The Selkirk Rex is a heavy-boned, plush-coated curly breed that began with a shelter kitten in Montana in 1987 and was built up with Persians and British Shorthairs.
Patient and affectionate, it needs gentle combing, and breeders test for inherited kidney disease.
The Selkirk Rex is a sturdy, round-headed cat with a thick, plush coat of loose curls, often likened to a lamb or a teddy bear. It is the newest of the rex breeds.
The breed began with a curly-coated kitten born in an animal shelter in Montana in 1987. A Persian breeder acquired her and mated her to a black Persian, and half the kittens were curly, which showed that the gene is dominant. Persians, Exotics and British Shorthairs were used to build the breed, giving it its heavy build. Selkirk Rex arrived in Britain in 2002.
Unlike the Cornish and Devon Rex, the Selkirk has all three types of hair, and all are curled. The coat is dense and soft, with the curl most marked on the neck, belly and tail, and the whiskers are curly and brittle. There are short-haired and long-haired forms. Kittens are born curly, often lose the curl for some months and regain it as they mature at around two years.
The body is medium to large and heavy-boned, with a round head, full cheeks, a short muzzle and round eyes. All colours are accepted. Straight-coated kittens occur in litters.
Selkirks are patient, affectionate and tolerant, with the calm of the British Shorthair and more playfulness.
The coat is combed gently once or twice a week; heavy brushing straightens the curls. Some cats have greasy skin and need occasional bathing. Because of the breeds used in its creation, breeding cats are tested for polycystic kidney disease and screened for heart muscle disease.
The Selkirk Rex is recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy and the international registries. Around 35 kittens a year are registered in Britain.