Scottish Fold

Yes — every Scottish Fold with folded ears carries the gene that causes osteochondrodysplasia, so all of them have some degree of the cartilage and joint condition. Severity varies: cats with one copy of the gene are usually less severely affected than cats with two copies, and onset and progression differ between individuals. But there is no folded-ear Scottish Fold without the disease, which is the single most important fact to know before adopting one.

Responsible breeding pairs a folded-ear cat only with a straight-eared cat, because mating two folded cats produces kittens with severe, crippling skeletal disease. About half such a litter inherits the gene and develops folded ears; the rest are straight-eared. Straight-eared Folds from these pairings do not carry the fold gene and so do not develop the breed's osteochondrodysplasia — they are the healthier outcome, not a defect.

Scottish Folds typically live 11-14 years. The lifespan figure is less informative than the quality-of-life one: most folded-ear cats live with progressive joint disease, and many also face HCM (heart) and PKD (kidney) risk. Keeping the cat lean, managing joint pain early, screening the heart and kidneys, and providing a joint-friendly home are what determine whether those years are comfortable, not just how many there are.

This is genuinely contested, and an honest profile should say so rather than dodge it. Several major registries declined or withdrew recognition because the breed's signature trait is an inherited disease marker. If you choose the breed, the minimum responsible standard is a cat from a folded-to-straight pairing with HCM and PKD screening of the parents, plus your own commitment to lifelong joint care. Going in informed, not surprised later, is the core decision here.

Cats hide pain, so watch for behavioural changes rather than obvious limping: reluctance to jump up or down, landing softly or hopping with the back legs, a stiff or hunched walk, a tail that has become thick and inflexible, reduced grooming, or less play. Any of these warrants a vet visit. Because osteochondrodysplasia is progressive, pain management started at the first subtle sign is far more effective and affordable than waiting for obvious lameness.

Beyond a typical $1,000-$2,500+ purchase price, budget for the joint condition every folded-ear cat has: lifelong monitoring, periodic imaging, and pain or anti-inflammatory management that can run several hundred dollars a year and rise with age, plus cardiac and kidney screening given the breed's HCM and PKD risk. The honest framing is that this is not an average-cost cat — the signature trait carries a built-in lifetime medical commitment that should factor into the decision before adoption, not after.