should be flexible, free. The appearance speaks of the kitten's health:

• shiny coat;
• absence of parasites;
• clean, clear eyes without discharge;
• auricles without plaque.

Pedigree kittens are divided into three classes:

• pet (home content only);
• breed (intended for breeding);
• show (for participation in exhibitions).

Depending on the class, the price of the animal also differs - from 2 thousand rubles for a "home" kitten, the prices of representatives of the show-class start from 30 thousand rubles and above, depending on the rarity and beauty of the color.

A good Scottish kitten looks like a teddy bear: it has a plush coat, round full cheeks and a ball-shaped head. An elongated body, thinness can indicate bad genetics.

It is very difficult to determine the appearance of a thoroughbred kitten. Ask to show the mother cat's pedigree. It is the pedigree, not the veterinary passport. The breed fits into the passport from the words of the owner, so information from the pedigree is more reliable. The breed codes in it must be as follows:

• SCS - Scottish Shorthair (Scottish Straight);
• SFC - Scottish Fold (Scottish Fold);
• SFL - Scottish Fold Longhair (Highland Fold);
• SCL - Scottish Longhair (Highland Straight).

If there is no pedigree, there is a high risk of acquiring a mongrel kitten.

Gender selection

Many people wonder who to choose - a boy or a girl? There are no unequivocal recommendations, it all depends only on the personal preferences of the owner, as well as on the impressions of meeting the kittens. If the animal is not planned for breeding, it must be sterilized, and in the future there is no difference who lives with you - a cat or a cat.

If you want to get offspring from your furry friend - this is worth considering. Cats are more demanding on the diet during pregnancy and feeding kittens, after giving birth they need special care and diet.

Video: several reasons for Scottish Straight

Scottish cat care

The popularity of Scottish Straights is largely due to the simplicity of animal care. Here is a basic list of activities:

• bathing once every two months;
• monthly claw trimming;
• deworming every three months;
• preventive vaccinations;
• combing - once a week (during the molting period - two to three times a week).

The short hair of the straights rolls poorly; when licking, the cat swallows a fair amount of it, therefore, the kitten from the age of six months should be accustomed to taking special pastes that remove wool from the stomach.

Once a month, it is advisable to check the condition of the auricles, if plaque occurs, clean them with a cotton swab. Also, the procedure must be carried out after bathing to remove moisture from the ears, which can lead to otitis media.

Eyes should be wiped with warm boiled water with a cotton pad as needed or preventive drops should be used. In the event of the appearance of dark paths ("tears"), the eyes are wiped with a weak decoction of chamomile or tea (you can use antiseptic agents such as Miramistin).

Strites are undemanding in care, they are distinguished by excellent health and light character

Restroom

There are a huge number of fillers on sale, which are divided both according to the principle of action (clumping or absorbent) and in composition (clay, wood, silica gel). Basic information about them is given in the table.

Table: Comparison of Different Cat Litter Fillers

Filler material	Clumping	Absorbent	Benefits	disadvantages
Clay	+	+	cheap material; intuitive and familiar to cats; a variety of pellet shapes, easy to choose, convenient for the animal.	high dustiness, which can cause allergies; easily spreads on paws, polluting the room; not recommended for kittens.
wood shavings		+	environmentally friendly, with a pleasant smell; a wide variety of shapes and sizes of granules, it is easy to choose the one suitable for the animal; can be disposed of in the toilet; suitable for kittens.	carried on the paws; the animal can easily throw light granules out of the tray; requires frequent replacement.
Silica gel		+	absorbs moisture and odor well; economical, when used by one animal, the tray changes completely in 1-2 weeks; suitable for several animals at the same time.	high price; not suitable for kittens; if it enters the esophagus, it can cause a chemical burn; the granules rustle strongly, which is why the animal may be wary of the filler.

In the first weeks, use the same filler that the kitten had earlier. If by some parameters it does not suit you, the replacement process should take place smoothly, the fillers are gently mixed together until the new one completely replaces the original one.

It is best to organize a toilet place in sanitary facilities - a bathroom or toilet, away from the place with a bowl and water. The door to the room should always be ajar so that the animal has free round-the-clock access to the tray. Depending on the manufacturer's recommendations and how dirty the tray is, its litter should be changed in a timely manner, since the Scotsman may not want to reuse a foul-smelling toilet.

