THERE’S money in the kitty. A rare breed of feline descended from a Perthshire barn cat has become the hottest new pet in Hollywood.
The Scottish Fold – distinctive because its folded down ears give it an appealing “owl-like” appearance – has become one of the most desired cat breeds in America, with celebrities including Kirsten Dunst, Mia Farrow and country music megastar Taylor Swift – who tweeted pictures of her new Scottish Fold kitten last week – shelling out thousands of dollars to get hold of one.
The exotic breed is descended from a white barn cat that lived on a farm near Coupar Angus in 1961, when its unusual folded-ear appearance, believed to be the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation, caught the eye of local shepherd William Ross. He asked for a kitten from the litter for breeding purposes and every Scottish Fold is believed to be descended from that one animal.
Scottish Folds cannot be bred with each other without causing severe genetic mutation, meaning it is common for a litter to contain only one cat with the true folded ear appearance. As a result they regularly change hands for up to £1,000. Prospective owners are often placed on waiting lists or even entered into lotteries for available kittens.
Glasgow-based Scottish Fold breeder Rafal Majek said there was huge demand. “We can’t produce as many as we would like, as kittens with the folded ears are extremely rare. The waiting list is huge, and for the right cat you can wait a really long time, especially if you’re particular about the colour or the markings.” One of Majek’s clients has been waiting a year for a cat.
In the US, where the breed has been granted championship status by the Cat Fanciers Association, the pets are highly popular and have been featured on TV shows such as Tonight with Jay Leno and the Martha Stewart Show. They regularly feature on “top ten cat breed” lists and have even been bred with the “Munchkin” breed of cat, which has abnormally short legs, to create the “Scottish Fold Munchkin”. It is rare for a Scottish Fold to change hands for less than $1,000 in the US.
“Once you’ve had a Scottish Fold you will never have another cat breed,” said Magic. “Everyone falls in love with them because they’re such lovely friendly cats. They’re very curious, quite like dogs in some ways. They follow you everywhere, you may even find them in the shower with you.”
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Now for news of "'the other half of me'" !
Rob is still in hospital and is, in typical Rob fashion desperate to change his base of operation to back home, now I don't know that it's actually anything to do with him being desperate to get home or if the nurses have got wise to him and have started to stand no nonsense from him ..... He's not now able to ask (or order) them to do things for him or to get for him ... hehehe...
Now, I shouldn't say that - it's just that he is the kind of man who likes things done to 'his' instructions rather than the way others want things done .... The nurses of course work to other rules and regulations (i.e. their own). I am half expecting him to appear at the door this week two ambulance men behind him carrying his hospital belongings (having signed himself out) ready to once again take up residence at home.... arrrghhhh !
I hope he will persevere and stay in hospital until he can walk with the crutches from one room to the next so that he will at least be able to make his way to the bathroom when he needs to do so... 'cos as sure as God made apples, I'm definitely not gonna carry him between these two places !! It would be absolute madness for him to sign himself out on Friday (as he has threatened he would do) ...
If he does - I think I'll be for signing myself 'into' the hospital !!
'YOU THINK I'M KIDDING ???
Cheers, Kate xxx.
2 comments:
Gosh I've been busy and haven't been by lately, Kate. I hope your husband uses his good sense and..well you know.
I had NO idea how rare those cats are. We just take in strays and don't bother with pedigrees.
MEN!! hahaha
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