Also you commented elsewhere that you got 4 scottish folds from the same breeder. That's not "happenstance". Scottish folds tend to get hypertrophic cardiomyopathy too, so enjoy! I'm actually not knocking for for wanting to get a specific breed instead of a random dumpster cat, but for getting THAT breed heck yeah.

>Nope, the folded ear cartilage is evidence they most definitely have a genetic mutation that causes problems with the cartilage in their whole body. So degenerative joint disease, arthritis, etc....so cute. Eventually they sit like little humans too, because their joints hurt.

They're Scottish Folds, and the same mutation that makes the cartilage in their ears folds affects all the cartilage in their body. So they have joint problems and arthritis and also tend to have some other problems. It's not even like getting a breed that "tends" to have certain health problems; the ears are literally evidence that they do. The Dutch government recently banned even owning one (exception for people who got one before ban) and big UK pedigree organizations won't register them.

Properly functioning cartilage so they don't have to live with crippling arthritis and degenerative joint disease? There's a reason Scottish Folds can't even be registered as a pedigree cat in the UK where they came from. Breeding for painful genetic mutations just so you can enjoy taking pics of folded ears is not "cute".