What to feed a Scottish kitten: diet by month

If a person is interested in purchasing newborn fold kittens, then it is important to find out information on how to correctly determine whether a Scottish fold kitten is lop-eared. After birth, it is difficult to distinguish whether a cat is a fold cat or not. Unscrupulous breeders try to sell straight-eared pets to unknowing buyers for a high price. To avoid being deceived, it is recommended to study the main differences and recommendations for choosing a cat.

Straights and folds

The Scottish Fold cat breed, characterized by ears with an abnormal structure, became known in the first half of the 60s of the 20th century.

It appeared a little earlier, but did not immediately deserve the attention of scientists. In the 60s Thanks to scientific research, it was found that lop ears appear due to a gene mutation.

By crossing two identically fold-eared individuals, as scientific experiments have shown, it is almost impossible to get healthy kittens with the same unusual ears. The offspring are weak, non-viable, and have many genetic defects.

To get a healthy Scottish Fold kitten, breeders resort to tricks. They cross a fold-eared individual (Scottish Fold) with a straight-eared Scot (Scottish Straight). These breeds are considered related, but at the same time they are independent. The offspring from such a union turns out strong and healthy.

The birth of a viable kitten that meets the standards of the Scottish Fold breed is possible if its parents have the following characteristics:

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• flexibility of the tail (the key to a healthy spine);
• uniformity of color, which should be the same in females and males;
• having ear folds.

The offspring born from the “correct” parents can either have the ear structure typical of Scottish Folds or be straight-eared, like Scottish Straights. It is not possible to determine this in the first weeks of a baby’s life. Fold does not appear until kittens reach three weeks of age. The ears of straights and folds at this stage of development have the same appearance.

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Choosing a healthy kitten

More stringent criteria are applied when selecting kittens for breeding. Applicants must be sufficiently mature: if possible, they are purchased in the fall, since the heat makes its own adjustments to the exterior. Some kittens' ears stand up or stand up completely. In this case, decide for yourself whether you definitely need a Scottish fold or whether a Scottish straight will suit you, especially since the latter will also produce babies with rolled-up ears.

When examining the kitten, pay attention to the configuration of the bite - in the Scottish Fold it is scissor-shaped. Cats (unlike dogs) do not have such strict requirements for their teeth: the main thing is that they are complete, intact and even. It happens that the color of an adult “Scot” is strikingly different from what was stated when purchasing it.

It happens that the color of an adult “Scotsman” is strikingly different from what was stated when purchasing it.

In order not to be disappointed in your expectations, write this clause in the contract, and choose a kitten together with a person who can give a forecast on the final coat color of a mature pet. The kitten you choose should be healthy and playful, have a thick and uniform coat, without spots or gaps. No dirt in the ears. The eyes should shine, but not from tears or painful discharge. A healthy kitten is always interested in what is happening: lethargy and apathy are excluded.

External signs of lop ears

A fold-eared kitten has structural features of the entire body, and not just the ears. These include:

• The nose is without humps, which can be determined by touch.
• The tail is smooth, without humps or knots.
• Wide muzzle.
• Round head.
• Small cheeks.
• Wide eye set.
• Large chest.
• The legs and tail are shorter and larger than those of their straight-eared counterparts.
• Plush wool.

External signs of fold-eared cats

Interesting! Fold cats are long-haired - Highland Folds, and short-haired - Scottish Folds.

Types of British and Scottish cats

Highland fold

Scottish fold

How to distinguish between a boy and a girl

The main sexual characteristics in cats include:

Placing the kitten on your palm or a soft, warm towel, you need to lift its tail and assess the distance between the genitals and anus. It is less in females, more in males. Exact millimeters are not needed here, so there is no need to torment the animal with a ruler. Everything is determined approximately, “by eye”.

The shape of the genitals also matters. If a colon is visualized under the tail, then it is a boy. In cats, the holes in the back of the body resemble an inverted “i”. Thus, girls' genitals are shaped like a vertical line, while boys' genitals are dotted.

Clearly distinguishable sexual characteristics can be observed between 4 and 12 weeks of age. At this time, in cats, the testicles from the abdominal cavity descend into the scrotum. Therefore, an animal for exhibition career and breeding should be taken only when this age limit is reached.

You can also determine the sex of a kitten by tactile palpation. It can be used carefully even in newborn animals. This requires some skill, but over time you can learn to quickly and accurately determine the gender of a litter. So, with light stroking movements you need to move your middle and index fingers in the area of ​​the genitals and anus. If small (3-5 mm) tubercles-testicles are felt under the pads, then it is a cat.

Upon reaching 4 months, the gender of the kitten can be determined by the characteristics of its physique. Cats have a more massive head, a dense muscular frame, and greater weight. Cats are more elegant, miniature, and graceful in their movements.

Lop or not?

When the kitten reaches 3 weeks of age, signs of lop ears begin to appear:

• in Straight, there is a hardening of the ear cartilages necessary to support the erect shape of the ear;

• In the Fold, the cartilage tissue does not harden, and the baby develops characteristic ear folds.

The owner of a Scottish Fold kitten should be aware that the ears of a Scottish Fold can rise with age. If they are straight in a three-week-old baby, there is no hope of their lowering. No matter what ears nature bestows on your pet, you should take care to create favorable conditions for its growth and development and choose the right food for the little Scotsman. Taking care of your baby will help him grow up strong, healthy and cheerful.

Spotted colors

This is one of the most expanded categories . On any background the following types of spotting are possible:

• Harlequin - colored spots on the head, tail, back;
• Van - spots of any color on the head and tail on a white background. The ears should be white;
• Bicolor - a white spot on the face in the form of an inverted Latin letter “V”, a random shape on the paws, chin, chest, belly and a collar on the neck.

Important: A symmetrical arrangement of spots in all of the listed points is desirable.

Until recently, Scottish Folds with white spots were very rare. Now breeders are developing this direction. Tabby may appear on the spots. Bicolors have golden or blue eyes of varying intensities.

General information about fold-eared breeds

The history of the breed began in 1961, when an unusual white cat, Susie, was discovered on a farm in Scotland. The tips of her ears were bent forward and covered the upper part of the ear canal.

Susie later gave birth to kittens, two of which (a boy and a girl) inherited a genetic ear abnormality from their mother. The cat was castrated, so he did not leave offspring. And a cat named Sans was purchased by William Ross, who lived next door.

Ross brought geneticist Pat Turner into the matter and the two of them began breeding a new breed. Local British cats were used as partners for Sans, and as a result, 76 kittens were born. Of these, 42 were born with fold ears, and 34 with ordinary ears. This was enough to write an application for the creation of a new species. But life made its own adjustments.

