Scottish Fold Ear Problems and Cleaning
The Scottish Fold breed are known for their cute folded ears. People are willing to pay a lot of money for a cat with this trait. But before you buy your Scottish Fold cat you will need to consider how much care and grooming the trademark ear is going to require. This is so you know what grooming schedule you will need to have in place, and also what to look out for in case any health issues arise. Grooming the cat is quick, and simple. It’s important to keep your cat groomed regularly to ensure they have healthy ears.
Scottish Fold Ear Health Problems
It is well known that as a result of the trademark fold the Scottish Fold cat has health problems associated with it. The folded ear is a genetic defect with the cartilage in the ear. Unfortunately, this genetic defect can also affect other parts of the cat’s body as well.
The condition Scottish Fold cats suffer from due to their folded ears is osteochondrodysplasia. Every Scottish Fold cat will suffer from this on some level. However, it depends on how the cat has been bred for how severe the genetic disease can be. In an absolute worst-case scenario, the condition can affect the tail, knees, and ankles of the cat. It can cause severe arthritis and chronic pain for your kitty. So it’s important to make sure if you are buying from a breeder that your cat comes from a parent with a straight-ear and a parent with the fold-ear. This lessens the degree of osteochondrodysplasia in the kittens.
Differences in the Ear
Not all Scottish Fold cats will have the exact same fold in the ear. Some can have a single fold, whereas others may have a double folded ear, or even a triple fold. It ranges from cat to cat, depending on the breeder. The tips of their ears also tend to be more round than normal cat ears.
A single fold means that the cat has a slightly folded ear at the tip. While a double fold would mean the cat’s ears were half folded over. A triple fold is when you have a cat with completely folded over ears. The most popular type of fold is the triple fold as this is the neatest, and tightest fold for a Scottish Fold cat to have. If you are buying a Scottish Fold to put it into cat shows then you will want a cat with a triple fold. However, Scottish Fold’s require more ear care and grooming because of their trademark fold.
Scottish Fold Ear Care
You should check your Scottish Fold’s ears at least once a week. There are a variety of things you should be looking for. First, you should check for any bald spots, and then you will need to look at their ear canal. It can be tricky to do this with a Scottish Fold cat because of their ear characteristic. However, gently move the ears back for a closer look at the inside of their ear. You don’t want to see any dirt in there, and the ear itself should have a nice pink color. This means the ear is healthy.
If you do see dirt in your cat’s ears, there are ways to remove this. The last thing you should be doing is putting anything into your cat’s ears to clean them. This can cause pain, or even damage their hearing permanently. If you are not trained and think your cat might have something stuck in its earthen the best option is to take your cat to the vet. You can take a cotton ball, or slightly wet a cloth to wipe the surface of their ear and get rid of any dirt build up there. Alternatively, you can use water and a vinegar solution to help clean your cat’s ear.
Infected Ears
You will know your cat better than anyone, so you will be able to tell best if your cat is sick. With your Scottish Fold, if you notice a swelling around the ear it would be best to take them to the vet. You also don’t want to see any bleeding, or excessive amounts of earwax either. If you can smell a bad smell around your cat’s ears this could be a sign they have an ear infection, so a check-up at the vet would be the best option.
If you notice your cat is itching or scratching their ears a lot more than normal this can be signs that there is an infection inside the ear that is bothering them. You should take them to the vet for an inspection to make sure there is nothing that has been caught in there, or that there is not an infection developing.
Checking your cat’s ears regularly can also mean you catch an infection in its early stages and prevent it from becoming too much of an issue.
Water Logged Ears
As your cat gets older, you may find that their ears get waterlogged. This is very common with cats but more so for Scottish Fold cats because of the fold. In order to get this out your cat may be itching or scratching their ears a lot. Having too much water in their ears can cause your cat to have balance issues, or impede on their hearing.
You might need to take your cat to the vet if this is bothering them. But you can also help with water-logged ears by gently massaging and cleaning their ears on a regular basis. This stops the water from building up. If your cat is getting waterlogged ears you could add a gentle massage to their regular grooming schedule.
Scottish Fold Ear Grooming
Your Scottish Fold will require regular grooming. Make sure to brush the ear and clean it regularly to keep your Scottish Fold’s ears healthy. You should also brush your cat’s fur regularly. If you have a short-haired Scottish Fold this will need to be done once a week, and twice a week for long-haired cats.
You also want to avoid over-grooming your cat, because this can cause an infection too. You only need to groom your cat’s ears once a week. Any more could also be dangerous and make the ears swell if they are being touched and moved around too much.
Consequences of Not Grooming
If you don’t groom your cat regularly, often daily, then this can cause a build-up of dirt in their ears. This dirt could lead to an infection or disease. It could end up costing you inexpensive vet visits if your cat gets ill because of this. Also, your cat will bond with you when you groom it. So by not doing so, you could be costing yourself an opportunity to get closer to your Scottish Fold!
It could also affect your cat’s quality of life if you don’t groom it properly. As they won’t be able to hear as well with a build-up of fluid or dirt in their ears. Water in the ears can affect their balance too which can result in an injury.
The controversy of the Scottish Fold Ear
Due to the nature of the health problems associated with the gorgeous Scottish Fold ear, there has been controversy surrounding the continuation of the breed. International Cat Care has stated they feel it is not right to continue to breed cats if they are going to be in pain for their entire lives.
However, not all Scottish Fold cats live in pain. So don’t let yourself be put off by this. Scottish Fold cats typically live happy and healthy lives. They will be a member of your family for 11 to 15 years. A Scottish Fold cat is an active cat, and they love to run and play. They are not impeded by the genetic defect that causes their trademark ears.
As long as you make sure you are getting your Scottish Fold from a reputable breeder and the cat has a parent with a fold-ear and a parent with a straight-ear then you will have a cat that will live a long, happy, and pain-free life.
You can make your Scottish Fold cat’s life better be ensuring to keep up a regular grooming schedule.
Conclusion
When you get your Scottish Fold cat you need to organize a regular grooming schedule to ensure the best health for your cat. It is very simple to look after your cat. All that is required is regular ear cleaning and brushing. Remember not to put anything inside your cat’s ears when you are grooming them. This could seriously damage their hearing and cause a great deal of pain. If you don’t groom your cat regularly they could end up having a build up of dirt in their ears. This could lead to an in infection or worse. This could make your cat very sick, and require a lot of medical treatment. Grooming your cat will keep them happy and save you money long-term.