The Selkirk Rex is a young breed of curly-coated cats with long or short hair. Yet it doesn’t look like other rex breeds. The secret is in its coat, which is made up of three types of hair: straight, wavy and curly. That’s the Selkirk Rex’s hallmark, and why many people compare it to a little lamb or a teddy bear.
History
The breed comes from Montana. In 1987, a litter from a white tom and a blue-tortie female produced an odd kitten with a randomly curled coat. Persian breeder Jeri Newman noticed her and named the kitten Miss DePesto.
It turned out that the kitten’s mother didn’t have a completely straight coat either; it curled at the tips. The kitten, though, had curly whiskers and even curly fur in her ears.
When Miss DePesto was 14 months old, Newman bred her to a black Persian tom, and three of the six kittens were born just as curly. This showed that the Selkirk gene is dominant, unlike the curly-coat genes of other rex breeds such as the Devon Rex. In the early 1990s, the Selkirk Rex was recognized as a separate breed, and it’s still developing.
Selkirk Rex Breed Description
Selkirk Rex cats are medium to large, and their heavy bones add weight: females weigh about 6.5–13 lb and males about 11–18 lb.
The breed standard and a detailed description according to TICA:
- Head: round, with full cheeks, a broad, rounded forehead, a strong chin and a short, square muzzle that protrudes past the cheeks in profile; curly whiskers and eyebrows;
- Ears: medium-sized, rounded with pointed tips, set wide apart;
- Eyes: large, round and set wide apart;
- Body: semi-cobby, muscular and rectangular, rising slightly toward the hips, with a full chest and a short, thick neck;
- Legs: medium length, with heavy bones and large, round paws;
- Tail: thick, medium length, tapering toward the tip;
- Coat: short or long, randomly curled, curliest on the neck and tail, with a dense undercoat. The curl on the back can vary with seasonal and hormonal changes, especially in females. The coat keeps developing until the cat is about 2 years old. Kittens may be born curly, then usually lose their curls and start curling again at 8–10 months.
Personality
These are loving, patient cats that combine the best traits of the breeds used to develop them. Like British Shorthairs, they’re very dignified and laid-back. Like Persians, they’re very sweet and affectionate. And like Exotic Shorthairs, they’re mischievous and playful even as adults. Their toy-like, plush coat, which just begs to be touched, adds to the effect.
The Selkirk Rex bonds quickly with its owner and easily gets used to children and other pets. It loves company and conversation, so it’s best not to leave it alone for long. Owners notice that these cats sense human moods and even pain. They’ll always come to comfort you when you’re feeling down, or lie on a sore spot as if to help.
Care and Health
The Selkirk Rex is a fairly young breed, and no diseases specific to these cats have been noted yet. Health problems can come from the other breeds that have been used for outcrossing. Most often, that means polycystic kidney disease (PKD) from Persians and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) from British Shorthairs. Experienced breeders try not to use cats with these hereditary conditions in their Selkirk Rex programs. The breed’s average lifespan is about 17 years.
Overall, caring for these cats comes down to their dense coat. The Selkirk Rex needs bathing more often than other breeds. Also, the curly fur in the ears can cause irritation and excess earwax.
On top of that, Selkirk Rex cats tend to shed heavily, so they’re not a good choice for people with allergies. It also means they need regular, gentle brushing.
Feed a Selkirk Rex the same way as other breeds: either a balanced, high-quality commercial food or a homemade diet with vitamins. A homemade diet should include meat (raw meat should be scalded with boiling water first), organ meats and some grains, and it must be complete and balanced. Vitamin supplements help keep a long coat healthy.
Colors
Here’s what a Selkirk Rex looks like:
The standard allows all colors and patterns, with a preference for clear, rich colors. You’ll often see spotted Selkirk Rex cats, sepia and mink (forms of partial albinism), bicolors, silver/smoke, chocolate and lilac. Eye, nose and paw-pad colors should match the coat.
How Much Does a Selkirk Rex Cost?
In the US, a Selkirk Rex kitten from a registered breeder typically costs about $1,500–3,000. As usual, the price depends on the kitten’s sex, looks, quality and pedigree.
Note that registries have been increasingly restricting outcrossing to other breeds, so the ideal is a kitten whose parents are both Selkirk Rex. Ask the breeder about the pedigree.
Where to Buy a Selkirk Rex
Although the Selkirk Rex is still a fairly young breed, it’s American, and both the CFA and TICA recognize it, so you can find registered US catteries here:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
If you decide to buy a Selkirk Rex from a private seller rather than a registered cattery, read reviews of the seller. At the very least, the kitten should be vaccinated, and ask for PKD and HCM screening results for the parents.