In 1971, the registration of fold-eared cats was canceled. The animals exhibited diseases of the bones, spine, deformities of the limbs, deafness, a tendency to infectious diseases, and much more. It is possible that the story of the Scots could have ended there, but the situation was saved by geneticists from the USA. The problem was solved quite simply. All diseases turned out to be a legacy of the connection between homozygous cats (having the same alleles for lop-earedness). As soon as they began to be bred with straight-eared Scots (heterozygous), healthy kittens were born.

In 1978 the CFA gave the Scots show status. It took another 15 years to establish the standard of the new breed, which was called the Highland Fold (the first cats were long-haired). Later, shorthaired fold and straight-eared Scottish cats were recognized. They became Scottish and Highland Straights.

Signs of lop ears

The following rules will help you determine if a kitten is lop-eared with high accuracy and not fall for the bait of charlatans.:

• Choose a kitten that is at least three weeks old. The older he is at the time of purchase, the easier it will be to determine that he is lop-eared. It is advisable to buy a kitten at the age of two to three months.
• Folds not only have unusual ears, but also a slightly different body structure. Their muzzle is wider, with small cheeks, and their eyes are wider apart. The chest is usually larger, and the legs and tail are shorter and thicker.
• Feel the kitten's nose - there should be no hump on the bridge of the nose. You also need to feel the tail - there should be no humps or knots on it.
• Buy a fold-eared cat in the cold season. The fact is that folds have an interesting feature - in extreme heat, kittens’ ears rise a little.

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In addition, there are some general rules for choosing purebred kittens :

• The kitten must be completely healthy. His fur should be thick and silky, his eyes should be clear, and his tummy should be soft. His mood is also important - if the kitten is healthy, he will be playful.
• If in the future you want to breed purebred kittens or participate in exhibitions, then the kitten you buy must have a veterinary passport and pedigree.
• Since healthy offspring are obtained only by crossing a purebred cat with an ordinary one, you should ask who the kitten’s parents are.
• When buying a purebred kitten, be prepared to pay a high price for it. Such kittens are really expensive, and if the seller offers you to give them away cheaper, this is a reason to think about whether they are offering you defective animals.

By following these rules, you can easily choose a healthy purebred kitten. But do not forget that the criteria for choosing a four-legged friend are not limited to these. After all, each animal has its own character - some are docile, and some are wayward.

To make it easy for you to get along together, carefully monitor the reactions of the kittens you choose. You can determine the cat that is right for you as follows :

• If your baby growls at you, tries to scratch you or run away, it’s better to choose someone else;
• If the cat purrs and sits happily on your lap, this is the beginning of a strong friendship!

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Kitten boy

Boy kittens, as a rule, are more affectionate and more attached to humans. That is, they are more expressive in their feelings. Of the entire flock of matured kittens, only the seals will come to cuddle on your pillow in the morning and will happily sit on your lap, purring sweetly. All the tenderness and love that a cat brings to its kittens, the cat gives to humans. Of course, there are exceptions, but most often this is what happens.

The first months of life of Scottish Fold kittens

In the first weeks of life, kittens go through stages from helplessness and huddling around their mother to independent activity and exploration of their environment.

On day 10, their eyes open: they feel more confident and begin to crawl around the cat. After a month, the kittens are fed food that will be their diet throughout their lives. At the same time, they leave the boxes that served them as shelter during the helpless period of life and master the surfaces. This is a favorable period for training a kitten to use a litter tray.

Color genetics

Kittens' eye color gradually changes: from dull blue to their real color. This process takes up to 2 years and is called reblooming. The inclusions appear first, which then spread and provide a permanent color. Green eyes take the longest to form.

Causes

The main difference between straight ears and drooping ears is the structure of the eardrum. Immediately after birth, kittens are similar to each other. Only after a while the ears either remain hanging and close the membrane, or rise. And sometimes this happens without any outside influence.

The straightening process is affected by:

• climatic conditions;
• stress;
• hormonal disbalance;
• diet;
• physiology.

If a fold-eared cat's ears are straightened, then weather conditions may have had a direct impact. For example, in the heat they straighten and stick out in different directions. A rare position occurs when bending backwards. In some cases, after climatic conditions normalize, a return to its original place occurs. This breed is characterized by excessive sensitivity and reaction to any changes in the weather.

This also happens if the animal is under stress. Often, owners noticed changes at times when the animal became nervous. In most cases, this position of the ears became permanent.

Often, a fold-eared cat's ears will rise after giving birth . Hormonal disruptions that occur in the body also affect lop ears. That is why many breeders participate with their pets at exhibitions only until the first birth, while the ears are hanging.

During the mating process, people sometimes take this process lightly and do not pay due attention to the main reason for straightening - genetic predisposition. If the gene responsible for lop-earedness is not fixed, then even if the kitten is born lop-eared, changes will soon occur.

Also, after incorrect mating and a thoughtless choice of a partner, kittens may not only change the structure of the auricle, but also develop a number of health problems. The consequence of such a mutation can be fusion of the vertebrae or problems with the musculoskeletal system.

If a fold-eared cat's ears are straightened, then the reason may be in the animal's diet and the replacement of frequently consumed food with some other, less familiar food.

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Straightening - pros and cons

Despite the fact that this breed of cat attracts many breeders and ordinary fanciers, their peculiarity does not always have a positive effect.

Fold-eared cats are more likely to suffer from various ear diseases, even before they are raised. Parasites spread quickly and remain unnoticed until the last stage, because the structure of the auricle is conducive to the formation and accumulation of wax. These areas should be inspected and cleaned regularly by lifting the ears.

Often, the elevated state disappoints the owners, because at an early age the animal may still have fold ears. Many people, in pursuit of the ideal breed, begin to cross incompatible species, after which sick kittens are born with many pathological abnormalities. Don’t despair if the kitten’s ears straighten; in some cases, they may “fall” again.

Fold cats themselves are friendly and quickly become attached to their owner. Because of this “zest”, cat care is carried out more carefully and tolerantly. Sometimes problems arise from physiological characteristics, so it is important to regularly carry out preventive measures. In a raised state, sulfur and other dirt do not accumulate in them, and any symptoms can be immediately noticed.

Changes related to the position and structure of the ear canal occur 5 weeks after birth. They can be temporary, that is, if the ears rise in hot weather, it is more likely that after some period they will fall again.

It also happens that irreversible straightening occurs. More often after the first birth or first mating. There is no need to forcefully try to return your former lop ears. This can happen to any kitten in the litter, even if he has a good pedigree. It is rare to find cats whose position does not change throughout their lives, and therefore such breeds are raised for presentation at exhibitions and other similar events.

