With their distinctive flat faces and bent-over ears, they are a unique breed of cat that sell for as much as £900.
And thanks to their popularity among celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Claudia Schiffer, the Scottish Fold has surged in popularity.
However, a leading charity is calling for a total ban on breeding Scottish Folds amid concerns that their unique look is based on a genetic deformity which condemns the creatures to a lifetime of health problems and chronic pain.
Sarah Elliott, veterinary officer for Cats Protection said: ‘People think Scottish Folds are cute – we see them all the time on Instagram, TV adverts, greeting cards and all kinds of merchandise. It’s so upsetting to see, as we know these cats have been bred purely for looks and regardless of the fact they suffer great pain and discomfort.
‘Scottish Folds are often described as chilled-out and gentle, but the truth is that many of them only appear to be laid-back because they’re in pain and may be reluctant to jump, move and play. It’s a horrible life to inflict on a cat, just so they can look a certain way.’
The breed was first created by selective breeding in Tayside in the 1960s. And although all Scottish Folds are descended from a white barn-cat called Susie, they can now be found across the globe.
However, the same mutation which leads to folded ears also causes abnormal bone and cartilage growth – called osteochondrodysplasia – which results in arthritis and skeletal pain.
Despite these health issues being raised decades ago, new research by Cats Protection shows that in the past 12 months alone, an estimated 50,000 Scottish Fold cats were acquired in the UK – bringing the total British population to around 110,000.
Popstar Taylor Swift with cat ‘Olivia Benson’ who has appeared in a number of the singer’s music videos including ‘Blank Space’.
Claudia Schiffer appeated on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2023 alongside her Scottish Fold cat, Chip.
The huge boost in numbers has been driven by the breed’s popularity on social media.
Demand has also driven up the price, with kittens typically costing between £500 and £900.
Billionaire US singer Taylor Swift has frequently shared pictures of her two Scottish Folds with her 94million online followers.
One of her cats, called Olivia Benson (after a character in TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), is itself estimated to have earned around $100m after appearing in a string of high-profile adverts.
Her other Scottish Fold is named Meredith Grey after a character from hit hospital drama Grey’s Anatomy.
Swift travels with her cats and has been pictured carrying them through the streets of New York – and boarding a plane with them in a special cat-carrier backpack.
In 2017 British singer Ed Sheeran announced he had bought a Scottish Fold called Calippo, while reality TV star Molly-Mae Hague also owns two as pets, called Eggy and Bread.
Last year German supermodel Claudia Schiffer’s Scottish Fold named Chip appeared in comedy spy film Argylle and even turned up at the red-carpet premiere in London’s Leicester Square.
Ed Sheeran is also a fan of the breed which hailed from Scotland and was created through a process of selective breeding.
Scottish Folds are recognisable for their distinctive flat faces and bent-over ears, which is actually caused by a genetic deformity.
However there is a growing pressure to ban the Folds.
The Governing Council for the Cat Fancy, which runs the UK’s largest cat registry, no longer recognises the Scottish Fold as a legitimate breed.
And at the end of last year the Animal Welfare Committee – which advises the UK and Scottish governments – warned: ‘All individuals in this breed suffer from the inherited disorder osteochondrodysplasia. This causes the animals to experience skeletal deformities such as short, thick, and inflexible tails and shortened splayed feet. It also creates painful degenerative osteoarthritis. As a result, Scottish Fold cats will almost inevitably suffer physical pain – from mild to severe – and associated restriction of physical activity and natural behaviour.’
Cats Protection is now calling on animal lovers to support its campaign for a ban on breeding cats with extreme characteristics such as Scottish Folds across the whole of the UK.
In 2021 Scotland introduced new rules on breeding cats with extreme characteristics – but they only apply to professional breeders producing three or more litters of kittens a year.
Ms Elliott said: ‘Scotland is currently the only UK nation with cat breeding regulation which includes restrictions on breeding cats with extreme characteristics – but it only applies to licenced cat breeders, so there is currently a loophole.
‘We need regulations to be introduced and enforced effectively across the whole of the UK.
‘We will only see a reduction in numbers when we have a UK-wide solution and that is strong and robust regulation of cat breeding which bans breeding cats with extreme characteristics.
‘Anyone looking to buy a Scottish Fold really needs to ask themselves, “Is this the life I want for my pet?” and think again.’