---
title: "Scottish Fold - Health and diseases | Pedibase"
description: "Lifespan (13-15 years), common diseases, vaccines and vaccination schedule, and prevention tips for the Scottish Fold: the complete health guide."
canonical_url: "https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health"
meta:
"og:description": "Lifespan (13-15 years), common diseases, vaccines and vaccination schedule, and prevention tips for the Scottish Fold: the complete health guide."
"og:image": "https://www.pedibase.com/_img/rs:fill:1200:630/el:1/q:80/f:jpg/plain/s3://media-pedibase/public/6579/pexels-photo-36063193.jpeg"
"og:image:alt": "Dog and cat breeders near you"
"og:image:height": "630"
"og:image:width": "1200"
"og:title": "Scottish Fold - Health and diseases"
"twitter:description": "Lifespan (13-15 years), common diseases, vaccines and vaccination schedule, and prevention tips for the Scottish Fold: the complete health guide."
"twitter:image": "https://www.pedibase.com/_img/rs:fill:1200:630/el:1/q:80/f:jpg/plain/s3://media-pedibase/public/6579/pexels-photo-36063193.jpeg"
"twitter:title": "Scottish Fold - Health and diseases"
---
> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://www.pedibase.com/llms.txt)
+11
Health
# The Scottish Fold's health
Scotland
The Scottish Fold generally has a solid constitution, but its breed requires particular vigilance due to the mutation linked to folded ears. This characteristic may be accompanied by cartilage and skeletal disorders whose severity varies depending on the individuals. Serious veterinary monitoring and the choice of a responsible breeder are essential.
Longevity
## Life expectancy
When it benefits from a balanced diet, controlled weight and regular medical follow-up, the Scottish Fold lives on average between 13 and 15 years. Its life expectancy depends in part on the severity or not of the osteoarticular problems associated with the breed.
Constitution
## Is this a robust breed?
Apart from disorders directly linked to the breed’s mutation, the Scottish Fold often remains a resilient cat and well suited to family life. Its overall robustness is good, but it must never make one forget the specific monitoring of the musculoskeletal system and mobility.
Things to watch for
## What to look out for
Monitoring of the Scottish Fold must focus on the flexibility of the tail, the quality of movement, the presence of unusual stiffness or pain on touch, as well as on the condition of the folded ears. Any locomotor discomfort, decrease in activity or difficulty jumping must lead to a prompt consultation.
- Osteochondrodysplasia: Hereditary disease affecting cartilage and the skeleton, causing deformities, pain, and sometimes reduced mobility.
- Osteoarthritis: The osteoarticular condition can progress to disabling osteoarthritis with locomotor discomfort and difficulty jumping or moving.
- Ear monitoring: Folded ears must be inspected and cleaned regularly to prevent the buildup of dirt and to spot any irritation.
Climate
## Tolerance to cold and heat
Thanks to its dense coat and its life most often indoors, the Scottish Fold adapts well to temperate temperatures. Like many cats, it appreciates the comfort of a home without drafts and must be protected from intense heat as well as from prolonged damp cold.
Weight
## Prone to weight gain
The Scottish Fold can be greedy and gain weight if it eats food that is too rich or if it gets little exercise. Maintaining a proper body shape is particularly important to limit the load on the joints and preserve good mobility over the years.
Everyday care
## Good habits to keep your pet healthy
- Regularly observe the flexibility of the tail and the quality of movement.
- Consult promptly in case of stiffness, pain, or decreased activity.
- Clean and inspect the ears gently and regularly.
- Maintain a stable weight to reduce the load on the joints.
