08/22/2025
Credit to Cheryl Hogan
Fair warning… this is a very long post directed to Scottish Fold/Straight breeders. If you are not one of those folks you may want to just scroll on past this one. 😊
I posted this back in 2015 and it is time to post it once again. If I could scream this from the rooftops, I would! Please help me spread this word far and wide! Our breed is being banned around the world due to uneducated breeders. One country will not even allow you to own a folded eared cat much less breed one. We have got to educate breeders and we must do so quickly!
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June 2015
HI everyone! I am Chairperson of the TICA Scottish Fold/Straight Breed Committee. I need to discuss an issue with Scottish cat breeders. Please, no matter where in the world you are or which association you show in... We have a problem. Please take a minute and read the message below. Forgive me for its length but it is very important for our work with this wonderful breed. Please feel free to re-post this anywhere you would like to! _________________________________________________________ Hello fellow Scottish Fold/Straight breeders. I need to discuss something important with you. I ask that if you live in a non-English speaking country that you will please translate this and re-post it for the others who cannot read English. I know we need Russian and French and possibly other translations. Please help me get this word to every Scottish Fold/Straight breeder in the world! Pass this on to Scottish Breed clubs or meetings no matter what association people show in. Pass this word along to everyone you know! This message has become urgent!
There are too many cats being sold with breeding rights to people who have no idea what they are doing! We MUST stop selling breeding animals unless you know the person is an established breeder or someone who you can mentor very closely.
Our breed has problems that other breeds do not have. We have to deal with joint issues. We have to be careful with blood types. We only get 50% folded ears and have to be prepared to find homes for the straight babies. I shudder to think that there are those out there who kill these Straight babies when they don't fold, but it is true and happens more often than I want to think about. In recent years, we have had to begin DNA testing of our adults for PKD (kidney disease) and other genetic conditions. Most importantly we must, without fail, test for theTRPV4 gene which is responsible for the ears folding but also for Osteochondrodysplasia (OCD), a crippling overgrowth of cartilage which every folded eared cat will have. While all folded ear cat will have this condition, they do not have to suffer with the effects of it, but we MUST ensure each breeding pair has only one copy of that gene!! Ours is NOT an easy breed to work with and it is not a breed for inexperienced, uneducated or unethical breeders!
I have just had a conversation with a lady from New York who bought a female Fold last year from a breeder and now she wants a straight male to breed to her girl. I told her I did not sell breeding animals and her reply was “I am not fond of spaying or neutering any animal.” Oh dear!! And THIS is why I don’t sell breeding animals. I know we all get these people looking for kittens but please do not sell to them!
Then there is a growing group (not a few people) who are looking for breeding folded ear cats to use with Munchkins or Minuets. I can’t think of anything worse to breed to a Fold than another breed with leg and joint issues. Now they are doubling up on genetic deformities. I am just sick about this but I am told they are growing in number quickly. (Why anyone would want to take two very distinct and lovely breeds and breed them together to create something that is less than either parent, is totally beyond me! Sadly, breeding mutts has quite a money making operation these days! Persians, Exotics, Maine C***s, Ragdolls, Bengals and the list goes on) Putting a male and female together to make babies does not make you a breeder!!! These people can be very clever in the lie they may tell you so stay aware. The folks using Munchkins or Minuets are calling them Scottish Kilt or Munchkin Fold or something of the sort. This cat will NEVER be recognized in any feline registry because of the doubling up on genetic deformities. They are able to submit litters to TICA for tracking purposes only but it NOT registration so don’t let anyone tell you different. This is extremely dangerous to our breed and I implore you to STOP selling breeding animals to people you do not know. These folks are, many times, people who know better, some even in the cat fancy but the love of money and selling this new "rare, designer breed" is more important than the wellbeing of cats. My heart breaks.
I spoke to a Bengal breeder and they told me the way the Bengal breeders stopped people from using their breed to create other breeds was that all breeders put a clause in their contracts that said something like “if it is ever discovered that this cat is being bred to any cat other than a Scottish or British or American SH there will be an immediate fine of $5000.” I am not sure you could ever actually make that happen but it sure stopped people from looking to breed to the Bengals. I have added this clause to my contract and I suggest you do the same today!
This whole subject just sickens me. I have not said anything till now but it is getting out of hand now and we are the ONLY ones who can stop this. I am begging you to STOP selling breeding animals to people you don’t know. Please pass this word on to anyone you may know! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via Messenger.
Kind Regards,
Cheryl Hogan
[email protected]
TICA Judge Emeritus
TICA Chair - Scottish Breed Committee

