Scottish Fold Kitten Care Guide:
The Ultimate Guide for Happy & Healthy Kittens

Setting Up A Safe Space

So, you got your Scottish Fold kitten—now what? First of all, congratulations on your new beautiful and intelligent companion!
The affectionate nature of these medium-sized breeds requires a delicate yet straightforward approach. After all, this breed of cat is gentle, friendly, and intelligent.
Before bringing your kitten home, consider these critical steps. We promise these steps will make the transition to the new environment easy for both of you.
As we know, the sudden change in environment and the loss of familiar faces may cause stress and anxiety.
Here are the essential items to ensure your little companion feels comfortable and at home.
Prepare a small, cozy area where they can feel secure. A quiet room away from heavy foot traffic is ideal. Essential items to consider:
1) Cozy Bed
While shopping for a bed for your kitten, look for comfort and cozy. Consider a bed with soft, fuzzy, plush materials and adequate support. A fuzzy circle bed or a partially hooded bed can provide a sense of calm and security and a comfortable spot to sleep. We took the extra step to help you shop, and may we suggest this bed for your consideration. For this option, Lena feels confident that your kitten will love his or her bed.

2) Food & Water Bowl
While shopping for these items, consider the ones that can be cleaned easily.
Please place them in a fixed, readily available location to help your kitten feel secure and avoid unnecessary changes.
3) Litter Box
Consider making it readily available, like the food and water bowl, and placing it in one location for smooth adjustments.
4) Scratching Post & Toys
We consider scratching posts and toys very important, so do not overlook scratching post items. They help kittens relieve stress and stay entertained in unfamiliar places and new human faces.
Here is one of the toys that Lena Recommends

Nutrition and Feeding

Grooming

It is highly recommended that grooming be started early. This is important for health, hygiene, and kitten comfort. Grooming includes brushing the coat, trimming the nails, cleaning the ears—especially important for ear-folded kittens—cleaning the eyes and face, and bathing your kitten (ONLY IF NECESSARY ).

Brushing a kitten’s coat stimulates the skin and keeps the hair tangle-free. You should brush two to three times per week, and long-hair kittens should be brushed daily. Use a soft comb and glide through the coat gently and slowly. Brushing the coat is also a great time to get to know your kitten and create a bond. Start gently and quietly when interacting, and brush slowly using soft strokes.
Trimming your kitten’s nails is delicate. Choose a room with plenty of light and a trimming tool or nail clipper that grips comfortably. This will make the process easier for you and, thus, less stressful for a kitten. Start gently getting your kitten into your hand and running your finger through his paws. Remember to stay calm and in control. When trimming the nail, remember to avoid cutting deep to avoid the pink area of the paws. It is always recommended to file them instead of clipping the nail. Filling the nails of a kitten is usually a gentle approach.
Cleaning Ears Another critical task is cleaning the ears. If not done on time, it will become more complicated. The process is delicate for kittens with folded ears, requiring a careful and more attentive approach. The best approach is never to try to push deep into the ears. Use a cotton ball or soft, damp cloth to wipe the ears gently. If using cotton swabs, do not push them deeper into the kittens’ ears. If using cotton swabs, reinforce a gentle and calm approach. Over time, the kitten will become familiar with the procedure, making cleaning ears easy and stress-free. Be observant of any signs of bad odor, drainage, or redness of the ears. It is the first warning sign of infection. In this case, seek your veterinarian’s assistance.
Eyes and Face Just like the ears, the face and eyes of a kitten are very sensitive areas, so again, a gentle approach is key. Use a damp cloth or cotton ball and wipe the eyes, whiskers, and nose if needed. Gently wipe away dirt, food debris, or eye discharge. Use a damp cloth or a slightly wet cotton ball to clean dried crusts from around the kitten’s face. Avoid using cotton swabs inside the eye. Warm water is the best for cleaning around the face. A calm, slow, and reassuring voice is the key to this routine.
Bathing Kitten Bathing is not necessarily required for kittens or, for that matter, for cats. Cats have their way of cleaning themselves, which is natural and very effective. Kittens will inherit this trait from their parents and learn by watching them from their early days. However, your kitten’s mischievous behavior periodically gets him deep into dirt or unwanted dirt or debris. This is when bathing will be necessary, so use the following tips for stress-free cleaning.
No bathing for kittens of 8 weeks or younger
Before you start, ensure the kitten’s nails are trimmed. Put a small towel or a cloth in a sink or tub, and use a pitcher or a cup. Slowly and gently introduce the kitten to warm water. Absolutely no cold or hot water since the kitten’s skin is very sensitive at this age. Apply kitten-safe shampoo. Lather shampoo on the body only, avoiding the face and head. Rinse the shampoo with warm water to clean the soapy residue. Wrap the kitten in and slightly pat the towel against the kitten’s body. Apply gently and pat till all the water is absorbed. At this point, you should be all done unless you want to dry the kitten fur. Use a hair dryer with warm air only to dry the fur in your kitten’s body. Do not bring the dryer close to the kitten’s skin. Let the air dryer do the rest. The entire procedure should be less than five minutes to minimize stress to your kitten.
Your kitten’s skin is very sensitive, and overbathing could cause dry and flaky skin, which can cause discomfort. Thus, avoid overbathing.

Health

Socializing