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Devon Rex vs Scottish Fold
A playful, clinging rex against a quiet, round-faced shorthair whose folded ears come with a known cartilage and bone disorder.
Verdict
Energy and health history separate these two. The Devon Rex is small, playful, and scores top marks for affection and lowest for independence. The Scottish Fold is quiet, scores low for energy and copes with more time alone, but the gene behind the folded ear causes a known and sometimes painful disorder of cartilage and bone, and breeding is restricted in some places. Both rate top marks for small homes. Choose the Devon for a busy household, and the Scottish Fold only after careful thought and your vet's advice.
Choose the Devon Rex if
- You want a playful, curious cat.
- You are home most of the day.
- You want to avoid the fold-ear welfare debate.
- You will ask about hereditary myopathy, atopic dermatitis and patellar luxation.
Choose the Scottish Fold if
- You want a calm, quiet, round-faced cat.
- You are prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice.
- You live where fold breeding is allowed.
- You accept the watch-list of joint, kidney and heart conditions.
Where they are alike
Both are Common, both live in small homes comfortably and both rate well with children and other pets. Both are CFA championship breeds with coats that need modest grooming.
Side by side
| Devon Rex | Scottish Fold | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | Devon, England | Scotland |
| Size | Small | Medium |
| Typical weight | 6-9 lb (2.7-4.1 kg); males are somewhat larger | 6-13 lb (2.7-6 kg); males are larger |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years | About 11-15 years in healthy cats; severely affected cats may do worse |
| Coat length | Short | Short |
| Coat | Soft, short, wavy coat with sparse, curled guard hairs; fragile whiskers | Dense, plush coat that stands off the body; a longhair variety also exists |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1983 | Championship breed since 1978 |
| How common | Common | Common |
| Affection | 5 | 4 |
| Energy | 4 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 5 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 3 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 2 | 2 |
| Shedding | 2 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 4 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 4 |
| Happy alone | 1 | 3 |
| Trainability | 4 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 5 | 5 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Devon Rex sheds less hair than many cats, but allergens also come from saliva and skin. | — |
| Suits | A warm, busy home with someone around much of the day and a taste for a clinging, playful cat. | A person or family who values a quiet, round-faced cat and is prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice. |
| Less suited to | A cold house, a home left empty all day, or someone who wants a calm cat that keeps its distance. | 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