What to feed Scottish fold and straight-eared cats and Scottish cats

Updated: 11/29/2018 15:19:36

Expert: Anfisa Werner

*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

When getting a pet, everyone should understand that they take on great responsibility. It is necessary to look after the animal, take care of it, monitor its health and feed it properly. Scottish cats need special food. Ready-made factory ones are the most convenient, as they already have all the necessary elements in the right proportions. The professional feed also contains vitamins, so you don’t have to feed your cat with them additionally.

All veterinarians unanimously declare that it is not recommended to buy advertised ones like Whiskas, Kitekat, etc. They contain taste enhancers, so the cat gets used to it, subsequently refusing to consume healthy food, and constant feeding on such ready-made food leads to health problems. Our rating, for which Expertology experts have selected the 8 best foods for Scottish cats, will tell you what kind of food you should buy.

Animal hygiene

The Scottish Fold cat is considered one of the least problematic breeds. But, despite the fact that they are very clean, there are still some nuances in caring for Scots.

Eye care for Scottish Fold cats

Scottish Folds are not prone to excessive tearing, so caring for the eyes of a healthy cat does not cause any special problems. If a sick animal develops cloudy discharge, only a veterinarian can prescribe treatment. In this case, the pet needs daily eye treatment and cleansing of the fur around them.

Eye care for small Scottish Fold kittens will have to be organized almost daily. A fragile body is sensitive to all changes in temperature, weather, light conditions and instantly responds to them. Even bright light can cause discharge from a cat's eyes.

Care and cleaning of the ears of a Scottish Fold cat

The unusual structure of the auricle in the Scottish Fold cat requires special care for the hearing organs. At a young age, your pet’s cartilage is still weak and is easily injured by careless movement. Therefore, ears need to be cleaned with extreme caution.

For small kittens, the procedure is performed 1-2 times a week, and at a later age – once a month.

Scottish cats have their ears cleaned in several stages:

1. The bent part is carefully lifted.
2. Treat the auricle with a hygienic product using a cotton swab or swab.
3. A cleansing agent is instilled into the ear canal, which in liquid form safely penetrates deep into the ear canal and neutralizes impurities. For Scottish Fold cats, it is recommended to purchase drops in a package with a long pipette. This makes it more convenient to administer the product and less likely to damage weak cartilage.

Important! The ears are the most vulnerable organ in straight-eared and fold-eared Scottish cats. Dirt accumulates in them and sulfur secretions are formed. It is because of poor ear hygiene that many inflammatory processes in the body begin.

Care of fur and claws

If you accustom your Scottish Fold cat to brushing from childhood, then in the future it will be much easier to care for its fur.

The owner of a longhaired Highland, unlike an ordinary Scottish Fold, will have to devote much more time to the luxurious coat of his pet. Without regular care, long hair becomes tangled, blood-sucking parasites multiply on the skin, and the cat begins to develop health problems.

Both adult Scottish Fold cats and small kittens need constant control of their claws. The pet should also be accustomed to this operation from childhood. Even if the animal actively uses the scratching post, it still needs to be “introduced” to the tools for trimming claws so that in the future the cat can easily endure the procedure.

Important! There are many small blood vessels on the paw pads. It is necessary to trim the claws very carefully so as not to damage the skin and to avoid bleeding in the cat.

What kind of food is there?

Today, domestic cats have long left the category of mousecatchers, becoming favorite “couch” pets. The owner is responsible for feeding the cats, so responsibility for the quality of the food falls on his shoulders.

In order for a Scottish cat (or a cat of another breed) to be well-fed and happy, its menu must be thoughtful and balanced.

How can you organize your domestic cat’s diet:

• Natural food. An option for lucky owners of free time. If you have the opportunity to prepare separate food for your purebred pet, then do so. You won't find a better balanced menu option.
• Ready meals. In stores you can find a huge range of different pet foods. Now you don’t have to worry about what to feed your cat. The manufacturers have already thought of everything for you. The owner only has to choose the required product.
• Combined menu. In this case, the cat’s diet will consist of purchased feed and natural food. With proper preparation of such a diet, the cat will be well-fed and healthy.

To choose one of the options, take a closer look at your schedule. For busy people, the option of ready-made meals is more suitable, because the time required for its preparation is minimal. If you are a homebody, then you can easily afford to prepare food not only for yourself, but also for the cat.

Keep in mind that when choosing an option, you are accustoming your cat to a certain diet. Switching to another menu, if necessary, will not be possible immediately (if at all).