Straightening occurs for various reasons; before getting a cat of this breed, you should consider the characteristic features so as not to be disappointed in the choice later. Fold-eared cats require special care, even if the structure of the ears has changed. When buying a purebred cat, you need to study its pedigree - this will help you avoid scammers who offer ordinary animals at high prices.

>How to choose a fold-eared kitten?

How to choose a fold-eared kitten? 0 February 6, 2015

Constant sleep of newborns - an alarming signal or normal development of the body

Newborn kittens sleep up to 22 hours a day. This is not a cause for concern, because at this time the baby’s nervous system is developing. Sleep contributes to the favorable course of this process. In the first months, the kitten should not be separated from its mother and brothers and sisters. If his weight is normal, it means that development is proceeding normally, and constant sleep is conducive to this.

Newborn kittens sleep up to 22 hours a day

You can familiarize yourself with sleep norms for the initial stages of a kitten’s life in the table.

In order for a kitten to switch to nighttime sleep mode, it should be provided with sufficient activity during the day: play, run. Thus, by night he will be tired, sleep will be necessary to restore strength and will coincide with the biorhythms of the owners.

Genetics of differences between Scottish and British cats

At first, the researchers decided that the unusual shape of the auricle in the Scotsman was the result of an autosomal dominant trait, but later their opinion changed. The dominance turned out to be incomplete. An allele of a gene on one chromosome only masks or changes the instructions of another locus of the same gene to another copy of the same chromosome.

It sounds complicated, but for the Scots this combination almost turned out to be a death sentence - animals of this breed experienced changes in the functions of the musculoskeletal system, and pathologies of the bones and spine also developed.

A little later, American geneticists got involved in the work, and the differences between the British Fold and the Scottish Fold became more specific:

• A pair of fdfd genes is responsible for the normal shape of an animal’s ears. The British and Scots with this “set” are no different from each other.
• The heterozygous Fd fd model (when one of the parents is straight-eared) leads to the birth of lop-eared kittens, but does not have a negative effect on the health of the pet.
• Negative scenario – homozygous set of FdFd genes. In this case, the difference between the British and Scottish breeds will be not only in the shape of the ears, but also in the presence of pathologies of cartilage and bones.

Standard Scottish Fold colors

Most felinological organizations allow the following types of colors:

• Solid - a solid background without a pattern;
• Tabby - the pattern is expressed on any background;
• Spotted - spots of different colors on the main white;
• Calico, tortoiseshell - alternating white, black, red spots;
• Lightened and shaded - blue, cream, lilac, chinchilla;
• Color point – light body fur, darker paws, tail, mask on the face.

Important: The CFA standard excludes the following colors of Scottish Folds: color point and all lightened ones, classifying them as consequences of crossbreeding with other breeds.

It is difficult to find out what the real color of the ancestor of the Scottish Fold, Susie, is. Cats and cats have two genetic colors - red (red) and black.

White can be compared to a cape or cloak; underneath it hides the true color. Blue, chocolate, lilac are variations of black, and cream is red, like calico. Therefore, when mating with a white fold cat, they look at the colors of the closest relatives (parents, grandparents).

The colors are described in detail in the standards. However, a lot of attention is paid to physique during assessment.

What documents should there be?

The purebred Scottish Fold cat, as well as its health parameters, must be confirmed by official documents:

• metric or pedigree;
• certificate of registration (for American organizations);
• purchase agreement;
• veterinary passport;
• transfer to own a cat (in rare cases);
• veterinary certificate No. 1 (for imported animals).

Important! A serious nursery will not sell cheap kittens without documents and expensive ones with documents. From a responsible breeder, all animals have documents issued simultaneously for the litter, which is registered as a whole.

If you receive a metric in your hands, the pedigree is no longer needed, and vice versa. But the breeder is obliged to hand over one of these main papers, regardless of the purpose of acquiring the “Scot” - for breeding or castration.

Documentation of the litter in the breed club is strictly regulated, but is inexpensive. All papers received from the breeder minimize your potential risks: you will always return the animal and the money spent if it is found to have congenital anomalies.

Metrics

This is a birth certificate issued after the animal is registered in the club system. The following must be included in the document (where the emblem of the system to which the “Scotsman” is assigned) is affixed:

• Name;
• date of birth;
• gender and breed;
• color;
• names/colors of manufacturers;
• breeder's name and other information.

The European certificate is affixed with the seal of the club and the signature of the responsible person who activated the litter: this is necessary to exchange the metric for the pedigree. In American systems, a slip (metric) is used to register a kitten and obtain a pedigree through the central office.

Pedigree

This includes the kitten’s ancestors (up to 3–5 generations) with their names, colors and pedigree numbers . This document contains the name of the nursery and club, the association's emblem, information about the kitten, as well as the names of the breeder and owner.

Attention! The “owner” column should contain your name, not the name of the breeder. To do this, obtain a pedigree yourself or agree with the breeder to prepare it in advance.

European pedigrees are provided with a number, the seal of the club and the signature of its leader, American pedigrees - only with a number . Pedigree in the USA is informative, and pedigree is confirmed by registering the kitten (and its litter) in the system according to its rules.

In European associations, you may be given a pedigree without a number or marked “pet”, or not at all if you adopted a “Scot” for castration. If you want to draw up a pedigree yourself (provided you have a metric), do it before the pet turns one year old. If you are not going to breed purebred cats, you won't need a pedigree.

Veterinary passport

Information such as:

• name and gender of the kitten;
• breed and date of birth;
• vaccination records (with a veterinary clinic stamp, a special sticker and a doctor’s signature);
• owner/breeder's name.

Despite the fact that a veterinary passport is issued to every purebred animal, it cannot serve as confirmation of the breed: the veterinary passport is filled out by the breeder or doctor, and clubs and felinological associations are responsible for the purity of the breed.

Other documents

All other documents (certificate of registration of the kitten in the system, transfer of ownership, veterinary certificate in form No. 1) are optional, that is, optional. An exception is a purchase and sale agreement, which will protect your rights if an unscrupulous breeder sells you a cat that is known to be sick.

Important! A Scottish Fold cat without documents is not recognized as a purebred cat and is automatically excluded from breeding.

Interesting facts about Scottishfolds

Finally, here are some interesting facts about cats of this wonderful breed.

• They appear more and more often in art. In the 1970 cartoon about Carlson, the cat Freken Bok Matilda is a fluffy Scottish Highland Fold.
• The breed has a kind of antipode. While the Scottish Fold has ears that are bent forward, the American Curl breed has ears that are turned back.
• Some owners note that the Scots are afraid of heights.

