Selkirk Rex
Meoww!!
The Selkirk Rex is a medium-sized cat with a broad and round head. Its curly hair covers the cat’s entire body, but is usually more pronounced in the neck and tail.
In 5 Words
- Fun-loving
- Mellow
- Highly social
- Playful
- Curious
Snapshot
Size: medium-size to large cat
Weight:
11 – 16 pounds | male
6 – 12 pounds | female
Origin: Hungary and United States of America
Life Span: 10 – 15 years
Colour: All coat colours, patterns and colour combinations (including white markings) are acceptable
Characteristics
Learn About the Selkirk Rex
In 1987 a feral blue tortie & white cat in Montana had a strange looking kitten in a litter of 5. At 9 weeks she came to the attention of Persian breeder Jeri Newman who took the kitten and named her Miss DePesto because she was always pestering for attention. Jeri was able to find out that her mother had hair that was not completely normal either-it had a slight kink right at the end. Miss DePesto had curly whiskers, brillo hair in her ears and the coat on her body looked like a body wave. On July 14 Miss DePesto had a litter of 6 kittens of which 3 were definitely curly.
These results proved hat the gene was a dominant unlike that of the CR and DR and that Miss DePesto carried longhair. The Selkirk Rex started in Montana with a Persian breeder named Jeri Newman. Newman bred a curly haired kitten from a local shelter to one of her Persian males, and three curly-coated kittens resulted. She added British Shorthair, American Shorthair and Exotic Shorthair to the bloodlines and ended up with a cat with consistently curly hair.
The International Cat Association (TICA) accepted the Selkirk Rex into its New Breed program in 1990 and recognized it for championship competition in February of 1994. The American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) accepted the Selkirk for registration in 1992. Great Britain’s purebred cat registry accepted the Selkirk for registration in 2004. The Selkirk Rex Breed Club has taken the position that Selkirks should not be out-crossed to any other Rex breeds, so that the pedigree retains its purity.
The Selkirk Rex is a medium-sized cat with a broad and round head. Its curly hair covers the cat’s entire body, but is usually more pronounced in the neck and tail. The curly hair, however, appears at birth, straightens naturally and then reappears when the cat is between eight and ten months old. This plush and silky coat will then mature when the cat turns two. The Selkirk Rex is a heavy, sturdy cat with a rectangular body that is not too long nor too short. The legs and tail are both large and long but in proportion to the body.
The head is round with rounded ears and a rounded muzzle that blend well with the overall shape and size of the head. The eyes are also round and large and can come in any color. The whiskers mimic the coat in their curliness. This is a massive cat. There is no fragility about it.the Selkirk Rex cat is its curly coat. The coat of the Selkirk Rex cat can be either shorthaired or longhaired, but it is always curly. The curls grow bunchy in loose ringlets. The coat is curliest in the ruff area and on the tummy. It can be any color or pattern.
Selkirk is extremely generous with its love, and lavishes it on you. It revels and shines when it is surrounded by people, and hates to be left alone. Playful and curious, it will follow you about the house wanting to be noticed. The Sekirk is also easygoing and does not cause trouble. Selkirks are fun-loving, mellow cats with a generous measure of love and affection for their human companions.
Very people-oriented, they stay playful and kittenish even as adults. The breed is known for being highly social and will wither if left in isolation. This is not a breed for an uptight cat owner as they are often the butt of bad hair day jokes.The Selkirk Rex loves to play games with their human companions and they can keep themselves entertained for hours.
The most common diseases and medical conditions associated with this breed of cat include but are not limited to clogged tear ducts, dermatitis, increased earwax production, excessive greasiness of the fur, polycystic kidney disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Hip dysplasia.
Polycystic kidney disease – is a hereditary condition causing enlarged kidneys and kidney dysfunction.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – is the most common form of heart disease in cats and causes enlargement (hypertrophy) of the heart muscle.
Hip dysplasia – is a hereditary defect of the hip socket. It can be mild, causing little or no pain, or it can eventually lead to severe lameness. A Selkirk with hip dysplasia may move slowly or avoid jumping. Depending on the severity of the condition, weight loss, medication or surgery can help to relieve pain.
The Selkirk Rex, best described as a “wash and wear” cat, rarely needs a bath. The Selkirk Rex pet owner needs no fancy grooming tools. The best ones are attached to the end of your arms, your hands. Use your fingers in a gentle scratching motion to help your kitty’s curl look its best. When your pet is on your lap, an excellent way to spend quality time is by gently running your fingers or a comb through the coat.
This removes the dead hair and keeps hairballs to a minimum. Because this is a full-coated cat, it sheds just like any other full-coated cat. The Selkirk Rex coat does not mat easily, even in the longhairs, but combing will make sure none form.bath is required, a moisturizing shampoo is usually all that is needed. Coat conditioner is rarely necessary. Blow-drying a Selkirk is not necessary and can give it that “poodle” look. Rewetting the coat will bring the curl back. The coat will air dry in a few hours.
