First weeks: straight ears
Every Scottish kitten is born with small, straight ears. At this age you cannot tell a future Fold from a Straight.
Breed notes
When Do Scottish Fold Ears Fold?
Scottish Fold kittens are born with straight ears. Here is when the famous fold appears, and why some kittens in the same litter keep their ears upright.
From Straight to Folded
A few weeks later: the fold
In Fold kittens the ears start to bend forward at around three to four weeks. By the time kittens go home, the ear type is clear.
These pictures are illustrations, not our kittens.
What to Know as a Buyer
Very young photos can mislead. A newborn photo will always show straight ears, so a kitten's ear type is only clear after the first few weeks.
Folds and Straights come from the same litters. A Fold is usually paired with a straight-eared cat, so a litter typically has some Folds and some Straights. Both share the round Scottish face and gentle nature.
The fold is linked to cartilage. The same gene that folds the ears affects cartilage elsewhere, which is why Scottish Folds have breed-specific health considerations. Read our health and care page.
A Real Example From Our Family
Our cat Sonya has folded ears. In her August 2026 litter, Sam and Margo have folded ears, and Yulia has straight ears: Folds and Straights from one litter.
See our Scottish Fold kittens in Miami and Scottish Straight kittens in Miami.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Scottish Fold kittens' ears fold?
Scottish Fold kittens are born with straight ears. The fold usually starts to appear at around three to four weeks of age. Kittens whose ears stay upright are Scottish Straights.
Can Scottish Fold and Scottish Straight kittens be in the same litter?
Yes. A Scottish Fold is usually paired with a straight-eared cat, and on average about half of such a litter has folded ears and half has straight ears.
Why are Scottish Folds paired with straight-eared cats?
The fold comes from a dominant gene that also affects cartilage. Two copies of the gene cause severe joint problems, so responsible pairings match a Fold with a straight-eared cat rather than two Folds.
More breed notes: Scottish Fold colors, Scottish Fold vs Scottish Straight and Scottish Fold vs British Shorthair.