The Scottish Fold is a wonderful cat breed. Excellent character, fairly good health and charm conquer the heart at first sight. It is worth adopting a kitten if this is not the first animal in the family, or if you have children. It is important to contact a nursery or breeder with a good reputation, monitor the cat’s health and provide it with everything it needs.

When do fold-eared kittens' ears droop?

First of all, it is necessary to understand genetic mechanics. Because you won’t be able to immediately understand whether a kitten is fold-eared or not. All babies are born with a normal ear structure and all newborn kittens have erect ears. But by 15-20 days, the ears of lop-eared babies droop. Thus, at 2 weeks of age, kittens first show their belonging to the fold-eared group. But the process is not yet complete and things can change quite quickly.

Initially, all animals were born with one fold, but later breeders were able to achieve the formation of two, and after a while, three folds on the ears of cats. If at 2 weeks of age only one fold has formed in lop-eared kittens, then there is a high probability that later the cartilage will become stronger and the ear will straighten - in such kittens the ears rise in 50% of cases, and they grow not as folds, but straights.

The presence of a double fold is a guaranteed sign that can be used to distinguish a fold-eared kitten from an ordinary one. In this combination, the risk of encountering erect ears is reduced by another half.

The most reliable sign is the presence of a triple fold. With it, the ear will definitely remain pressed to the head. However, it will be possible to definitively determine lop ears in a kitten only at the age of 3-4 months.

Important! Despite the fact that Scots differ from other breeds in the unusual shape of their ears, some animal lovers prefer to have straight-eared Straights. They are afraid of possible health problems and believe that a cat with raised ears has a more affectionate character.

Loss of characteristic: when the ears rise

Straight-eared kittens are called straights, and fold-eared kittens are called folds. The clear difference between them lies in the presence and number of folds on the ears. One fold causes the ears to straighten over time. This does not mean that the kitten is straight. To answer the question about his breed, an examination is carried out. It is especially important for owners who plan to crossbreed kittens. An incorrect conclusion about the straightness of an animal leads to the crossing of two lop-eared individuals and sick offspring. If there are two folds, then it is impossible to predict the outcome: the kitten can remain fold-eared with the same success as become straight-eared. Three folds ensure the ears don't straighten out.

External differences between British and Scottish cats

Folds with erect ears are sterilized to prevent the transmission of a dominant gene that has lost visual expression.

There is a clear sign that distinguishes a fold-eared cat with erect ears from a straight-eared one: the size of the ears. The first one has smaller ones.

Temporary changes in the position of the ears are also possible, the cause of which is weather conditions. The heat causes the Fold's ears to rise slightly.

Important! To purchase fold-eared kittens, choose a time of year with moderate temperatures.

In addition, the ears of the folds also rise in females after giving birth.

Video - Scottish Fold cat

Rules for determining lop ears

You can accurately judge the condition of a kitten's ears approximately 2 months after birth.

Fold-earedness in a purebred furry pet is determined as follows:

• It is recommended to determine the age, choose a Scotsman after a month of life, and buy by 8-9 weeks. Then you can finally determine whether the cat was born straight-eared or not.
• The Fold cat looks a little different than the British. It differs not only in the shape of the ears, but also in the structure of the body. The muzzle is wider, the cheeks are small, the eyes are set deeper. It can be seen that the chest area is larger, the limbs are smaller.
• Experienced breeders advise examining which Scotsman has a nose and tail. A purebred cat has no humps or nodules on the bridge of its nose.
• It is better to choose and purchase a fold-eared pet in the cold season, because folds have a peculiarity - in hot weather the ears rise slightly.

How to distinguish a cat from a cat?

The best time to examine small kittens to determine sex is during the first days of their birth. But this is almost impossible to do, since the peace of newborns is protected by the mother cat. At 2 months, babies' bodies have a short fur length and the genitals are more noticeable upon examination. At 1 month after birth, kittens already begin to become covered with a “fur coat”, and it becomes more difficult to distinguish the details of interest. The sex of a newborn baby can be determined with greater certainty once it reaches 2 months of age. Then sexual characteristics begin to appear more actively, the baby is no longer so attached to the mother, and the cat will allow the owner to examine its offspring without fear.

Probing

You can determine the sex of a small kitten by palpating the testicles, but you should be careful.

When determining the sex of 2-3-month-old kittens, manipulations must be carried out quickly and carefully so as not to cause discomfort to the animal or frighten its mother. Before starting the procedure, you should wash your hands with unscented soap, your palms should be warm so that the fluffy does not freeze. It is necessary to place the newly born cat on its stomach, carefully lift its tail and try to feel the testicles between the anus and genitals

You can feel small bumps in a one-month-old kitten. If they don't exist, it's a girl

It is necessary to place the newly born cat on its stomach, carefully lift its tail and try to feel the testicles between the anus and genitals. You can feel small bumps in a one-month-old kitten

If there are none, it's a girl.

The space between the anus and genitals

You can understand the sex of a newborn kitten by measuring the distance between the two holes under the tail and carefully examining their appearance. The procedure looks like this:

1. The newborn kitten is placed on the palm of your hand or a warm towel with its belly down.
2. Raise the tail and look at how far the anus and genitals are located from each other.
3. To study in more detail what is under the kitten’s tail, you can take a photo with your phone and put the baby back to the mother.

The differences are that in male newborns the holes will look like two vertical points, the distance between which is at least 1 cm. Another “hole” will be visible between the “colon” ​​- over time there will be a penis. In small female kittens, under the tail, the anus and vulva resemble an exclamation point and are located next to each other.

According to the shape and type of genital organs

Boys' genitals look like a colon, while girls' genitals look like a vertical line with a dot.

Month-old cats have genitals that look like a dot. A cat's appearance resembles a vertical line. This is their main difference. It is quite easy to notice differences even in kittens before the 12th week of life. Afterwards, you can check the gender of the born kitten based on its habits and character. In breeds such as Britons and Sphynxes, the differences are immediately noticeable.

With the above methods of studying the sex of small kittens, it is strictly forbidden to do such manipulations as:

• lift the kitten by the tail and paws;
• putting too much pressure on the stomach;
• hold in hands for a long time;
• carry out the procedure while feeding.

By coat color

You can tell a boy from a girl by the color of their fur. Tortoiseshell or the presence of three different shades in the “coat” means female. If there are two colors or the fur is completely red, then with a high degree of probability we can say that this is a cat. But with this method of determination, it is difficult to correctly understand the gender of a born Sphynx, Scottish or British kitten, since the difference in the color of girls and boys of the breed is insignificant.

