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Burmese vs Scottish Fold
The Burmese is a lively, talkative, devoted cat; the Scottish Fold is a quiet, round-faced home cat tied to a known painful joint disorder.
Verdict
The Burmese rates 4 for energy, 5 for play and 4 for voice, and wants a person home much of the day. The Scottish Fold rates 2 for energy and 2 for voice, and settles in a quiet home. The Fold also carries a known cartilage disorder that causes painful joints, so its breeding is debated and restricted in some places. Choose the Burmese for a lively, talkative companion and the Scottish Fold only if you accept the welfare debate and follow strict breeder and vet advice.
Choose the Burmese if
- You want a playful cat that stays kittenish for years.
- You enjoy a talkative companion.
- You want a very short glossy coat that needs almost no grooming.
- You want a breed without a known joint disorder built into its look.
Choose the Scottish Fold if
- You want a quiet, round-faced cat for a small home, with apartment living at 5.
- You are out for part of the day, since independence is 3 against 1.
- You will buy only from a breeder who pairs folds with straight-eared cats and shows health records.
- You have checked that breeding is not restricted where you live.
Where they are alike
Both cats are affectionate, short-coated and good with children, with the Burmese at 5 and the Fold at 4. Each lists a few conditions for the vet to watch.
Side by side
| Burmese | Scottish Fold | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Shorthair | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | Burma (Myanmar), developed in the United States and Britain | Scotland |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Typical weight | 9-13 lb (4-6 kg); males are larger | 6-13 lb (2.7-6 kg); males are larger |
| Lifespan | 12-16 years | About 11-15 years in healthy cats; severely affected cats may do worse |
| Coat length | Short | Short |
| Coat | Very short, fine, glossy, satin-like coat | Dense, plush coat that stands off the body; a longhair variety also exists |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1936 | Championship breed since 1978 |
| How common | Uncommon | Common |
| Affection | 5 | 4 |
| Energy | 4 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 5 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 4 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 1 | 2 |
| Shedding | 2 | 3 |
| Good with children | 5 | 4 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 4 |
| Happy alone | 1 | 3 |
| Trainability | 4 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 4 | 5 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The very short coat sheds lightly, but people who react to cats may still react to a Burmese. | — |
| Suits | An owner who is home a lot and wants a loving, playful cat that stays kittenish for years. | A person or family who values a quiet, round-faced cat and is prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice. |
| Less suited to | Anyone who is away for long hours, or who wants a quiet, independent cat. | Anyone who does not want to take on a breed with a known, painful joint disorder, or who lives where breeding is restricted. |
| Registries that recognise it |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026