Parliament Workbench
Data: Motions & questions to 19 Nov 2026

Written Question · S6W-17437 · Session 6

Whether it has any plans to (a) ban and (b) restrict the breeding of the Scottish Fold cat.

Answered Asked by Jamie Greene Con Lodged 19 Apr 2023

The question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to (a) ban and (b) restrict the breeding of the Scottish Fold cat.

The answer

Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 May 2023 · 14 days after it was lodged, on time

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to ban the breeding of the Scottish Fold cat. The breeding of this particular breed is however restricted under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (the 2021 regulations).
The 2021 Regulations include a licence condition (section 8(4), schedule 2) which states that "no cat may be kept for breeding if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of its genotype, conformation, behaviour or state of health, that breeding from it could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring". Given the well documented conformational health issues with this breed, the licensing authority is likely to refuse any application for a licence or a request to vary a licence where the intention is to breed the Scottish Fold. Comprehensive guidance produced for local authorities and cat breeders also makes it clear that persons seeking to breed the Scottish Fold are unlikely to be granted a licence to do so.

In the Official Report

No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-17437 by reference.