Traditional methods

You can visually identify a male and a female by the outline of their faces and figure; in cats, the lines are smooth and graceful.

You can distinguish a cat from a cat according to folk signs by their gaze - in a male it is more arrogant and bold, while in a female it is timid and fearful. Six months after birth, cats become more like their adult relatives. Their body shapes change, and this can also indicate what gender the animal is. Girls look more graceful, have a thinner “figure” and a neat “face”. Boys have a more powerful body and a larger muzzle. But such identification methods for some breeds, for example, Maine Coons, Scottish, British, Sphynxes, are not accurate, because these pets have a unique body, head and muzzle structure.

Periodization of the kitten's life stages. The first stage - mom is nearby

Kittens grow up to 1 year, during which significant changes occur every month. At the same time, 2-2.5 years is the period when the body finally gets stronger and becomes an adult.

The second stage is independence and growing up

Age Image Features Recommendations

Cat vaccination periods

Important! When the cat turns one year old, his diet should consist only of food for adults, and meals should be reduced to 2 per day.

What to feed a kitten: breakdown by age

If you are feeding a kitten with food, then everything is simple: choose the food in accordance with the age indicated on the package, serve it in the quantity specified in the instructions, and as many times as required by age. But it is worth noting that the food contains many ingredients and if your cat has sensitive digestion and reacts negatively to some components of the food (vomiting, diarrhea), then it is difficult to figure out what kind of product it is. For such cases, natural nutrition is recommended.

Those who are planning to feed their cat natural food will have to study the issue. It will be difficult at first, as you need several meals a day. Once the kitten becomes a teenager, that is, reaches 5 months, everything will become much easier.

Feeding raw meat is preferable for felines because... in nature they feed on it. This diet is considered more balanced, because... Boiled meat already lacks many essential elements. The main thing is that the meat is of high quality, from a factory where infection with worms is minimized and where they are not addicted to chemicals.

A kitten should consume approximately 10% of its body weight per day. This is the average. It is not customary for kittens to limit their food: they should eat as much as they want.

For those who want to feed their cat natural food, but have little time for it, breeders advise making preparations. Mix meat, offal (heart, neck, kidneys - if your cat doesn’t like kidneys because of the specific smell, in which case you can do without kidneys, a little liver - if there is too much liver, the cat may swear), herbs, vegetables (if it contains carrots, its need to be pre-cooked), raw quail egg, chopped kelp or other additive. Place this mixture in portions in bags and freeze in the freezer. Then take out one bag at a time and bring to room temperature. The mix is ​​ready: you can serve the healthy dish to your cat.

What to feed a kitten up to 1 month and a month old Scottish fold and straight-eared kitten

At the age of up to 3 weeks - 1 month, kittens are fed by the mother: up to 2 weeks - 10 times a day, including at night, at 1 month - 8 times a day. Next, complementary foods are introduced, but the kittens feed on their mother’s milk for up to 2.5 months, so they cannot be weaned from her before this period. At this time, the mother cat has a difficult task: her body is exhausted and therefore the best thing the owner can do is to feed the mother intensively and in a balanced manner. But this is a topic for a separate article. Complementary feeding directly to kittens begins at about 1 month.

It happens that kittens do not have a mother for some reason. Then a person has to feed them. This is a difficult and painstaking task: in the first week you need to feed every 2 hours, that is, you will have to take time off from work. In addition, without mother's milk, kittens do not receive her antibodies and resistance to infections. Therefore, if possible, it is better to place the kittens with another nursing cat (a healthy, clean cat with all vaccinations; a street mother will not do): usually she does not refuse to shelter foundlings.

Did you know that sometimes cats even feed animals of other species? For example, one caring mother fed the hedgehogs given to her.

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But it happens that there is no such possibility. Then you need to feed the kittens at the rate of 30 ml of food per 100 grams of kitten weight in the first week, 38 ml per 100 grams of kitten weight in two weeks, 48 ​​ml per 100 grams of kitten weight in the third week, 48-53 ml per 100 grams of weight from four weeks weeks We are talking about milk (cream) or special factory milk mixture for kittens. The mixture can be poured into the mouth through a bottle with a nipple, a pipette or a syringe without a needle: be careful so that the kitten does not choke. This mixture can be purchased at a pet store.

Why is cow's milk worse than mother's milk or ready-made formula? The water content in cat milk is 70%, fat content - no more than 11%, proteins - 11%, lactose - 3%. At first glance, cow's milk is very similar in composition to cat's milk, which contains 88% water, 3.2% protein, 3.25% fat, 5.2% lactose. It also contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, D, calcium, magnesium and potassium. But there is a significant difference in the amount of lactose: in cow's milk there is 5.2%, in cat's milk it is only 3%, that is, almost half as much. And the kitten’s digestive system has difficulty accepting large amounts of lactose. Therefore, if possible, for artificial feeding it is better to use factory formula or goat milk, which contains less lactose.

If you decide to feed your kitten a cow product (and life often dictates this option, because not everyone has access to special mixtures), it is better to take cream: 1 bag of 10% fat mixed with 1 egg yolk. This mixture is given instead of mother's milk.

Experts consider factory-made premium cat milk substitutes to be the ideal option. The substitute's properties are as close as possible to cat milk and correspond to the capabilities of the kitten's digestive system. Milk substitutes are also enriched with taurine, an amino acid that is almost absent in the milk of ungulates, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

At about 4 weeks, kittens can begin to be weaned off milk if they are drinking formula. Milk is gradually stopped being given to the kitten and solid food is introduced into the diet. You can start feeding Scottish kittens with minced meat (the very first times), or it is possible and even desirable, on the contrary, to give large pieces, from which the kitten will have to tear off a part in order to swallow it.

Sometimes it is necessary to introduce complementary foods up to 1 month, because... The cat has little milk. You can guess that kittens are malnourished by the way they squeak all the time and try to cling to the cat's chest and your fingers.

You need to start with one type of complementary food and only when the kitten has mastered it well, start introducing another. For example, we start with one type of meat. It should be finely chopped or blended into a paste. It is also good to start complementary feeding with fermented milk products (ryazhenka, cottage cheese), but not with kefir, because it is too heavy for babies.