Bathing a fold cat

Like any other cats, Scottish Folds do not like water. But if you teach a kitten to bathe from childhood, in the future he will not resist the procedure much.

In order to minimize stress when a cat comes into contact with water, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Trimming the nails will protect the owner's skin if the Scotsie begins to resist bathing. In some cases, thick wristbands are additionally put on the hands, which protect the wrists from deep scratches.
2. A degreasing composition is applied to dry wool. These could be dry shampoos, gels or other similar hygiene products for cats.
3. Leave the composition on the surface of the cat's coat according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and then wash it off with plenty of running water.
4. Then apply the main shampoo to the wet coat and rub it all over the body until a thick foam forms. The operation, depending on the degree of contamination, can be repeated several times.
5. Rinse off the shampoo and apply conditioner. It covers the hair follicles, improves the hair structure and gives it a silky texture.

After bathing, the cat should be wrapped in a towel and the fur should be dried thoroughly. At this time, the pet should be in a warm room without drafts.

Stern

Ready-made specialized feeds are divided into several types: dry and wet. Also, each type has a specific composition, based on the quality of which the food is classified into one of three categories:

• Economy;
• Premium;
• Super premium.

Economy feed is not feed in the truest sense of the word. Such food is acceptable as a one-time reward, but is not suitable for the daily menu. The composition of such feeds is unbalanced, and cheap fillers make such food not only unhealthful, but also harmful.

Your cat's diet should be balanced

When choosing ready-made food, it is advised to choose food in the medium and high price categories. Such a diet will provide your pet with all the necessary elements and also saturate it with the necessary calories.

If you are going to feed your cat several types of food at once, then such products should belong to the same line.

Most companies produce the same pet food in two different forms: wet and dry.

Brands recommended for the Scottish cat's diet:

• Royal Canin;
• Matisse;
• Advance;
• Hills;
• Purina Van.

Quality food

It is not recommended to give your Scottish cat cheap food brands:

• Whiskas;
• Darling;
• Kitiket.

Bad cat food

If it is necessary to transfer a cat from one type of food to another, the change of diet should be carried out gradually. If you decide to buy new food, do not buy a large amount at once, as the cat may become capricious and refuse the unfamiliar treat. It also happens that a new food causes an allergy in a cat, so first offer your pet a small amount of food.

Grooming items and toys for Scottish Fold cats

It is recommended to purchase all accessories for keeping, feeding and caring for a Scottish Fold kitten at home in advance in order to create the most comfortable conditions for the baby’s adaptation to a new place.

Carrying – this accessory will be needed to deliver a fold-eared cat from the breeder to the apartment, and in the future all trips to the veterinarian or trips out of town will not be complete without it.

Plastic designs are very convenient and durable, but they take up a lot of space and only work well for long trips.

For city walks with a cat or trips into nature, a fabric carrier is sufficient - it is compact, easy to fold, but sometimes requires washing.

A bed and (or) a house, which can be made of different materials:

• wooden is the most durable option, but you will have to allocate a permanent place for it;
• wicker - an intermediate option, which is most often presented in the form of a couch and involves the use of an additional mattress;
• fabric with a soft filler (foam rubber or synthetic padding) - it is convenient to move around the apartment, but such a product must be periodically washed and disinfected.

A scratching post is a very useful tool for cat paws. With it, the need for the procedure of shortening the claws is reduced significantly. It is recommended to purchase a scratching post with a comfortable top shelf. Then the pet gets the opportunity to climb up the counter and watch from above everything that happens in the house - cats love this very much.

A set of combs and brushes is also needed from the first week of a kitten’s life. Fold cats are taught to maintain coat hygiene from an early age. Then the adult pet does not perceive this procedure as a punishment and will not be afraid of it.

Important! Toys cannot be called a mandatory item, but it is also unfair to ignore them. Balls, feathers, fishing rods and bows and soft mice are an integral part of the gaming equipment that is necessary for the full development of the pet. The more a fold cat moves, the better its bone structure is formed, the muscles are stronger and the ligaments are more elastic.

Special ready-made food: what to prefer

The most important rule in this case is that the food must be “premium class”. Even if such food is more expensive, it will definitely not cause harm and will be beneficial. As for the consistency, breeders especially like to feed their little charges mousse - it is most convenient to eat.

