Serengeti vs Scottish Fold - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Scottish Fold is a domestic cat that has an owlish look to it. This is because of the natural dominant-gene mutation that affects cartilage in the cat.

The ears of the Scottish Fold cat folds in a weird way so that the cat has an owl-like look to it. These cats are also known as Highland Fold and Coupari.

It seems that the first Scottish Fold was a white barn cat with the name of Susie. When Susie had kittens, there were a couple of them born with these folded ears. A cat fancier registered the breed in the United Kingdom and in 1966 started a breeding program. These cats were later exported to America.

This is a cat breed that was deliberately bred to resemble the Serval cat. It was developed by crossing a Bengal cat and an Oriental Shorthair.

The cat was developed by biologist Karen Sausman in California in 1994. The breed is still under development.

The idea with this hybrid cat was to produce new domestic cat breed that would look like a wild cat but not have the wild characteristics.

The cat is recognized by TICA – The International Cat Association.

This is a medium-sized cat that weighs between 3 and 6kg. The entire body of this cat is of a rounded nature. The legs are also fairly short.

All Scottish Fold kittens are born with regular ears but within the first few weeks after birth, the peculiarity with the ears starts to come in. However, some kittens don’t develop folded ears.

The first cats had one fold but with selective breeding, some have 2 or 3 folds or creases so that the ears lie flat against the head. The cat has a round head and large, round eyes. These cats can have a long- or short coat which is thick and soft and the coat can be in a number of colors.

Temperament:

Your Scottish Fold is a good-natured, placid cat and adapts well to different homes and lifestyles. He gets on well with children and pets, becoming just a little bit more attached to the one who feeds him.

He ‘talks’ with quiet meows and purs. They’re playful cats and love to spend time outdoors. A climbing tree and stimulating toys will be a good idea for this energetic feline as he is active and curious. He won’t like being left for long periods though.

These are spotted cats with long legs and large, round-tipped ears. The neck is long and the body lithe, lean, and muscular.

They are medium to large in size and can weigh up to 7 or 8kg. The coat is tan and cream with silver or grey coloring as well as black spots and stripes. Some Serengetis appear to be black but on closer look, you see that they have what is known as ‘ghost spotting’ – a black-spotted pattern that can scarcely be seen.

You may even think you are looking at a black panther. The coat is short, silky, smooth, and sleek. The eyes of the cat are round and are usually amber or gold.

Temperament:

The Serengeti is a friendly, social, and confident cat that is quite capable of forming a strong attachment to its human family. It is a loving, loyal cat. The cat can become bored and will need plenty of puzzle toys to keep his mind and body physically active.

You will need to provide him with a scratching post too as he is a lively, energetic cat. This isn’t only an indoor cat. Cats like the Serengeti will need an outdoor enclosure and the Serengeti cat will need branches and perches to leap up onto.

He is an active cat and can become bored if left indoors. They are capable of making a good family pet and are vocal too – telling you all sorts of things.

With his big, round eyes, the Scottish Fold has an amicable looking face and he is a friendly calm cat.

They love attention and get on well with children and pets who have been trained to be gentle around cats. It is also quite a vocal breed although he 'talks' in a quiet voice.

Because they thrive on pampering and attention, it is better for this cat not to be in a home where the owners are away at work all day.

The Serengeti is both a friendly and affectionate cat even though he is a bit shy and overwhelmed in new surroundings.

He is a cat that talks quite a bit and if he is happy and content he enjoys 'chatting' to you about his day.

He is able to get on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He is an athletic cat and just loves to climb, and this is why he will certainly need an outdoor enclosure as he loves to dart around madly from time to time, and doing that in your home could be quite dangerous.

He is capable of being a loving cat breed and can form a strong bond with his human family.

Perhaps one of the things to look out for with these cats is a disease known as osteochondrodysplasia.

This is a hereditary disorder of the bones and cartilage. The disease is caused by an autosomal dominant trait and a cat can inherit just one copy of the abnormal gene to have the disease.

Having this disease comes with other health issues and a cat with this disease will be reluctant to jump and may even become lame.

Whenever you suspect anything wrong with your Scottish Fold cat, get him to the vet just as soon as possible.

Hybrid Cats such as the Serengeti are a combination of a wild breed and a domestic breed. With good care he can live to be up to 15 years of age and possibly longer.

Hybrid cats are always controversial because people who have owned them have got both good and bad to say about them. They have some behavioral issues and many of them have an aggressive side, they’re aloof and they refuse to use a litter box. The cat can’t be blamed though because they have that wild side.

They also come with some health issues such as premature birth, miscarriage, diarrhea, and irritable bowel disease. You may just find yourself more often at the vet than you’d like.

You will need to ensure that your Serengeti gets all his vaccines and de-worming treatments.

Scottish folds have thick fur and you should at least brush it once a week to get rid of dust and loose hair.

Keep your cat’s nails trimmed otherwise you could get a nasty scratch.

Provide your cat with a climbing tree as well as a scratching post as these are two things – climbing and scratching – that are in the nature of cats.

Provide your Scottish Fold with a litter box and make sure that it is kept clean and that you remove the feces every single day.

Provide your pet with stimulating toys as they are active, intelligent cats.

Protect your cat from fatal cat diseases by having him vaccinated. Your vet will inform you about which vaccines are best. Kittens need vaccines when they are between 6 to 8 weeks old These vaccines come in a series but you don’t have to stress, as the vet will give you a card with the date on which your kitten must return for his next vaccine.

Your Scottish Fold needs to receive the highest quality cat food there is as these foods are balanced with the right amount of vitamins and minerals. When it comes to commercial cat foods, you’ve got choices. You can choose wet or dry food or even combination – something to tempt the fussiest of cats. Cats are carnivores and their food needs to be almost entirely of meat.

Grooming is easy for the Serengeti as it is a short-haired cat and will require a brush just once a week. Trimming the claws will also be necessary.

A cat such as the Serengeti has been developed by crossing the domestic cat with a wild breed. This means that there will be concerns with the temperament and behavior of these cats in a home setting. Apart from being allowed indoors, they will need an outside enclosure.

Having a wild side, while every cat is a carnivore, these cats are even more so. Their diet has to be strictly protein – meat. Wild cats would have a diet made up of birds and lizards. You want to avoid commercial cat foods that are of lower quality and have less meat in and more carbohydrates. This just spells ill health for your cat. Cats also need some fresh raw meat in their diets.

It is important to keep up your Serengeti's veterinary checkups to make sure there aren’t any health concerns.