EXPERT COMMENT: FELINOLOGIST ZHANNA KORSUNSKAYA

Kittens are able to eat the same food as their mother from the age of three weeks. However, this does not mean the end of breastfeeding: the cat will feed the children for quite a long time. As kittens grow, the share of main food increases, and the share of mother's milk decreases until it disappears. Don’t be afraid that the pieces in mom’s bowl are too big or that there are bones: the kitten won’t start with the difficult ones in any case. He will choose what he likes, what he can bite off, chew, and swallow. The lack of essential substances at this age is compensated by mother's milk. Therefore, there is no need for complementary feeding - light, crushed, fortified food for kittens. If the mother's diet is balanced, then it is absolutely suitable for children. If the cub has not yet begun to be interested in the mother’s food, but is as well-fed and active as its brothers, there is no reason to worry. And under no circumstances should you try to force feed. When the time comes, the kitten itself will begin to eat from its mother’s bowl and over time will completely switch to a meat diet.

What to feed a two-month-old Scottish kitten (1-2 months)

The menu for a 2-month-old Scottish kitten includes eating 7 times a day. At this age, ideally, kittens still receive their mother's milk, but are already happy to eat complementary foods. At 1.5 months, a kitten requires about 120 grams of food per day, including mother's milk, which still remains the basis of the diet.

The food of a Scottish kitten at 2 months can be natural or factory-made. If you plan to feed your kitten with ready-made food, then this is done starting from 1-1.5 months. To do this, you need to purchase special products for kittens according to their age. If it is dry food, then it must be soaked first, because the kitten is not able to digest such solid food. Or buy canned kitten wet food. However, it is advisable to start complementary feeding with meat.

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But soup for Scottish kittens is not a relevant food. Starting from a very early age, kittens can already consume minced meat and small pieces of meat. The consistency of soup is not necessary for normal digestion.

EXPERT COMMENT: FELINOLOGIST ELENA SHABAEVA

Complementary feeding should start with meat, preferably raw, even if you later plan to feed with factory-made food. On the contrary, under no circumstances should you do so. Raw meat regulates the production of necessary enzymes in the kittens' stomach, and other enzymes are produced to digest ready-made food. And for full healthy functioning of the gastrointestinal tract you need meat. I start giving raw minced chicken at 3 weeks, and chicken pieces at 1.5 months. But we have a reliable supplier. If your poultry plant is fond of excessively stuffing chickens with chemicals, it is better to look for another supplier. The ideal meat for cats is turkey and rabbit, but, alas, you can’t find it everywhere. Beef has large molecules, so this meat is difficult to digest. There is no need to be afraid of parasites in raw meat from factories, because... animals there are regularly prevented. But domestic and wild meat is highly likely to be contaminated.

What to feed a kitten at 2-3 months

At 2 months, the Scottish kitten’s digestive system is ready for gradual weaning. But not harsh! That is why it is recommended to take kittens to a new family no earlier than 3 months. Before this, the baby still needs milk and antibodies from the mother, not to mention education and care.

During this period, he should eat 6 times a day, the total amount of food is 160-180 grams per day.

During this period, the kitten can already absorb small pieces of meat, because... teeth are formed. But it is better to mix the meat with grated vegetables or bran, flavoring it with a couple of pinches.

After weaning the kitten, you need to get vaccinations, because... the body loses its protection against infections, whereas before weaning it was protected by the mother’s immune system. Therefore, at 2 months they are vaccinated against major feline infections (rhinotracheitis, distemper, etc.), followed by revaccination at approximately 3 months.

When you take a cat into your home, you should not suddenly change its diet. Therefore, before you pick up the cub, ask the breeder what he fed, and for the first couple of weeks stick to the same menu. After two weeks of the cat’s stay in your house, you can gradually change the diet to the one you have chosen. This is done gradually: do not immediately give up familiar products, introduce new ones in doses.

If you feed your kitten dry food, then, starting from 2 months, you no longer need to soak it.

What to feed a 3-4 month old kitten

During this period, the kitten actively grows, its gastrointestinal tract is completely formed. At this time, it is necessary to add mineral complexes for kittens, rich in calcium, to the diet, because the main source of calcium (milk) is no longer absorbed and is excluded from the diet. The nutrition of a 4-month-old Scottish kitten also includes fermented milk products: it can be given in any quantity for the rest of its life on a natural diet, and high-quality ready-made food already includes all the necessary elements.

During this period, you need to feed the kitten 4-5 times a day, the total amount of food is 180-240 grams per day (depending on the weight of the animal), including meat - at least 40 grams, and preferably 80 grams.

The meat is given in the form of pieces so that the predator can sharpen its teeth on them and develop its jaw.

Closer to 4-5 months, sprouted grass is introduced into the diet, because it contains the necessary vitamins and helps to get rid of swallowed hair in a timely manner.

Just look how much joy a huge piece of raw meat brings to a baby! Need to watch with sound.

What to feed a 4-5 month old kitten

From 4-5 months the kitten already becomes a teenager. Some early maturing individuals even manage to reach maturity at this time. In the human world, a 4-5 month old kitten is still perceived as a child, while its feline counterparts consider it almost their equal.

At this time, cats are transferred to four meals a day with a total volume of up to 180-240 grams per day. The daily portion of food is reduced because the kitten's growth is no longer as active and it requires less food. But at the same time, the kitten is still gaining weight, so he needs a lot of protein.

The meat can no longer be ground or crushed, but given in cut pieces of noticeable size - the animal needs to train its jaw.

From about 5 months, low-fat sea fish is added to the diet, if this is planned at all. Fish, unlike meat, is always given only boiled, because... is almost guaranteed to be a source of worms. But in principle, you can do without this product: cats are, first of all, meat eaters, and fish for them is nothing more than a delicacy that is added to the menu no more than once a week. If you do this regularly once a week, then you need to choose non-fatty varieties, and if fish is served occasionally as a delicacy, you can also indulge in salmon, which is fattier.

What to feed a kitten 5-9 months old

At 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 months, the teenager is still developing and eats about 4 times a day, although many individuals already refuse additional meals and eat 2-3 times a day. The total amount eaten should fit into 180-240 grams per day.

Around this period of time, many cats go into heat and they eat less well and lose weight. This is a normal process, do not force your cat to eat too much: after the heat, she will make up for everything herself.

What to feed a kitten 9-12 months old

At 9, 10, 11 and 12 months, the cat is almost an adult, although the Scots continue to slowly develop until they are 2 years old. However, fewer calories and building materials are needed for the body: at this time the cat is fed 2-3 times a day, the total amount of food is on average 180-200 grams. The ideal option would be to calculate the portion individually: the daily dose of food for an older cat is 3-5% of its body weight.

Over 12 months

After 1 year, it is already an adult cat that needs to be fed twice a day. Read more about the nutrition of adult Scottish cats and kittens in our other article.

Adding to the family: how to care for a mother and her newborns

In the first weeks of life, kittens go through stages from helplessness and huddling around their mother to independent activity and exploration of their environment.