Vaccination
## Scottish Fold vaccinations: schedule
Which vaccines does a Scottish Fold need? Like all cats, Scottish Folds should receive their core vaccines from 8 weeks of age: Typhus (panleukopenia) and Coryza. Kittens receive their initial Scottish Fold vaccinations in several shots spaced 4 weeks apart, followed by a first booster at 1 year, even if they live indoors. Depending on their lifestyle (outdoor access, living with other cats, shows, travel), your veterinarian may add vaccines against Feline leukemia (FeLV), Rabies and Chlamydiosis.
| Vaccine | Primary vaccination | First booster | Then | For whom? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Typhus (panleukopenia)Core Feline panleukopenia (cat parvovirus) | 8 weeks · 12 weeks · 3 months | 1 year | every year | All animals |
| CoryzaCore Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus | 8 weeks · 12 weeks · 3 months | 1 year | every year | All animals |
| Feline leukemia (FeLV)Depending on lifestyle Feline leukemia virus | 8 weeks · 12 weeks | 1 year | every year | Outdoor cats, cats living in a group or in a cattery |
| RabiesDepending on lifestyle Rabies | 12 weeks | 1 year | every year | Mandatory for travel abroad, cat shows and most boarding kennels |
| ChlamydiosisDepending on lifestyle Chlamydia felis (contagious conjunctivitis) | 8 weeks · 12 weeks | 1 year | every year | Cats living in groups, catteries, show cats |
Adult Scottish Fold booster shots are given annually for feline herpesvirus and feline leukemia if your cat goes outdoors. For feline panleukopenia, a booster every three years is often enough after the first booster. Your veterinarian will tailor the schedule to your cat's lifestyle.
Which boosters does your Scottish Fold need?
Enter your companion's age to see which vaccines are due now and when the next boosters are needed.
[Plan booster shots](https://www.pedibase.com/en/dog-and-cat-vaccination-schedule?breed=scottish-fold)
Choosing well
## Adopting a healthy Scottish Fold
A regular clinical examination, with particular attention paid to locomotion, tail flexibility and joint condition, is recommended. The veterinarian can also check the ears, dentition and weight changes in order to detect early any comfort or mobility problem.
This information is for guidance only and doesn't replace advice from a veterinarian. If you have any concerns about your pet's health, consult a professional.
## The best prevention starts with a good breeder
Choose a breeder who screens their breeding animals for inherited conditions. We'll help you find one.
[Find a breeder](https://www.pedibase.com/en/breeders-of-scottish-fold)
## Discover other breeds
[British Shorthair
](https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/british-shorthair)
[British Longhair
](https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/british-longhair)
[Burmilla
](https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/burmilla)
[Abyssinian
](https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/abyssinian)
[American Shorthair
](https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/american-shorthair)
```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","description":"Find dog and cat breeders near you. France's leading breeder directory, with an interactive map, breed information, and verified reviews.","inLanguage":"en","name":"Pedibase","url":"https://www.pedibase.com","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#identity"},"translationOfWork":{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#website"}},{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health#webpage","@type":"WebPage","description":"Lifespan (13-15 years), common diseases, vaccines and vaccination schedule, and prevention tips for the Scottish Fold: the complete health guide.","name":"Scottish Fold - Health and diseases","url":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/en#website"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.pedibase.com/_img/rs:fill:1200:630/el:1/q:80/f:jpg/plain/s3://media-pedibase/public/6579/pexels-photo-36063193.jpeg","width":1200,"height":630,"inLanguage":"en","contentUrl":"https://www.pedibase.com/_img/rs:fill:1200:630/el:1/q:80/f:jpg/plain/s3://media-pedibase/public/6579/pexels-photo-36063193.jpeg"}},{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","description":"Pedibase is a free directory of dog and cat breeders that helps prospective owners find a registered breeder near them.","email":"contact@pedibase.com","name":"Pedibase","url":"https://www.pedibase.com/","contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","email":"contact@pedibase.com"},"logo":{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#logo"},"parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Aurion","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1 rue Pasteur","postalCode":"72000","addressLocality":"Le Mans","addressCountry":"FR"}},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/pedibase","https://www.instagram.com/pedibase_app"]},{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold/health#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://www.pedibase.com/en","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Cats","item":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breeds","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Scottish Fold","item":"https://www.pedibase.com/en/cat-breed/scottish-fold","position":3},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Health","position":4}]},{"@id":"https://www.pedibase.com/#logo","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Pedibase","contentUrl":"https://www.pedibase.com/logo.svg","inLanguage":"en","url":"https://www.pedibase.com/logo.svg"}]}
```