The Scottish Straight cat (also called Scottish Straight) looks like a British cat, but they deserve to be called Scottish. These creatures are very balanced and extremely loyal to their owners.
Babies of this breed will bring many pleasant surprises to those who decide to have them, since it has long been believed that these cats, with their unique character, become guarantors of peace and harmony at home. This is interesting - Scottish fold kittens, character and care.
How to care
Any owner of a straight-eared Scottish cat should not forget that they need not only food and care for good immunity, but also affection with tenderness. In this regard, it is so important to purchase such a baby only if you can give him a lot of attention every day.
However, taking care of these cats is not at all difficult, nor does it require spending a lot of time and money.
Initially, you should figure out what kind of food Scottish Straight babies need, since food largely determines the pet’s immunity and life expectancy. When caring for a kitten, you should follow the main points listed below and strive to maintain the temperature in the house at 19-23°C. Watch how to care for a kitten.
Scottish Straight cats are very clean dogs, so the owner can only brush them a couple of times a week and sometimes wash them. This breed has a short coat, but it is necessary to take care of it. It is good for the baby to get used to the process of combing at a very young age; it is more difficult to accustom an adult.
You should know that high-quality fur care can only be achieved with the use of special shampoos and at least a couple of combs.
Carrying out hygiene procedures
Organization of special care for Scottish Fold kittens includes:
- timely bathing;
- cleaning and examining the eyes and ears;
- cleaning and cutting nails;
- mustache and coat care.
British Fold kittens especially need careful care. First of all, these are regular hygiene procedures, examination of the ears and care for them.
Considering the specific structure of the ear, special attention is paid to their cleaning, care and timely hygiene. And in order to clean the ear, you need to unscrew it and wipe it with a damp swab on the auricle.
If light-colored, odorless sulfur remains on the swab, then your Scottish kitten is completely healthy. If, when examining the ears, an unpleasant, specific odor appears, the wax turns yellowish, this indicates the presence of an infectious disease that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian or insufficient care.
Caring for kittens' eyes, ears and claws
Of course, taking care of the Scottish Straight's fur is the most important task, but you should not lose sight of the fact that these cats need versatile care to feel well and have a neat appearance. So it is also necessary to trim the claws from time to time and clean the ears.
Nails should be trimmed as they grow, usually once a week. In order to carefully remove excess nails and not cause pain to the animal, you need to purchase a specialized nail clipper in advance.
It is now possible to choose the best model in almost any pet store in any city. We must not forget that only the transparent tip of the claw is cut off! And it is advisable to start introducing the kitten to this activity immediately.
In addition, cats are supposed to clean their ears from time to time using ear buds and cotton swabs and wash their eyes, since they sometimes water, using chlorhexidine for disinfection.
Vaccination
The comprehensive cat vaccine includes three main infectious diseases - panleukopenia (feline distemper), calcivirosis and rhinotracheitis (herpes virus), as well as a fatal disease - rabies. Vaccines that include chlamydia and viral leukemia are also available upon request.
Types of vaccines
For the first time in life, viral diseases are vaccinated twice, with an interval of 21 days. Infections can be vaccinated starting at 8 weeks of age. After a double vaccination, vaccination is carried out once a year, along with rabies. The first time the rabies vaccine is given is at three months, and then once a year.
Important! Even those animals that live in an apartment and do not go outside need to be vaccinated. The infection can easily be brought on by shoes. All viral diseases of cats have a very high mortality rate.
If the cat has never been wormed in its life, then it is better to do it 10 days before vaccination. If, after giving an anthelmintic, vomiting, diarrhea or worms in the feces appear, the treatment against parasites should be repeated and the vaccination should be delayed. In general, an anthelmintic drug should be given once every 3-4 months.
Food for Scottish (Scottish Straight)
You should study what diet a kitten of this breed is supposed to eat before bringing it home. Of course, these animals are rightly considered one of the least difficult to care for, however, there are a number of nuances in their nutrition (see Scottish Fold kittens - care and nutrition).
Any owner is free to decide for himself whether to feed his pet with specialized food or prefer natural food for him. Both of these ways of eating have both pros and cons, and both have their adherents and persecutors.
So it would be good to figure it out in advance and make a clear decision, since combining both options at once is impermissible. The owner should be aware of this and follow the chosen feeding strategy for the pet throughout its life.
With this approach, there is no doubt that the nutrition of the Scottish Straight is harmonized, and many serious diseases should be avoided.
It should be remembered that elite bagged food is certainly healthier for a cat than using food from your table. This fact is explained by the fact that the owner is not able to perfectly estimate the mass of useful components in certain products.
Food from a bag is a balanced food that contains the entire required amount of vitamins and microelements that a cat needs at one time or another in its life.
It’s just important not to buy budget food at the grocery store; they contain almost no useful ingredients. However, it is a mistake to believe that elite food will be much more expensive than ordinary food products. Packaged food saves time and effort on cooking and allows you to save some money.
