About the breed
The Selkirk Rex is a cat with the look of a curly teddy bear - its plush, wavy coat arose entirely by chance, from a single cat found in a Montana shelter in 1987. Unlike the Cornish Rex and Devon Rex, both shaped by a hidden (recessive) mutation, the Selkirk Rex carries a dominant genetic change - genetically, it's a completely different story, even though it shares only the word 'Rex' with those two curly breeds. The result is a soft, loosely curled coat arranged in clumps of curl, closer to a plush toy than the tight, permanent marcel waves of the Cornish Rex or the short, suede-like coat of the Devon Rex.
History
Every Selkirk Rex alive today descends from a single cat - Miss DePesto, born in 1987 in a shelter in Sheridan, Montana, one of six kittens and the only one with a curly coat, down to curly whiskers. She was adopted by Persian breeder Jeri Newman, who later bred her to a black Persian male; of the resulting litter of six, three kittens were curly, proving the trait was a dominant mutation. Newman named the new breed after her stepfather's surname, Selkirk. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) accepted the breed for registration in 1992, and it reached championship status in 2000. Other major registries, including TICA and the GCCF, now recognize the breed too, and allow controlled outcrosses to a handful of other shorthair breeds to keep the gene pool healthy.
A dominant mutation
The curly coat comes from a variant of the KRT71 gene, which controls the structure of hair fibers. In the Selkirk Rex, this mutation is dominant - a single copy of the gene is enough to produce curls, and a cat carrying it will pass curls on regardless of its partner's breed. That means a Selkirk Rex can be paired with almost any other cat and still produce curly kittens. This is a key difference from the Cornish Rex and Devon Rex, where two copies of a recessive gene are needed for curly kittens - meaning both parents must carry it. Cats with one copy of the gene (heterozygotes) typically show more even, well-defined curls, while those with two copies (homozygotes) can lose much of their coat as kittens, though true bald patches are not typical.
Appearance and coat
The coat grows in loose, individual curls that gather in clumps rather than an even wave like the Cornish Rex's. The breed comes in both shorthair and longhair varieties, and both can appear in the same litter. Kittens can be born curly or nearly straight; in some, the curl temporarily recedes between around eight and ten months of age, with the coat not fully settling until close to two years old. The amount of curl can also shift with sex and season. The body is medium-sized, sturdy and muscular, with a round head, large round eyes and curly whiskers. An adult typically weighs between three and seven kilograms and stands around 25 to 30 centimeters at the shoulder.
Temperament
Selkirk Rex cats are known as calm, patient, people-oriented cats that would rather curl up in a lap than chase a toy across the floor. They're playful without being hyperactive, adaptable, and generally get along well with children and other pets sharing the home. They're not especially vocal, but enjoy 'chatting' with their owner, following them from room to room, and curling up in bed with them at night.
Health
Breeders establishing the breed used outcrosses to the Persian, British Shorthair and Exotic Shorthair to help set the body type. Through that ancestry, the Selkirk Rex shares a risk for polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an inherited condition in which cysts form in the kidneys. Sources vary on how much risk this represents - some class the Selkirk Rex as low risk, others as moderate - since it depends on the individual pedigree line. Breeding cats are best tested for the PKD1 mutation, or screened with a kidney ultrasound, before being paired.
Coat care
Despite the curls, the coat isn't low-maintenance - it needs regular finger-fluffing or wide-toothed combing, or the curls mat into knots. It needs more grooming than a plain shorthair cat, but considerably less than a Persian, which needs daily combing. The longhair variety needs extra attention around the ruff and tail, where the coat tangles most easily. Combing should be gentle, since overly vigorous brushing can temporarily flatten out the curls.
Who it suits
Thanks to its calm temperament and adaptability, the Selkirk Rex is a great fit for apartment living and families with children. But given the regular coat care it needs and the genetic testing worth checking for when buying a kitten, it isn't necessarily the easiest first cat for a complete beginner still learning routine grooming and health screening. Since the coat doesn't shed noticeably less than other cats' coats, the breed also isn't a good match for anyone with a cat hair allergy.
Temperament
Calm, patient and strongly attached to people, the Selkirk Rex would rather relax in a lap than tear around the apartment. It's playful without going overboard, adaptable, and generally gets along well with children and other pets.
Suitable for
Great for families with children, couples and individuals who want a calm, people-oriented cat and are willing to comb its coat regularly.
Living environment
Thanks to its calm temperament and low-to-moderate activity level, the Selkirk Rex adapts well to apartment life without outdoor access, as long as it has cozy resting spots and a few floor-level toys.
Grooming
The coat needs finger-combing or a wide-toothed comb once or twice a week to keep the curls from matting - less often than a Persian, but more than a plain shorthair. Regular ear and eye checks are worthwhile, and breeding cats should ideally be tested for the PKD1 mutation.
Pros & cons
Advantages
friendly and patient with children, adaptable to apartment living, unique soft curly coat
Things to consider
coat still needs regular combing despite the curls, breeding lines are best PKD-tested, not the easiest choice for a completely first-time owner