Food for babies must be designed for their age, since pellets for adult animals are larger and, as a result, inconvenient. As for brands, you should pay attention to the following:

• “Hills” - contains phosphorus, magnesium, calcium in excellent balance. It has a medicinal line of foods available, but you should first consult with a veterinarian about the advisability of using them.
• "Royal Canin" - contains enough fiber and an acceptable dosage of quickly digestible proteins. Helps create an optimal balance of intestinal flora and normalize the animal's stool.
• “Innova EVO” is favored by experienced breeders due to its composition of fresh meat and vegetables, oils, minerals, and vitamins. Fats and oils have a good effect on the immunity of kittens, and the absence of harmful impurities and even taste and smell enhancers guarantees high quality food.
• “Matisse” - most of the composition is chicken meat and fat, rice, fish, eggs. In addition, the food contains a whole complex of vitamins and calcium.

Scottish is a breed that attracts with its beauty and dignity. However, for all this, just a good pedigree is not enough - care is also of no small importance. But there is nothing complicated about the issue of proper feeding if you figure it out in advance and don’t improvise on the fly.

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Feeding and caring for the Scottish Fold cat

The Scottish cat is unpretentious in choosing food, but this does not mean that it needs to be given everything. To properly organize the process of feeding your pet, you will need not only high-quality products, but also convenient utensils.

Bowls for food and water

Bowls and drinking bowls for cats can be plastic, glass (ceramic) and metal. Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages:

1. Plastic utensils are the cheapest. But it quickly fails, since the material is subject to cracking, the scratched surface is difficult to clean from dirt, and particles of old food remain in microcracks.
2. Metal utensils are more expensive, but their consumer properties are much higher.
3. Ceramics and glass are a middle option between bad and expensive. Most often, these bowls are used to organize the feeding of Scottish Fold kittens and adult cats.

The dish should be wide, shallow and stable. Starting from 2 months, Scottish Folds eat on their own and get used to certain conditions. Most often, during this period of life, the kitten lives in a nursery near the mother cat, and all reflexes are formed there. Therefore, you should ask the breeder what bowls and drinking bowls he uses in order to choose the usual dishes for the baby.

Important! Scottish cats are prone to urinary tract diseases such as idiopathic cystitis and urolithiasis. Therefore, the owner must provide the animal with free access to fresh water. You can equip a special fountain for your pet and place drinking bowls in different places.

Natural nutrition

Most often, Scottish Fold cats begin to be fed with natural products during childhood. This is completely justified due to the ability to control the quality of food. True, the other side of the coin is the requirement to independently create a balanced menu and take into account the energy value of products. Until 2-3 months, kittens are kept in a nursery, where they learn to eat on their own and prepare for adult life. It is best if this cycle is not disrupted, and the babies go to a new home at the age of 10-12 weeks.

Rules for feeding Scottish kittens at home:

• A 3-month-old fold-eared kitten needs to be fed 6 times a day, the total weight of the daily diet is 150-180 g;
• at 4 months it is necessary to reduce the number of approaches to the bowl (1 less), and the total daily volume is increased to 250 g;
• By six months, Scottish Fold cats already eat no more than 4 times a day, then they are transferred to normal 2-3 meals a day.

For natural products, there is a universal method for calculating the daily weight of menu components - starting from 6 months, it is 1/10 of the cat’s weight:

1. Up to 95% comes from products containing animal protein - this is the main food of cats in the wild, and it also predominates in the diet of domestic animals (lean meat and offal).
2. An adult cat’s body does not digest milk, so it is preferable to give your pet fermented milk products - sour cream, fermented baked milk, kefir, yogurt.
3. Once a week, a chicken egg - it is called the ideal protein for building the body.
4. River or sea fish (boiled) are introduced into the cat’s menu at the age of 5 months.
5. Vegetables, fruits and cereals are mixed with meat - there is fiber, valuable coarse fiber and many other nutrients. But such products cannot replace protein and be the main food in the diet of Scottish Folds.

Important! In order not to calculate the nutritional value of each serving, it is recommended to make preparations and keep a weekly record of products. The main thing is to maintain the overall balance of nutrients that the cat receives.

Industrial feed

It is advisable to switch Scottish cats over 1 year of age to wet or dry commercial food. It’s easier and faster, and manufacturers take care of the proportions of useful components. On the packaging they usually indicate the serving size according to the age and weight of the pet.

Canned cat food is almost no different from natural food in terms of nutrient content and moisture content.

