Health Guarantee

Every Scottish Fold kitten placed by Aurelian Folds is covered by a written, two-year health guarantee against life-threatening congenital and hereditary defects. This is not a marketing claim — it is a contractual obligation, executed in writing at the time of deposit, and it is backed by our willingness to replace a covered kitten from a future litter at no additional cost.

The Scottish Fold breed is inseparable from a conversation about health. We do not shy away from that conversation. This page describes exactly what our guarantee covers, what it does not, and what we ask of the families who take a kitten home. The full contract, which controls in the event of any conflict with this summary, is provided at deposit and again at pickup.

What is covered

  • Congenital cardiac defects, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), diagnosed by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist using echocardiography before the kitten's second birthday.
  • Polycystic kidney disease (PKD1) confirmed by a validated DNA test or by diagnostic imaging before the kitten's second birthday.
  • Severe, functionally disabling Scottish Fold osteochondrodysplasia (SFOCD) diagnosed radiographically by a board-certified veterinary radiologist or orthopedic surgeon before the kitten's second birthday.
  • Any other congenital, life-threatening defect present at birth and diagnosed within the guarantee window by a licensed veterinarian.

What is not covered

  • Mild-to-moderate SFOCD findings that do not impair the cat's function or quality of life. All Scottish Folds carry the Fd gene and demonstrate some degree of cartilage variation; the guarantee addresses severe expression only.
  • Injury, poisoning, ingestion of foreign objects, or any condition caused or aggravated by trauma or neglect.
  • Infectious disease acquired after the kitten leaves the cattery, including feline infectious peritonitis triggered by mutation of a common coronavirus.
  • Conditions caused by failure to maintain indoor housing, appropriate nutrition, or routine veterinary care.

Buyer obligations

  • Complete a pediatric well-kitten examination with your own licensed veterinarian within seventy-two hours of taking the kitten home. This visit confirms the kitten's condition on arrival and establishes a baseline for the guarantee.
  • Maintain continued AAFP-protocol vaccination and annual wellness examinations. Records must be retained and produced on request in the event of a guarantee claim.
  • Feed a complete-and-balanced diet formulated for the appropriate life stage. We recommend a specific starter food and provide a transition plan.
  • House the cat indoors, with supervised outdoor access permitted only in a fully enclosed catio or on-harness.
  • Notify the breeder in writing within thirty days of any diagnosis that could give rise to a guarantee claim, and provide the diagnosing veterinarian's contact information so we may consult directly.

Remedy

If a covered condition is diagnosed within the two-year window, the buyer may elect a replacement kitten of comparable quality from a future litter at no additional cost. The original kitten remains with the buyer's family; we do not require, request, or accept return of a diagnosed animal. In the rare case where the buyer cannot continue to care for the original kitten, our lifetime right-of-return policy applies separately from the guarantee.

Replacement kittens are placed as soon as a suitable litter is available. We do not cap the number of guarantee claims per household, but we do ask families to work with us in good faith on scheduling and matching.

Independent verification

We are proud that our guarantee is more comprehensive than the industry norm, and we are happy to share the full contract with any prospective applicant before deposit. We also share, on request, the DNA test results, cardiac screening reports, and orthopedic assessments of both parents of any litter. Please email hello@aurelianfolds.com or use the contact form to request documentation.

This summary was last reviewed on January 1, 2026. The written contract executed at deposit governs in the event of any conflict.