Cat breed Selkirk Rex: description, character, care

If you like curly cats, you'll love the Selkirk Rex with a gorgeous wavy coat. Flowing locks gave these cats by mother nature. Sometimes the Selkirk Rex is called the cat in sheep's clothing. The breed is not only charming in appearance but also won the hearts with his wonderful personality.

Breed History

Breed of cats Selkirk Rex is young enough – they broke into the world of animal lovers just 14 years ago. Of course, representatives of this breed are still quite rare, but the Selkirk Rex can be found all over the world.

In July 1987, from the most common smooth-coated tricolor cat came to light a remarkable – curly white-cream-blue cat named Miss depesto. Her brothers and sisters were quite ordinary kittens. The owner of a rare instance became a breeder of Persian cats Jerry Newman.

Newman realized that curly hair Miss depesto unique and decided to find out whether it is transmitted by inheritance. To do this, the owner crossed a cat with a black Persian cat, the breed champion. So in July of 1988 gave birth to six kittens, three of whom inherited maternal curly fur.

This distribution showed that the gene quadravest is dominant, this means that the appearance of the original kittens enough to one of the parents possessed them. Also it meant that the usual smooth-haired kittens born to the couple, the desired gene is absent and their offspring will never be curly. One of the curly-haired kittens were long-haired, so she Miss depesto had a recessive gene of donoshennosti.

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One of the kittens born in this litter, Oskar Kowalski, is the second father of the breed, his name is there in the pedigrees of many Selkirk. Children Miss depesto and Oscar had including the color point, that is depesto had the gene responsible for this color. It is the genetic wealth Miss depesto offers such a variety of colors, textures and lengths of fur modern cat breed Selkirk Rex. Photos show that all cats have an interesting appearance.

The name “Selkirk” the breed was named after the mountains in the North of the U.S. state of Montana. The word “Rex” indicates that members of breeds have curly hair (like the breeds, the Devon Rex, Cornish Rex).

For the development of breed lines of the first representatives of the Selkirk Rexes were bred with Persian cats, exotics, British and American Shorthair. Since the breed is still young, in order to improve interbreed crossbreeding is practiced until now. In 2000, the CFA recognized the breed Selkirk Rex.

Description

The Cats of this breed have a rounded skull, full cheeks and the pads of vibrissal. The ears are conical shape, medium size, set wide apart, broad at the base. The eyes are large and rounded, that will come to cat's muzzle a surprised and curious expression.

Body Size large or medium, straight back, slightly raised back, torso muscular. The tail is thick at the base, medium length.

Of Course, the main distinguishing feature of the breed Selkirk Rex – soft curly hair. Kinky all three types of fur – the outer coat, undercoat and top coat. Curls most strongly noticeable on the tail and the neck. Even the whiskers curl, which gives the face a mischievous and rollicking expression.

Selkirk can be both longhair and Shorthair. The difference is very distinct. Shorthair cats have a medium length coat. It is soft, velvety, with waves all over my body. Long-haired Selkirk have long dangly curly hair. Both types of it is very dense.

For the colors, there are no restrictions – Selkirk can be any color, including color-point. Looks like a Selkirk Rex? Photos show that it's adorable animals.

Nature

Of Course, the first thing that attracts attention in the Selkirk-Rex – it's curly hair. But for owners is of great importance and character of the animal. Selkirk are excellent companions, they contact, quickly become attached to people, friendly, but unobtrusive.

Selkirk loyal to children and other animals. But because of the sociability of cats are hard to tolerate loneliness. Selkirk remain kittens all their lives and love to play. They will tirelessly chase a candy wrapper or a toy mouse. A favorite game becomes one in which will take part owner.

Clock

For short-haired cats grooming is minimal – a weekly brushing and bathing as needed is enough. But long-haired representatives need to pay more attention – comb good comb at least twice a week and bathe once a month. These measures are needed to prevent tangles.

Distribution

The Selkirk Rex is still quite rare, and breeders are reluctant to part with carriers of the rare gene even pet-class. But gradually the breed is becoming more common. If you want to get a kitten Selkirk Rex, you will have to get on the waiting list for six months or a year. If important the floor and the color of the animal – the wait can drag. Easier to get a kitten with normal straight hair, buthave excellent character Selkirk.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that many people mistakenly believe Selkirk hypoallergenic. A gene, usually causing Allergy in humans, is contained in the saliva of the animal and is transferred to the fur when licking. So if you are allergic to cats, it will appear in the Selkirk Rex.