Scottish Fold Cat Genetic Disease

The Scottish Fold is caused by a genetic disorder leading to cartilage abnormalities. Cats with this disease experience pain in one or more limbs, making them unwilling to jump high. Due to the inability of the joints to bear weight, the cat often has stiff walking步伐. The limbs are shorter than those of a normal cat, especially with abnormal toe morphology. The cat assumes a crouching position, has a short, thick tail, and a thick base that cannot bend. As the cat ages, the severity of the symptoms worsens. If you notice your cat unwilling to walk or in pain, consult a pet doctor, give it some painkillers, and long-term supplementation with chondroitin.

Short and stiff tail, severe cases cannot be moved freely.
Abnormal bone and joint development in the hind limbs, with twisted and deformed foot bones.
Swelling and joint enlargement in the paw bones and joints, some cats even develop deformed toes, unable to extend or retract claws normally. The front limbs also show similar symptoms, but to a lesser degree than the hind limbs.
Abnormal nail growth and thickening of the hind paw.

II. What are the symptoms of Scottish Fold genetic diseases?

The genetic disease of the Scottish Fold is mainly manifested in hereditary skeletal diseases, which are disorders of cartilage and bone mineralization development, mainly affecting the tail, ankle, and knee areas. The onset age ranges from two to six months, but cats over one year old still have a chance of developing the disease.
In addition to this disease, Scottish Fold cats have weak constitutions and are prone to skin diseases, feline distemper, respiratory diseases, and heart diseases.

III. How to treat Scottish Fold genetic diseases?

Currently, there are no drugs to treat the genetic disease of the Scottish Fold. If the cat is already affected, the owner can only alleviate its pain through medication, such as chondroitin and joint treasure. The most fundamental solution is not to allow Scottish Fold cats to breed, as their genes have mutated, and their offspring will also have abnormal cartilage development, leading to a painful life.