My Two-Month-Old Cat Still Has Folded Ears – Will They Stand Up, and Can It Still Get Sick?

Droopy ears in a young kitten do not automatically mean it is a fold-eared (Scottish Fold) cat – you need to know whether it carries the fold gene. If both parents are fold-eared, the kitten carries the gene, its ears will not stand up, and it can develop the associated disease at any point, showing limb deformities and lameness.

In other breeds, ears that do not stand may be caused by calcium deficiency, injury, or underdevelopment of the ear cartilage. The underlying cause must be identified so the right treatment can be given.