Susie was the foundation cat for the Scottish Fold breed.
Susie was a white barn cat with unusual folded ears, discovered on a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1961. Her ear shape resulted from a naturally occurring mutation that affected the cartilage, making the ears bend forward and downward toward the head.
Susie had kittens, and two of them inherited the folded-ear trait. One of those kittens, Snooks, became important in early breeding work. Breeders crossed Scottish Fold cats with domestic cats and British Shorthairs while developing the type, because breeding two folded-ear cats together can increase the risk of serious skeletal abnormalities.
The folded appearance is therefore not merely a cosmetic feature: it is linked to a genetic cartilage disorder called osteochondrodysplasia. Some registries restrict or do not recognize the breed, while others accept it under detailed breeding rules. The name Scottish Fold refers to the breed’s Scottish beginnings and folded ears.