On day 10, their eyes open: they feel more confident and begin to crawl around the cat. After a month, the kittens are fed food that will be their diet throughout their lives. At the same time, they leave the boxes that served them as shelter during the helpless period of life and master the surfaces. This is a favorable period for training a kitten to use a litter tray.

Color genetics

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Scottish Fold cat photo smoky

Kittens' eye color gradually changes: from dull blue to their real color. This process takes up to 2 years and is called reblooming. The inclusions appear first, which then spread and provide a permanent color. Green eyes take the longest to form.

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Highlighted, smoky and shaded

Black pigment sometimes does not appear as bright as red. Then kittens with bleached fur are born. These include colors:

• Cream;
• Blue;
• Lilac;
• Chocolate (cinnamon);
• Brown;
• Silver.

Important: Brown is significantly different from cinnamon. Cats with chocolate fur have a warm undertone that fades to red. And the paw pads and nose are dark pink.

Smoky color - half of the hair is dyed in a regular color (red, cream, black, etc.), and the lower part at the roots is almost white, that is, with extreme lightening. Such Scottish Folds are not popular at shows, but smoky kittens are often born.

Chinchillas are rightfully considered spectacular and fascinating because of their color . Only the ends of their hair are filled with colored pigment, approximately 1/8 of the entire length.

There are also shaded chinchillas with 1/3 of the colored area . Tabby patterns are not allowed. Chinchillas' eye colors are green, emerald, orange or golden.

How to choose the right one?

There are some recommendations and rules for choosing purebred Scots:

• The animal must be healthy with dense hair, clean eyes and a soft belly to the touch.
• Real folds look cheerful, playful and content.
• It is necessary to have a pedigree and a passport of the animal, especially for its participation in exhibitions and competitions.
• It is necessary to find out from the breeder who the kitten’s parents are, since their genetics affects the health of the babies.
• A real fold-eared cat will have a high cost. If a seller sells a pet cheaply, then you need to think about whether it is defective.

By following these rules, you can easily choose a pet with good health. If you want to make an affectionate, gentle, playful friend, following all the recommendations, this breed is better suited. In order to quickly and easily make friends with your pet, you need to carefully watch the reaction and behavior. It is possible to determine a suitable cat this way: if it does not attack a person, does not snort, and does not try to run away. If a lop-eared pet purrs, then this is a sure sign of the beginning of friendship between him and the future owner.

This characteristic of the Scottish cat breed will help you get your bearings and understand whether they are really offering you a real purebred kitten or a mestizo. But first, a photo, because it’s better to see once than to hear seven times. Let's see what a Scottish fold and straight-eared cat looks like and a real fold-eared cat.

Training and education

Scottish Straight
Intelligent by nature, Scottish Straight cats are easy to educate and very difficult to fully train. Teaching a Straight to use a litter box and a scratching post is not at all difficult, provided that this process was started in time, before your pet matures. By the way, young Scottish cats are active and sometimes uncontrollable, so in the first months of the baby’s life you will have to put up with the inevitable destruction in the house.

Even if the fame of Yuri Kuklachev haunts you, it’s better not to get carried away with the serious drill of straights. Whatever the experts say, unquestioning obedience to commands is not the strong point of Scottish straight-eared cats. Instill in your pet the basics of etiquette and teach him to respect subordination - this will be quite enough. As for a full-fledged training program, save it for show-class individuals, who will later have to demonstrate their talents at exhibitions.

• If the animal allows itself too much, try to stop it with the command “No!”, which is given in a stern and loud voice.
• If the kitten does not respond to a stern tone, grab it by the scruff of the neck and imitate a cat hissing. The baby will understand this language faster.
• Do not try to poke the kitten's muzzle into the puddle it has made or try to hammer the basics of cleanliness into it with a slipper. After suffering stress, the cat will definitely play a mischief in another place, but this time it will be reliably hidden from you.
• Have you noticed that your plush beast is sitting in an unambiguous position on the carpet or trying to steal food from the table? Scare him with a loud whistle or clap of your hands. Make no mistake, fear is a very powerful educational tool.
• Never scold or praise a Scottish Straight cat after the fact. Despite a fairly high level of intelligence, the animal is not able to connect together yesterday's exemplary behavior and today's reward.

Features of the care and maintenance of “Scots”

Scots are an unpretentious breed, which, however, requires special care. Caring for Scottish cats is not difficult, but it has its own specifics that you need to know about.

Coat care

Akita Inu: description of dog breed, character

Plush fur does not require special care, but a cat that lives in an apartment and is warm all year round may be constantly shedding. There is no pathology in this, it’s just that the cat’s body does not grasp the system of changing seasons.

Due to constant shedding, a cat's fur requires regular brushing. If this is not done, tangles may form that cannot be removed with a comb.

For express shedding, you can contact a groomer. The cat groomer will comb your cat and tell you how to care for its fur. For combing at home, it is best to use a furminator. It makes it much easier to remove excess hair.

For reference! Dry air can also lead to heavy, constant shedding. In this case, buying a humidifier will change the situation.

Bathing

Cats are very clean animals and do not require special water procedures. Bathing is very stressful for a cat.

You only need to wash a Scotsman if he has gotten very dirty in something.

Important! After washing, the cat must be dried thoroughly. If this is not done, the kitty may catch a cold.

Dental care

The Scots do not require any special dental care. But some cats can develop plaque that develops into tartar.

To prevent these conditions, you can give hard treats that remove plaque from the teeth. Also, cats with a predisposition to the appearance of plaque and stone are recommended to visit the veterinarian once every six months. In advanced cases, the stone is cleared using an ultrasound scaler under general anesthesia.

Eye care

The Scottish cat has a short, flat face, so drooping eyes are normal for Scottish cats. This is called "brachycephalic syndrome."

Normally, tears, moistening the eye, should flow into the nasolacrimal duct. In Scots, due to their short muzzle, the nasolacrimal duct may be deformed or completely closed. Therefore, tear fluid overflows over the edge of the eyelid, and smudges appear under the eyes.

If your pet has this problem, the best solution is to use a special eye wash lotion. Instead of lotion, you can use boiled water or aqueous chlorhexidine.

Important! You cannot use tea leaves to wash your eyes, as the tea leaves contain microorganisms that can form pathogenic microflora in a cat’s eye.

Nail care

Some Scottish cats have uncontrollable nail growth and this needs to be monitored. Normally, when using a scratching post, the cat removes the top layer of its claws, thereby grinding them down. But some Scots neglect the scratching post (perhaps due to joint pain).

