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Scottish Fold vs Ukrainian Levkoy
The Ukrainian Levkoy is bred from the Scottish Fold and the Donskoy; both have folded ears, and the Levkoy adds hairlessness and extreme rarity.
Verdict
The Ukrainian Levkoy descends partly from the Scottish Fold, so both carry the fold gene and its link to a painful cartilage and bone disorder. The thing that decides it is the coat and the supply. The Scottish Fold has a plush coat and is common. The Levkoy is nearly hairless, very rare, and brings skin care on top of the fold concern. Choose the Scottish Fold if you accept the welfare debate. Choose the Levkoy only with an informed view of both health questions.
Choose the Scottish Fold if
- You want a dense, plush coat and light grooming.
- You want a breed that is common and easy to find.
- You want the more settled breed, a CFA championship breed since 1978.
- You want a cat that scores 4 for children and other pets.
Choose the Ukrainian Levkoy if
- You want a nearly hairless cat with soft, wrinkled skin; it sheds almost no hair.
- You are interested in a very new breed and accept its thin record.
- You are willing to find a breeder who keeps reliable health records.
- You are home often, since it scores 2 for independence.
Where they are alike
Both have folded ears and list osteochondrodysplasia as a concern, so ask your vet about it for either. Each is a medium cat with a low-to-moderate energy score, 2 and 3, and a quiet voice, scoring 2.
Side by side
| Scottish Fold | Ukrainian Levkoy | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | Scotland | Ukraine |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Typical weight | 6-13 lb (2.7-6 kg); males are larger | — |
| Lifespan | About 11-15 years in healthy cats; severely affected cats may do worse | — |
| Coat length | Short | Hairless |
| Coat | Dense, plush coat that stands off the body; a longhair variety also exists | Hairless or with very little hair; soft, elastic, wrinkled skin |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1978 | Not recognised by the CFA |
| How common | Common | Very rare |
| Affection | 4 | 4 |
| Energy | 2 | 3 |
| Playfulness | 3 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 2 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 2 | 3 |
| Shedding | 3 | 1 |
| Good with children | 4 | 3 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 3 |
| Happy alone | 3 | 2 |
| Trainability | 3 | 4 |
| Suits a small home | 5 | 4 |
| Suits | A person or family who values a quiet, round-faced cat and is prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice. | A reader interested in a very new breed, with an informed view of the health debate over folded ears and hairlessness. |
| Less suited to | Anyone who does not want to take on a breed with a known, painful joint disorder, or who lives where breeding is restricted. | Most households. Both the fold and the hairless trait carry health concerns, and kittens are very hard to find with reliable records. |
| Registries that recognise it |
| — |
| 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