Why do Scottish Straights look like plush toys but keep normal cat sass in reserve?

It comes down to genetics and selective breeding. The round face, large eyes, and dense coat that give them that plush appearance are fixed traits from their folded-ear relatives, but their temperament remains unfiltered because they haven't been bred for docility the same way some other flat-faced breeds have. Mine will stare me down if I'm late with breakfast, then curl up like a stuffed animal an hour later.

They look soft and round because breeders prioritized the compact body, round head, and thick coat without the ear mutation, but the personality is left untouched since they're not lapdogs bred for submission. My girl will sit like a perfect porcelain doll on the shelf, then whip around and smack my hand if I pet her one second too long.

You get that sweet round face and dense plush coat because the straight-eared version still carries the same body type as the fold, just without the ear cartilage mutation. But their personality isn't softened by generations of breeding for extreme features-they're still independent hunters underneath. My straight-eared boy will let me bury my face in his fur for exactly ten seconds, then give me a look that says "that's enough, peasant" before walking away with his tail high.