In order to definitely know how to feed the Scottish Straight, you should ask the nursery about the feeding method. This must be done before bringing a kitten in order to be able to prepare and acquire good products or find good food for the baby.
Breed Features
The Scottish Fold cat breed has a lot of features that significantly distinguish these animals from all others.
- Males of the breed are larger than females, while females are more graceful and graceful;
- All representatives of the breed have a pronounced round muzzle;
As they age, Scots retain their “childish” appearance
- It is worth mentioning the main feature that distinguishes Scottish Folds from the British - miniature triangular ears, which by their nature are curved down and pressed to the cat's head;
- Fold cats have a strong and muscular body;
- The paws of such cats are elongated, well developed, with rounded pads;
Scottish kittens develop quite quickly and acquire all the characteristic features of the breed.
- The tail is straight, long, without bends or creases;
- The color can be any, with the exception of lilac, chocolate and all types of color point;
IMPORTANT: Scottish cats may suffer from a genetic disease associated with insufficient development of ear cartilage - osteochondrosplasia, which is accompanied by frequent pain. The disease is typical for those pets whose parents were lop-eared. For this reason, it is important that one parent is straight-eared.
The mating must involve a fold-eared and a straight-eared Scotsman
Despite its very attractive appearance, the breed has a number of behavioral characteristics that should be taken into account when purchasing a pet. Among them are unconditional friendliness, good nature towards others, high intelligence and good health. But there are other features that will allow you to plan in advance a model of relationship with your future pet:
- Scottish Folds are absolutely indiscriminate in their food. Simply put, they “sweep up” everything they see, and this is fraught with eating disorders and diarrhea. You should prepare a balanced diet plan in advance and not give in to your pet’s persuasion to treat him with a treat.
- Cats of the breed are quite selfish and stubborn. Their character has a tendency to capture all the attention of the owner and persistently demand what he needs.
- The Scots don't like moving. At all. They are afraid of such manipulations and perceive them as a threat. Of course, the future owner can focus on building a trusting relationship with the kitten, which will allow him to minimize the animal’s stress in the future, if necessary.
How to feed
You need to know that feeding representatives of this breed with packaged food should be accompanied by their advance soaking with water, milk or curdled milk. In addition, for the first time after the baby is delivered from the nursery, he should be treated as he was fed there.
If there is a sudden change in feeding schedule, or if new food is immediately offered, the kitten may experience indigestion. It is better to avoid such troubles for your pet in every possible way.
Conscientious nurseries give the new owner a package of food and pellets for the tray. This allows the kitten to get used to a completely new environment more easily and in a shorter period of time.
Scottish Straight babies and adults require dairy products. So it would be good to treat them with milk, yogurt and cottage cheese from time to time. It is not recommended to offer cream with sour cream; it is hard on the cat’s liver.
Natural foods suitable for this breed:
- liver and heart;
- lean beef and chicken;
- dairy products;
- herbal ingredients;
- a little vegetable oil, they need to be seasoned with stewed and boiled vegetables before serving.
It should be remembered that Scottish Straights require moderate nutrition! In no case should you give too much, no matter how many months or years old they are, in order to avoid excess weight and poor health in your pets (see table of Scottish kitten weight by month). Thoroughbred animals should have medium size and smooth outlines.
Nutrition for Scottish Straight baby
There are many simple porridge recipes for these kittens on the Internet. Naturally, it is preferable to choose rice and buckwheat; porridges from them are most useful for cats. Oatmeal should be avoided, as it is harmful to both young cats and adult cats.
It is better to cook porridge using milk, or then mix in yogurt, kefir, acidophilus, fermented baked milk or cottage cheese. Porridge should be made very thin; this is extremely important for young, recently born Scottish Straights.
In addition, you need to remember that with a natural diet, an indispensable supplement of vitamins is required for this breed. Advice on selecting the necessary ones will be given at a veterinary clinic or at a pet store. There you can also purchase the most suitable set for your pet, taking into account its age, weight and personal characteristics.
Those who have chosen to feed their pet with elite packaged food and canned food do not need additional vitamin supplements.
Toilet and tray training
Kittens themselves often understand what the tray is for and quickly begin to use it for its intended purpose. If this does not happen, and your pet begins to do “its business” in the wrong place, you should not scold or hit the kitten. He needs to be seated in the tray before he wants to go to the toilet, and it’s easy to guess this moment: any cat starts digging a “hole”.
Since cats navigate by smell, you don’t need to wash the litter box for the first day; this will help your pet get used to the toilet faster. You can use wood shavings or sand as a filler, but this is troublesome, since such products create a lot of dirt; it is better to use modern ones from a pet store. Many owners successfully use the tray even without filler, which is much more practical and budget-friendly.
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Diet for kittens and cats
It should be recognized that nutrition and care for a sexually mature individual differs from care for a young creature. Another number of meals per day - adult cats usually need three meals a day, while babies need four meals. Just for their own convenience, owners often feed their furry pets only twice a day.
Don't forget that the Scottish Straight's diet should be harmonized! These cats should not be overfed and put on diets on their own initiative; first, you should consult with a specialist.
