Editing Scottish Fold (section)

==Acceptance==
Legal bans on the breeding and sometimes sale of Folds have been enacted in several countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, and Scotland, due to the breed's health issues, especially deformities and pain caused by [[osteochondrodysplasia]], which results in abnormalities in bone and cartilage throughout the body. Some of the major [[Cat registry|cat registries]], such as the [[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy|GCCF]] and [[Fédération Internationale Féline|FIFe]], do not recognise, nor allow for the registry and competition showing of, Scottish folds.

=== Legal bans ===
Due to the prevalence of [[osteochondrodysplasia]] in the breed {{see below|[[#Osteochondrodysplasia|below]]}}, several countries and states have prohibited breeding with Scottish folds, in order to protect animal welfare. Banning countries include the [[Netherlands]] in 2014,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |publisher=Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority |date=31 October 2022 |title=Fokken met katten - Honden en katten |url= https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/honden-en-katten/fokken-met-uw-hond-of-kat/fokken-met-katten |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=NVWA.nl |language=nl}}</ref> [[Austria]] in 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Tierschutzombudsstelle Wien |title=Qualzucht bei Katzen |url= https://www.tieranwalt.at/de/Projekte/Qualzucht_ALT/Qualzucht-bei-Katzen/iActivityId__433.htm |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=Tieranwalt.at |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=RIS - Tierschutzgesetz - Bundesrecht konsolidiert, Fassung vom 01.04.2023 |url= https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=20003541 |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=RIS.BKA.gv.at}}</ref> [[Flanders]] ([[Belgium]]) in 2021,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Verbod op de kweek en het verhandelen van fold katten |url= https://www.vlaanderen.be/verbod-op-de-kweek-en-het-verhandelen-van-fold-katten |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=Vlaanderen.be |language=nl}}</ref> [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]] ([[Australia]]).<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Victoria Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions |date=6 July 2020 |title=Code of Practice for the Breeding of Animals with Heritable Defects that Cause Disease |url= https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/domestic-animals-act/codes-of-practice/code-of-practice-for-the-breeding-of-animals-with-heritable-defects-that-cause-disease |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=Agriculture Victoria}}</ref> The breed is also indirectly banned by Norwegian and Swedish legislation prohibiting the breeding of animals with genetic make up that makes it likely to produce unhealthy offspring.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Løkkevik |first=Ole |date=4 July 2023 |title=Mattilsynet: Avl på katterasen Scottish Fold er i strid med dyrevelferdsloven |url= https://direkte.vg.no/nyhetsdognet/news/mattilsynet-avl-paa-katterasen-scottish-fold-er-i-strid-med-dyrevelferdsloven.hEHPsLIky |access-date=4 July 2023 |website=VG |language=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=xtreme breeding in Europe - Mapping of legislation |url=https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/files/eurogroupforanimals/2023-11/2023_11_30_Extreme%20breeding%20in%20Europe%20-%20Mapping%20of%20legislation%20FINAL.pdf |website=Eurogroup for Animals |access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref>  Some countries have also banned selling<ref name=":1" /> of Scottish fold cats, or the breeding with any cat that bears the gene mutation resulting in osteochondrodysplasia, so even breeding with some of the Scottish straights may be legally restricted.<ref name=":0" /> Potential parent cats can be tested for this mutation before breeding.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scottish Fold |publisher=Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, [[University of California, Davis]] |url= https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/scottish-fold |access-date=1 April 2023 |website=vgl.ucdavis.edu}}</ref>

=== 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.

===Popularity===
Despite warnings from organisation such as GCCF ("we strongly advise members of the public not to try to acquire cats of this breed"<ref name="GCCF-health" />), the distinctive physical traits of the Scottish Fold, combined with their reputation as unusually loving companions, make Folds highly sought-after pets, with Fold kittens typically costing considerably more than kittens of more common breeds.<ref name="PetPlace">{{cite web |url= http://www.petplace.com/cats/choosing-a-scottish-fold/page1.aspx |title=Choosing a Scottish Fold |work=Pet Place |access-date=3 October 2009}}</ref> Scottish folds are also popular among celebrities, one of them being American singer [[Taylor Swift]], who owns two Scottish fold cats named Meredith Grey (after [[Meredith Grey|the titular character]] of the medical drama series ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]''), and [[Olivia Benson (cat)|Olivia Benson]] (after [[Olivia Benson|the protagonist]] of the police drama series ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'').<ref name="billboard">{{cite magazine |last1=Dailey |first1=Hannah |title=Taylor Swift's Cat Olivia Benson Is Reportedly Worth $97 Million |url= https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-cat-olivia-benson-worth-97-million-1235193860/ |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=31 January 2023}}</ref>