Among those who are just about to get a kitten, but still do not fully understand the breeds, there is an opinion that both British and Scottish representatives of the cat family are lop-eared. But this opinion is erroneous. The specialists of the animal nursery, where by and large you should buy a pet, will definitely confirm that these are absolutely two different breeds, and only Scottish kittens are fold, while the British always have straight ears. Now it’s worthwhile to understand the difference between Scottish and British cats. For the breeder, the difference between the two is obvious.
British Shorthair cat. History of breed origin
Plush due to thick short hair, the awkward British kitten looks like a little teddy bear. But already in adulthood, he becomes a fairly large self-sufficient cat, the real owner of his house. British cats in their mental development are somewhat reminiscent of dogs. They are just as strong and faithful. It was the representative of the British breed that served as the prototype of the famous Cheshire cat from the book “Alice in Wonderland” by L. Carroll.
The first British cats were introduced to England two thousand years ago. But the breed became popular much later. This happened in 1871, when a representative of the British species won the cat show, first organized in England.
The appearance and behavior of the British
What do cats and cats of this breed look like? Strongly built, broad-boned, muscular, the head is round, the neck is short - these are standard British. Their ears are straight, medium in size, their eyes are large round, their legs are short and strong. The hair of the representatives of this breed is short with a thick undercoat, not so fluffy to the touch as plush. And another important point: the British cat is always larger and larger than the Scots. This should be known to those who are interested in the differences between British cats and kittens from Scottish representatives.
Balanced, calm, unobtrusive - these are animals of the British breed. But at the same time, they always stand by the mountain for their master, devoted to the house. In the event of imminent danger, they may rush into battle. These cats get along well with different pets. Little kittens are funny and funny, affectionate and playful. Children especially like them.
Cute Scots (Scottish Fold)
The Scottish Fold cat (Scottish Fold) was bred forty years ago, namely in 1961. It happened in Scotland. And a few hundred years before this event, the first mention of cats with bent ears that lived in China appeared. The reason for the birth of a cat with such an unusual structure of the auricles was a gene mutation.
What is special about the appearance of the Scottish fold breed, why do you have to think about how the British lop-eared differs from the Scottish lop-eared?
Animals of this breed have a strong physique, short massive legs and a short neck, the coat is thick, soft to the touch. Of particular value is the ears. The more they are bent and more cover the ear opening, the better and more expensive are the representatives of this breed. It depends on what ears a kitten will be born with, which group it will belong to: show, breeding or domestic. It is curious that Scottish fold kittens can be born with eyes of different colors.
What kittens are born? Who are Scottish Straights?
After the first kitten with cute ears and eyes curved forward, like a little owl, was born, the demand for such animals began to grow rapidly. Everyone who saw this unusual creature immediately wanted to buy such a pet. But the breeding of Scottish fold kittens was not easy. Babies born from lop-eared parents had not only bent ears, but also problems with the musculoskeletal system.
Therefore, it was decided to breed cats and cats of Scottish fold breed with British Shorthair. In one litter, both lop-eared kittens and erect kittens were born. It was animals with straight ears that laid the foundation for a new breed - Scottish Shorthair, or Scottish Straight.
Perhaps the crossing of Scots with representatives of the oldest English breed was the reason for calling the kittens that are born in such a litter British fold. So what is the difference? In fact, the question "what is the difference between the British lop-eared and the Scottish lop-eared cat" is formulated incorrectly. The thing is that there are simply no British fold cats. But there are Scottish fold (Scottish fold) and
Scottish straight (Scottish Straight).
Exceptional Scottish Fold
In addition to their exotic appearance, fold Scots have some behavioral features. Having studied them, you will understand how the Scottish fold is different from the British cat.
First of all, representatives of the Scottish fold breed are affectionate and tender. They are calm. It is hard to imagine that such a cute little owl could offend or scratch a child. Scots love communication, miss their master while he is not at home, and cheerfully greet him when he returns from work. Some representatives of the breed can be quite shy, therefore, in a family with children, it is better to get a kitten at the age of three or four months.
What is the difference between a British fold and a Scottish fold cat? Special ears
When kittens are born as a result of mating between straight British and fold Scottish, it is not yet possible to determine what kind of ears they will have. The time from birth to four weeks is the longest for the breeder. Auricles form during this period, and it will soon become clear which kittens came out: Scottish Folds or Scottish Straights. That's the difference between a Scottish cat and a British cat. Lop-eared Scots do not immediately find their special ears. At the same time, the British can only be straight.
Up to six weeks old, the auricles in kittens are considered fully formed. But their bend in Scottish folds is also different. If it is simple, then the tips of the ears are only slightly inclined forward. With a double and triple bend, they tightly adjoin the head, like a hat. This option is the most desirable for the breeder. These kittens often become winners of various cat shows.
Differences in the appearance and behavior of British and Scottish cats
Of course, the main difference between the representatives of these two breeds is the ears. Otherwise, the difference is not very significant. Well, maybe the British are a little bigger than the Scots, their neck is a little shorter, and it has a big crease. What is the difference between british kittens and scottish yet? Perhaps, Scottish Folds and Scottish Straights have a slightly wider set of eyes than those of the English breed. There is still a slight difference in the nature of the animals.
What is the difference between a British fold and a Scottish fold in behavior? Scottish folds are the most affectionate and soft, more suitable for those families where there are small children. They are also easier to train and even without it they like to stand on their hind legs independently.
British kittens are more restrained and calm. But there are cases when representatives of such a breed even attacked guests, from whom hostility towards their master came. This is due to the fact that the British and Scots are very attached to the house and devoted to the family. By this character trait they are a bit like dogs. Only calm Scots are incapable of such active actions as British cats.
Health & Care
As you know, Scottish fold cats and cats cannot be crossed with each other, otherwise small pets born from such a union have problems with the skeleton and musculoskeletal system. This peculiarity of the breed determines the difference between Scottish fold kittens and British kittens.
Representatives of the English breed, as well as Scottish Straights, whose ears are straight, do not have health problems, and they usually live 15-20 years. But the owners of hanging ears should take a closer look. Often the gene, due to which such special ears appeared in cats of this breed, makes itself felt, and problems with motor function can occur. Sometimes there are bone diseases that cause severe pain to the pet.
There are features in the care. Here's the difference between the British fold and the Scottish fold. Caring for animal hair is almost the same. Here a metal brush with rounded teeth will come to the rescue, bathing - at least once every six weeks.
Particular attention should be paid to hanging ears, which attract the attention of harmful insects such as fleas and ticks. Actions such as regular inspection of the auricles and rubbing them with alcohol or soapy water will effectively solve this problem.
Summarizing
So, you need to remember how the British lop-eared differs from the Scottish lop-eared cat. Only Scottish cats can be with hanging ears, and these are Scottish folds. Scots can be straight and then this breed is called Scottish Straight.
British cats are never fold. Purebred British can only be born from a cat and cat of the same species. The right information will help you make the right choice when choosing a kitten and get your desired pet.