Rex Cats

History

The Devon and Cornish Rex cats are naturally mutated breeds that first appeared in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although both have a curly coat, genetically they are very different. The Cornish Rex cat first appeared in a litter of kittens born in a farm in Cornwall; the farmer consulted his vet about one kitten that was born with this curious coat and decided to mate it back with its mother to see what the result would be; the kittens appeared with the same coats. A decade later, a similar curly coat was seen in Devon; this was the first Devon Rex cat. When two Devon cats were mated together they did not initially produce curly-coated offspring and from this it is realized that they were quite a distinct breed from the Cornish cat. The Cornish cats were much larger, and resembled a farm cat that had been given a permanent; the Devon cats were much smaller in build with large, round eyes and ears that appeared to be quite out of proportion to the size of their bodies.

Character and Temperament

Both Rex cats are lively, intelligent and active. They love people and their families and love to be included in any household activity. They can be extremely naughty - these are cat breeds with a profound sense of humour, and hey are the sort of cats you either love or hate. The Devon cats sometimes have less fur but neither cat has an under coat - this means they are suitable for people who suffer from Asthma.

Type and Standard of Points

The Cornish cat should be long and elegant, but feel firm and muscular. The legs should be long, the head wedge-shaped and in profile showing a long straight nose. The eyes should be oval and the ears large and set wide apart, in a similar way to the Siamese but no so extreme. The coat should cover the body well but show distinct rexing. The Devon cat is much smaller and does not have as much fur as the Cornish cat: it is an unusual looking cat and not to everyones taste. The head is round, showing a nose break in profile, and with distinctive large ears. As the coat is shorter than the Cornish cat, there are times when it can look bald. Both cats are available in any colour and patter.