Important! When switching from natural food to dry food, you need to slightly soak the granules with water so that the cat’s stomach gradually gets used to the new food.

Combined nutrition

The combination of two types of nutrition is most often used for older cats. Usually, products of the same brand are used for this - they have a common system for assessing the balance of nutrients and there is no fear that there will be an “overweight” in favor of one of the components.

Less often we talk about a combination of natural and industrial feeds. This is the most unsuitable option, since in this case it is impossible to correctly calculate the nutritional value of the diet.

Vitamins and minerals in the diet of the Scottish Fold cat

In the first months of life, Scottish Fold kittens receive the necessary vitamins and minerals through their mother's milk. After the pet switches to natural food, the owner will have to introduce useful components into the cat’s diet.

Vitamin complexes can be:

• general strengthening – contain elements necessary for healthy animals;
• specialized - the complex includes certain substances that are taken for specific diseases (such drugs are prescribed only by a veterinary specialist).

What should you not feed your Scottish Fold cat?

Many owners unfairly believe that their pet will never eat anything harmful on their own. This is a misconception - cats often eat everything, which causes serious eating disorders.

The category of “harmful” products includes:

• onions and garlic - destroy red blood cells, therefore in any form they are prohibited for cats;
• tomatoes and potatoes contain an alkaloid that can cause severe stomach pain;
• legumes are completely indigestible in the cat’s body and cause bloating and fermentation;
• mushrooms are toxic and often cause death;
• sugar is not fully absorbed and provokes a number of diseases;
• pasta is rich in fast carbohydrates and causes intestinal colic;
• baked goods and dough - bloating and gastrointestinal disorders.

Important! Nuts, persimmons, citrus fruits, grapes and raisins, duck and goose, pork, raw fish - each of these products has contraindications for inclusion in the diet of a Scottish fold cat. Therefore, it is better to completely abandon them and not risk your pet’s health.

Features of feeding a castrated or sterilized cat

If the owner does not plan to breed Scottish Fold straights (folds) and care for kittens up to 3 months of age, then sterilization or castration is the right way out. You just need to know that after surgery there may be side effects, for example, excess weight. Therefore, the pet should be switched to specialized food for castrated (sterilized) cats. If the Scotsman continues to gain weight, it is necessary to reconsider the animal’s diet and give him “hungry days” 2-3 times a month.

How to feed very small Straights

Until the little Scotsman is 2.5-3 months old, he cannot be separated from his mother. This is because mother’s milk is the most important food during this period of time. However, anything can happen, and sometimes babies are left without a mother for a month, or even earlier. Or mother's milk is not enough. In such cases, the owner will have to organize the baby’s meals himself. How to do this? By following the following instructions:

• Food for Scottish Straight kittens at this time may consist of human formula milk. You can read about how to properly dilute the mixture on its packaging.
• As for the frequency of feeding, it is recommended to adhere to a certain frequency when caring for a small kitten. So in the first three weeks you should eat straight literally every 2 hours. Then the interval between feedings can be slightly increased, and as a result, a month-old Scottish pet eats from 3 to 6 times per day.
• Before the cat reaches 3 months of age, you should not give him ready-made dry or even natural food. A gradual transfer to types of food other than mixtures should be carried out exclusively from 2.5-3 months.

Tray training

A Scottish Fold kitten is litter trained at 2 months of age. Most often, the baby acquires this skill in the nursery. In this case, you just need to ask what filler the breeder used. If the pet does not yet know how to go to the litter box, the owner will have to follow these rules:

1. The tray should be large so that in the future you do not have to change it to an “adult” model.
2. The container should not be placed in a busy or noisy place; it is best to install the tray in a secluded corner.
3. It is necessary to limit the kitten's movement around the apartment so that it does not end up too far from its toilet.
4. After eating, you need to observe the behavior of the animal. Most likely, the urge to defecate will come very quickly.
5. As soon as the Scottish kitten begins to look for a place, you should transfer it to the tray and make sure that it does not go anywhere.
6. You can carefully show how to rake sand with your paw - this often helps to awaken a natural instinct.

If the cat stubbornly refuses to do its business in the right place, it is recommended to replace the litter.

Important! When there are several pets in the house at the same time, each of them should have their own litter tray and an additional one should be provided.

Nutrition for pregnant cats

A pregnant Scottish cat, like any other, should eat to its fullest. Excess weight gain is compensated by the birth of little Scots, so there is no need to restrict the expectant mother’s diet.