My Scottish Straight only uses the toilet once, so clumping litter is ideal for me. Even if the process includes two stages - the cat will do one thing, sit near the tray and wait for the wet lump to be removed, and only then will he go “for the second run”. Not all cats are so principled, and the same breeders use silica gel, which changes every two to three days, despite the fact that they keep 4 animals.

Food

At first, you need to feed the kitten with the same food that the breeder used, only gradually accustoming him to changes. You can use specialized feed or natural food, making sure that the diet is balanced and the availability of necessary vitamins and minerals, especially calcium.

The diet may consist of boiled meat, cereals, liver, vegetables. All the necessary trace elements are present in the finished feed, and there is no need to give the pet extra vitamins. In the case of natural feeding, it is best to add a vitamin complex. Kittens are fed 4 times a day, adult cats - 2 times.

Regardless of the type of food, the cat should always have a bowl of clean water. To prevent the development of urolithiasis, the water must be filtered and boiled.

Breeding the breed

Scottish cats are one of the most demanding breeds in breeding, because they have problem genes, and you can only avoid the appearance of offspring with disorders by choosing the right pair. Breeding includes only completely healthy, vaccinated animals, without genetic anomalies and deviations in development. It is desirable to have a pedigree and a passport of the animal, this will facilitate the search for a suitable partner. You can search for a mate for your pet in nurseries, breeders and simply by advertisements on "cat" forums or sites. The first two options are preferable, since in this case there will be a guarantee of obtaining a good sire, with a clean pedigree without deviations and pathologies in past offspring.

In cats, the first heat occurs at the age of 7-8 months. As a rule, one or two estrus is missed, since at this age the body has not yet fully formed, and the female is not able to bear and give birth to healthy offspring. The owner records the duration of estrus, as well as the period between them, this is necessary for effective mating in the future.

When the next estrus occurs, the cat is brought to the cat for 2-3 days and the animals are left alone. Together with the cat, the owner brings a tray, bowl, food and litter for 3-4 days. The cat usually sits for the first time at night, but the cat's estrus continues regardless of whether conception has occurred or not. The success of the interaction of animals is seen in the changed behavior - the cat licks its partner, does not try to bite him or hit him with a paw.

Pregnancy lasts 63–67 days, and does not manifest itself in the first month. In the future, the cat's belly is rounded, she begins to eat more. You can start preparing for childbirth.

Straits are caring mothers who are sensitive to their offspring

The cat begins to search for the nest in advance, so the owner must take care of finding a suitable box in time. Items required at the time of delivery:

• packing of absorbent napkins;
• sharp scissors treated with boiling water;
• paper napkins or towels;
• a syringe without a needle and petroleum jelly.

Scottish people cope with childbirth on their own, the owner must simply observe their progress, replacing the soiled diapers with clean ones. At the end of childbirth, the box is half covered, a bowl of water and food is located nearby. In the postpartum period, it is necessary to monitor the cat's diet, it is advisable to add special vitamins for lactating animals to it, so that the mother's body does not lose the necessary trace elements.

Sterilization

It is better to sterilize the animal when it is 1 year old. Some "compassionate" owners think that the operation is very harmful to the pet, and buy various pills such as "Countersex" to suppress natural instincts. Veterinarians assure that it is the frequent use of pills that leads to metabolic disorders, but, in fact, does not solve the problem.

Someone is scared off by the cost of such an operation, but I assure you - the total price of pills, damaged curtains, marked furniture and spent nerves is much higher than the amount for sterilizing an animal.

Sterilized animals are distinguished by a calm disposition, the only feature is that after the operation, the hormonal background of the animal and metabolic processes change, therefore it is necessary to feed the Straight either with special food, or change the combination of products in the diet. Prices for the procedure start at 1,000 rubles for a cat and 2,000 for a cat.

During "walks" cats are often aggressive, marking their territory (in fact - furniture, curtains, feet of the owners), even if they were exceptionally clean before. It can't be helped, instinct. It is useless to scold and punish an animal. In my opinion, the choice is not rich - either bring the cat a bride, or castrate him, saving him from further torment.

Scottish Straight owners reviews

Representatives of the Scottish Straight breed are considered cats for families with children. Playful and cheerful pussies easily find a common language with their owners, but do not tolerate familiarity. In care, straights are undemanding, cleanliness, know how to use a tray and a scratching post. This breed has several specific gene diseases, so it is important to purchase a kitten from trusted breeders who have certificates and confirmation of the health of your future friend's parents. In the person of the Scotsman, you will find a real companion and a full member of the family.