If an ordinary cat can have its claws trimmed only when necessary, then the Scottish paws need to be given attention monthly. If this is not done, the claw will bend and dig into the paw pad with its sharp part, causing pain to the animal.

To properly trim a Scotsman's claws, you need to press the cat's finger from above - then the claw will “come out” of the paw, and cut off its tip to the pink border.

Important! If you accidentally touch the pink part of the claw, you can damage the vessel. To stop bleeding, hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate in powder form is used.

Nutrition

Scots are usually not picky eaters and choosing food is not difficult. A proper diet helps the cat’s body maintain immunity, prevents urolithiasis and eating disorders.

With the purchase of a Scottish cat, the owner is faced with the question of what to feed the animal. The choice has to be made between a natural diet and ready-made food. When deciding to feed an animal natural food, it is necessary to create a diet. To do this, you need to visit a veterinary nutritionist.

From food the cat should receive:

• proteins;
• carbohydrates;
• fats;
• minerals;
• essential amino acids;
• fiber;
• vitamins;
• macro- and microelements.

Important! Only a specialist can choose the right diet! Feeding your cat "from the table" can lead to digestive problems.

Feeding commercial food saves the owner from preparing food specifically for the cat, and it is also more economically profitable. All the necessary elements are already in the food, in the best combination. The owners just have to calculate the portion. A hint about the amount of food per day is always on the back of the pack.

Food is divided into classes: economy, premium and super-premium, and also comes in the form of dry food, spiders, canned food and mousses. More or less good food starts from the premium class.

Economy food contains too few nutrients, and the cat must eat too much to be satisfied. Sooner or later this will lead to obesity.

It is impossible to say unequivocally that some food is good and some is bad. There is food that is suitable for a particular cat, and if there is one that will only cause the animal to become upset.

Conditions of detention

Scottish cats are considered one of the easiest pets to care for. They feel great both in a small apartment and in a private house. It is worth buying or making your own personal sleeping place for an animal. It is also recommended to purchase a scratching post, the length of which should correspond to the height of the Scottish cat. You should not refuse to buy a carrier to transport your pet if necessary.

The Scots are not picky when it comes to content. In order for an animal to live comfortably in a room, it must be clean and safe. This pet is extremely clean, he puts his fur in order and quickly gets used to going to the litter box.

Before bringing a small pet into your home, you need to complete the following steps.

• Remove unnecessary objects from the kitten's access area. For example, wires, breakable and sharp objects.
• Buy food and water dishes for the animal. The best option would be heavy metal or ceramic cookware.
• Place the tray and fill it with filler. Kittens should buy a container with low sides, and as they grow older, change it to a higher model.
• Prepare a place to rest - this can be a sunbed or a blanket folded several times.
• Buy food, toys, scratching post.

Grooming

Scottish cats can be shorthaired or semi-longhaired. With cats that have short hair, there is little hassle. Their fur is brushed weekly using a special mitten or a brush with natural bristles. Semi-long-haired representatives of the breed should purchase a comb that has Teflon-coated teeth. Animals should be taught to comb from a young age.

Animals kept in the house are bathed monthly. Scots usually react well to water, but they should only wash their coat if it gets dirty. For this procedure you need to buy a special shampoo for cats. When bathing your pet, you need to make sure that water does not get into his ears. After washing, the cats are dried and sent to a warm place where there is no draft.

For water procedures, preference is given to colorless and odorless shampoos that do not contain harmful chemical ingredients and allergens. Scottish cats that participate in exhibitions are bathed depending on the color of their coat. Dark animals need to be washed a week before the event, and light animals - 5 days.

Haircuts for Scottish cats are unpleasant, but common procedures. Pets are given haircuts and hairstyles for the same purpose as other animals. This procedure can be carried out only if tangles have formed, as well as after applying medications or to remove dirt.

Nail care

Domestic cats need their nails trimmed. This process is quite simple and does not cause discomfort to the animal. You need to put Scottish on your lap and, taking his paw in your hands, press on the pads. Once your pet has released its claws, they can be trimmed. In this process, the main thing is not to damage the living body of the claw. Claws should be trimmed carefully, once every 2-3 weeks.

Eye and ear hygiene

The eyes and ears of Scottish cats need regular examination. These animals usually have clean ears, but when plaque appears in them, the contamination is removed with a cotton swab. When cleaning your ears, you can also use a special lotion.

The special structure of the skull of the Scottish breed of cats causes the narrowing of their nasolacrimal ducts. For this reason, your pet may experience slight discharge from the eyes. In this case, the eyes need to be cleaned with a cotton pad or chlorhexidine wipe.

Dental care

To keep the pet's teeth in good condition, the owner can buy him a special toy - an edible chewing stick. Alternatively, you can use a toothbrush and toothpaste for cats. A Scottish cat's teeth should be brushed 1 or 2 times a week. Scottish dogs do not like this process, so it is better to accustom them to this from an early age.

Kitten care

Scottish kittens do not require special care. They can be fed dry food, but of good quality. Kittens should not be brushed unless there is a reason for it. Babies with long hair should be gradually accustomed to brushing, carrying out the procedure twice a month. Little Scottish cats need to be bathed only if they are very dirty in the mud.

Kittens need to have their nails trimmed from an early age so that they get used to this procedure. You don't need to clean your ears, but if they smell bad, that's a reason to go to the vet. Watery eyes should be wiped once every 7 days with a cotton pad soaked in chlorhexidine.

Puberty in cats

In a Scottish pet that comes into the family at the age of 3 months, sexual maturation can begin early, at 4.5 months. Physiologically, a Scots kitten will gain strength only after 9 months or later. The reproductive period, the gestation period comes after 10 months, lasts on average until 7-8 years of age. Premature pregnancy is harmful to the kitten’s fragile body.

The cat is in heat

Scots are a breed with average sexuality, so during the period of heat, many do not arrange unbearable concerts. The period of the first and all subsequent heats is difficult not to notice; within 3-4 days, the imperturbable Scottish woman’s behavior changes dramatically. She becomes either too affectionate or restless, runs after family members, and constantly makes sharp “meowing” sounds. Begins to mark the surrounding space around. These cat days are called estrus, rut, or hunting.

According to the nature of its passage, estrus can be divided into periods:

• The first one goes quite calmly. The cat develops small transparent discharge from its intimate parts, signaling the onset of estrus;
• In the second period, the character changes dramatically, the cat constantly screams heartbreakingly, emitting different sounds, calling out the cats. She may not eat, constantly raising and lowering her tail, periodically rolling on the floor or raising her butt.
• After a few days, she calms down and gradually returns to normal.