As your belly grows, there is less and less space for your stomach, so the number of meals needs to be increased and the portion size reduced slightly.

The quality of the diet is also worth reconsidering. If the cat ate natural food before pregnancy, then it is advisable to add low-fat fish to the menu, since it contains the necessary fatty acids.

It is also worth offering your pregnant cat fermented milk products as sources of calcium as often as possible. It is also recommended to add crushed pills of the drug “Kalceks” to food.

If the diet consisted of ready-made food, then the pregnant cat should be gradually switched to products for kittens. Such foods have a higher calorie content and are easier to digest.

One and a half to two weeks before giving birth, the unlimited diet needs to be adjusted. If before this the cat ate everything it wanted, now its portion should be smaller. This is necessary so that the kids do not gain too much weight.

After giving birth, your cat's appetite may gradually increase. This is necessary to ensure that the kittens receive the necessary nutrients. As babies grow older, food begins to appear on their menu in addition to mother's milk. It is recommended to feed the kittens and mother the same foods so that both milk and food are better absorbed.

Schedule of antiparasitic treatments and vaccinations for Scottish Fold cats

The first vaccinations for Scottish Fold kittens are given in the nursery at the age of 2 months. In the future, throughout life, a simple rule applies - no matter how old a cat is, the number of times it must be vaccinated with mandatory drugs. And antiparasitic treatments are carried out 2 times more often.

Important! Sometimes poor appetite and apathy are alarming signs and indicate the presence of an infection in the animal’s body. Therefore, a deterioration in the pet’s general health may be a reason to postpone the vaccination of the Scottish Fold cat.

Feeding sterilized

Scottish cats can quickly gain weight after sterilization. To prevent your pet from becoming obese, reduce the amount of food you eat and also play active games with your pet.

In addition to reducing the portion, you should review the diet of a neutered Scottish cat:

• Any types of fish should be excluded. Fish products contain phosphorus, the abundance of which leads to urolithiasis;
• Watch the amount of calories and fat in your food. Sterilized cows should not eat fatty meat;
• The main ingredient, equal to meat, should be porridge.

If the cat eats special food, its diet should consist of lines for sterilized cats. Similar products are produced by almost all manufacturers of good food, for example, Royal Canin.

If you need to choose between dry and wet food, then it is better to give preference to the second option.

Newborn care and nutrition of a Scottish kitten

Sometimes the baby is separated from the mother very early (for example, due to the cat’s illness), and then a person must take on all the care of the newborn kitten. The owner should pay special attention to the feeding and hygiene of the pet.

Nutrition

To feed a small cat you will need a bottle with a nipple, a pipette, a medical syringe, a measuring spoon and a container for preparing the mixture.

Algorithm for feeding a newborn Scottish kitten:

1. From the first days, babies eat every 1.5-2 hours - this schedule must be strictly followed.
2. You can feed a kitten only with special formulas for newborns or a cat's milk substitute.
3. The mixture is given only from a soft nipple, so as not to damage the mucous membrane in the oral cavity.
4. In the middle of a meal, you need to raise the kitten in an upright position - he will burp air and later continue to eat.
5. After eating, you should massage your tummy clockwise.

After the first week, feeding is carried out every 3 hours, by the 15th day this interval is increased by another half hour, and by a month the kittens are already eating 6 times a day.

When the baby turns 1 month old, liquid porridge and other suitable ready-made mixtures are added to the diet.

Important! When self-feeding, it is extremely important to constantly monitor the kitten’s weight in order to promptly increase or decrease the portion of food.

Defecation and urination

Under normal conditions, the mother cat is responsible for stimulating the act of defecation and urination, but in her absence, the owner will have to do this independently after each feeding:

1. The kitten is placed on the palm, with its tail turned towards you.
2. Massage the anal area with a warm, damp cloth.
3. At the same time, use your thumb to stroke the pet at the base of its tail.
4. The movements continue until the process is completely completed.
5. After the kitten goes to the toilet, remove all discharge with a clean damp cloth.

Any deviation from the norm must be immediately reported to the veterinarian and further act according to his recommendations.

It is believed that Scottish Fold cats are loyal to all family members, get along well with other pets, are well trained and have good health. All these signs are laid down in childhood and later help to raise an obedient and clean pet. Owners only need to follow the recommendations of specialists on the care and feeding of the Scottish Fold cat and there will be no problems with the pet in the future.

Rating of the best food for Scottish cats