Swift rise in popularity for Taylor’s cat
THEY are beloved of superstars such as Taylor Swift, despite controversy over their breeding.
Now the Scottish Fold has been named Britain’s favourite cat in a poll. The distinctive shorthair breed with its unique folded ears is known to be both affectionate and intelligent.
Some 110,000 Scottish Folds were sold in 2021 and their popularity has been boosted by Ms Swift, who regularly posts images of her two cats Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson on social media.
Another pop megastar, Ed
Sheeran, also has a Scottish Fold, Calippo, for which he’s created a dedicated Instagram page.
The poll, carried out by pet food firm Burns Pet Nutrition, put Ragdoll cats as a close second and Maine Coons third.
However, cat charities have called for Scottish Folds to be banned amid fears their distinctive appearance causes them health issues.
The breed often experiences kidney disease and joint problems, and can have difficulty breathing due to its short nose, according to welfare charity Cats Protection.
In the UK, the breed is not recognised for pedigree registration to deter breeding, but can still be bought and sold.
Scottish Folds are banned in Australia, Austria, Belgium – and even Scotland itself.
The first of the shorthairs was a farm kitten found in Scotland in 1961, which was bred to reproduce its rare folded ears.
The survey of 2,041 pet owners also broke down its results by colour and found that calico cats were the easiest to train.
Burns Pet Nutrition’s Laura Crotch-Harvey said: ‘All cat breeds are often unfairly lumped in together as one. But like dogs, cats have very different personalities and needs, from grooming [to] stimulation, exercise, and nutrition.
‘Those looking for that perfect companion should investigate the different breeds to ensure they’re picking the cat that best suits them and their lifestyle.’