Editing Scottish Fold (section)

=== Registry bans ===
Because of its health problems, the breed is not accepted by either the [[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cat Breeds not recognised by GCCF but with some recognition by WCC members|date=2024|work=GCCFCats.org|publisher=[[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy]]|url=https://www.gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Unrecognised-Breeds-11.2024.pdf|access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref name="GCCF-health">{{cite web|title=The GCCF says Health and Welfare Come First|work=GCCFCats.org|publisher=[[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy]]|url=https://www.gccfcats.org/welfare/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240225171747/https://www.gccfcats.org/Welfare/|archive-date=25 February 2024|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref> or the [[Fédération Internationale Féline]] (FIFe).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Breeds|website=FIFeWeb.org|publisher=[[Fédération Internationale Féline]]|url=https://fifeweb.org/cats/breeds/|archive-date=22 April 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422142526/https://fifeweb.org/cats/breeds/|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref name="FIF-breeding">{{cite web|title=Health & Welfare Rules|at=§3.5.2 "Genetic Diseases"|work=FIFeWeb.org|publisher=[[Fédération Internationale Féline]]|url=https://fifeweb.org/health-welfare-rules/#3.5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319083945/https://fifeweb.org/health-welfare-rules/#3.5|archive-date=19 March 2025|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref>  GCCF withdrew registrations in 1971 due to crippling deformity of the limbs and tail in some cats and concerns about genetic difficulties and ear problems such as [[infection]], [[mites]], and [[deafness]], but the Folds were exported to the [[Americas]] and the breed continued to be established, using [[outcross]]ing with [[British Shorthair]]s and [[American Shorthair]]s. Since the initial concerns were brought, the Fold breed has not had the mite and infection problems.{{r|CFA}}

[[Cat Fanciers' Association]] breeders have stated that using only fold to non-fold breeding has eliminated problems with stiff tails, shortened tails, and bone [[lesions]].{{r|CFA}} In the FIFe discussion, the representative for British breeders claimed that they were not seeing the problem in their cats, and that the study which showed that all heterozygous also have the condition had a small sample size. An offer of free [[Radiography|X-ray radiography]] was presented to 300 breeders to find a Fold cat with healthy hind legs, but it was never taken up.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.kolumbus.fi/minna.peltonen/fifenpts.htm |title= FIFe decision not to accept Scottish Fold breed in May 2003 |access-date= 2 February 2012 |archive-date= 10 March 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130310094918/http://www.kolumbus.fi/minna.peltonen/fifenpts.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://au.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ScottishFoldandScottishShorthairGroup/message/199?o=1&d=-1 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120701174601/http://au.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ScottishFoldandScottishShorthairGroup/message/199?o=1&d=-1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2012 |title=Email from ScottishFoldandScottishShorthairGroup |date=2008 |access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref> A similar offer was set up by the [[World Cat Federation]] together with researcher [[Leslie A. Lyons|Leslie Lyons]] but there was also no response. FIFe stated that they will not consider recognizing Scottish Folds if breeders will not allow their breed to be scrutinized.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.worldcatcongress.org/wp/lib.html |title=Minutes of the Business Meeting of the World Cat Congress: Arnhem, the Netherlands: 14th April. 2009 |access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref>

In a report on Scottish Folds, the Breed Standards Advisory Council for [[New Zealand Cat Fancy]] (NZCF) states that "Breeders may not have appreciated the strength of the evidence that heterozygous cats can and do develop [feline] OCD." While research shows that all heterozygous Folds develop OCD, and anecdotal evidence shows that heterozygous Folds can and do develop OCD, they do not show whether mildly affected parents are more likely to have mildly affected offspring. They also do not show what percentage of Folds are severely affected. The report states that there is not enough information to justify banning Scottish Fold matings, but enough to justify a level of concern.<ref name="nzcfecmeeting">{{cite web |url= http://www.nzcf.com/downloads/EC%20Meeting%20Sept%202011.doc |title=Minutes of Executive Council Meeting No: 28 (doc) |date=24–25 September 2011 |publisher=New Zealand Cat Fancy |access-date=3 February 2012}}</ref> Recommended guidelines include:

* A requirement for periodic vet examination of breeding cats for any evidence of lameness, stiffness, or pain—breeding cats with signs to be desexed. 
* A requirement for periodic X-rays of breeding cats and comparison of X-ray evidence with clinical symptoms, possibly leading to a requirement that cats with a specified degree of skeletal change to be desexed.
* Requesting the agreement of pet owners to be periodically contacted by the NZCF or by a researcher, to provide reports about the health of their cat. 
* All information to be reported/submitted to the BSAC to allow information to be collated to give an overall picture of FOCD in Scottish Folds in NZ.
* Requirements to be in place for a minimum of 5 years to enable tracking of the health of Folds over time.