Cornish Rex

In 1950 a curly-coated cream male kitten, Kallibunker, turned up in a litter of barn cats on Nina Ennismore's farm in Cornwall, England ^[1]. After consulting her vet and a geneticist, she bred him back to his mother and got two more curly kittens ^[1]. Having kept Rex rabbits, she gave the new cat breed the same name ^[1]. Crosses with Burmese, Siamese and British Shorthairs showed the mutation was recessive ^[1]. A California breeder bought a pair in 1956 to start the breed in the US; CFA accepted it for registration in 1962 and for championship two years later ^[1].

• Coat: short, close-lying tight waves with no guard hairs; it must be dense and soft. CFA's standard gives the coat 40 points on its own ^[1].
• Body: lean and statuesque, with an arched back ^[1].
• Head: egg-shaped, with large high-set ears, huge luminous eyes and a prominent Roman nose ^[1].

Cornish Rex are extremely intelligent, adaptable and adventurous, and they love to travel ^[1]. They're also devoted, often called "Velcro kitties" for their need for physical contact with their person ^[1]. Their energy means a constant hunt for new playthings, appropriate or not, so put fragile things away ^[1]. Children and adults enjoy their antics, and dogs get a willing playmate ^[1]. They'll chat, but not loudly or needlessly ^[1].

• Coat: no regular combing needed. Bathe occasionally if the coat gets greasy; towel-dry and never blow-dry ^[1].
• Ears: wax builds up faster than in other breeds; clean often with a cotton ball or swab ^[1].
• Warmth and sun: they chill easily and can sunburn ^[1].
• Food: big appetites despite slim builds ^[1].

• Inherited conditions: CFA describes a sturdy breed with none ^[1].
• Skin and coat: the guard-hair-free coat is fragile and may not protect against sun; they chill easily ^[1].
• Ears: wax builds up quickly; clean often ^[1].
• Lifespan: GCCF estimates about 16 years ^[3]. We found no breed-specific longevity study.

This is general information; talk to your vet about any specific concern.

Don't confuse with…

• Devon Rex: a few guard hairs, looser waves, huge low-set ears ^[4].
• Selkirk Rex: sturdy, with thick loose curls ^[5].
• Oriental Shorthair: slender and big-eared, but straight-coated ^[6].

• The breed is named after Rex rabbits ^[1].
• Never blow-dry a Cornish Rex ^[1].
• They may eat vegetables and fruit ^[1].