Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cats

Objective To better characterise the bone and joint problems which can deve lop in Scottish Fold cats. Design Retrospective study of cases seen in five veterinary clinics and rad iographic survey of cats in a cattery. Results Six Scottish Fold cats (four castrated males, two spayed females) a ged between 5 months and 6 years were presented for signs of skeletal disea se including lameness, reluctance to jump, a stiff stilted gait, short miss hapen distal limbs, swelling of plantar tarsometatarsal regions and short t hick inflexible tails. A further four cases tone male, three females, 15 mo nths to 11 years) were identified by radiographic screening of a cattery A diagnosis of osteochondrodysplasia was based on characteristic radiological findings including irregularity in the size and shape of tarsal, carpal, m etatarsal and metacarpal bones, phalanges and caudal vertebrae, narrowed jo int spaces, and progressive new bone formation around joints of distal limb s with diffuse osteopenia of adjacent bone. A plantar exostosis caudal to t he calcaneus was present in advanced cases. In all nine cases where pedigre e information was available, affected cats allegedly originated from the ma ting of a Scottish Fold to a cat with normal ears. The severity and time of onset of physical signs, and rate of progression and extent of radiographi c abnormalities, varied from case to case. Limited histological observation s suggested the underlying problem may be an osteochondrodysplasia, related to inadequate cartilage maturation. Clinical signs were ameliorated by adm inistration of pentosan subcutaneously in two of three cats in which it was trialled, and one of these also benefited from an oral glycosaminoglycan p reparation. Conclusions Clinical and radiological findings were ascribed to defective m aturation and function of cartilage, particularly in the distal limbs, ears and tail. As all Scottish Fold cats suffered from osteochondrodysplasia of some degree, the best solution would be to avoid using fold-eared cats for breeding and instead use Scottish shorthairs.