Ukrainian Levkoy

The Ukrainian breeder Elena Biryukova began crossing a Donskoy, the Russian hairless cat, with a Scottish Fold, the fold-eared cat, in 2004. She called the breed's first cat Levkoy the First, and the name comes from the stock flower, “levkoy” in Ukrainian, whose petals curl like its ears. It is a medium-sized, elongated cat, muscular but slender, with wrinkled skin, an angular head with a stepped profile and large ears with the outer half or third folded forwards and down. Some associations in Ukraine and Russia recognise it, but none of the large international ones (FIFe, CFA, TICA, GCCF). It needs saying plainly: it combines two controversial mutations, and the folded-ear one affects the whole skeleton. In character it is affectionate, clever and very sociable, like the Donskoy.

It needs the care of a hairless cat: a warm home, heated beds and clothing in winter; cleaning of the skin with wipes or baths every one or two weeks; ears cleaned gently, without forcing the fold; and protection from the sun, because it burns easily. Watch how it moves: if it struggles to jump, limps or will not let you touch its tail, see your vet.

The gene that folds the ears (Fd) affects cartilage throughout the body and causes osteochondrodysplasia: with two copies, severe bony growths on the legs, lameness and pain; with one copy, milder but common problems. That is why FIFe and the GCCF do not recognise fold-eared breeds, and several places, such as the Netherlands, Scotland, Austria and the Australian state of Victoria, ban breeding fold-eared cats. From the Donskoy it inherits delicate skin, sensitive to cold and sun. Many vets advise against this kind of breeding.