General Description

The Cornish Rex is an elegant, well-muscled, alert, medium-sized cat. Its most distinctive features are its short, soft, plush, rippling or wavy coat, its longish head, large ears and characteristic tuck up of the stomach.  The breed stands high on its legs and has a hard, muscular body that is warm to the touch (approx. 40oC).  Males are generally larger than females.  

 

A special feature of the Cornish Rex is the LOW ALLERGENIC qualities of the coat.  Many people who could not otherwise own a cat have found that they are not as sensitive to their Rex.  CORNISH & DEVON REX CATS ARE THE ONLY BREEDS RECOMMENDED BY THE ASTHMA FOUNDATION.  

 

A note from customer Des Booth - 0427 268 404

 

"Dear Sally - After visiting your house and meeting your cats I must confirm that they are non allergenic as I am extremely allergic to cats and I would not have known you had cats there other than seeing them.  I can recommend them for anyone that has a cat allergy - 19 March 2020"

 

Because the coat is fine, with little insulation, Rex’s should be kept in a relatively warm environment.  An igloo type bed, or a sealed box with an entry hole, lined with lambswool and should have a warm place it finds most comfortable to go to at all times.  For this reason, they are INDOOR cats only.

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In spite of its delicate appearance, the Cornish Rex is a surprisingly hardy breed and does not require any unusual care.

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Personality

The Cornish Rex is an affectionate and happy, highly intelligent, well co-ordinated, athletic cat.  ​Cornish Rex cats are very, very playful and athletic and will appreciate having a choice of toys to play with.  A favourite with Rex cats is the simple pipe cleaner wound around the finger like a spring, and thrown within retrieving distance.

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Characteristics

Once seen, never forgotten.  The Cornish Rex cat is delightful, distinctively different, constantly charming and captivating.  Cornish Rexes need people, and given a choice will spend most of their time with humans.  When they are free to choose their own sleeping quarters, their first choice is the owners bed.  This is partly due to their desire for warmth. Even tempered and very affectionate, they also appeal because of their extremely quiet voices.

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It is hard to find words to do justice to all Cornish Rex fine qualities, but whether as a show cat or just as a pet, no-one could be immune to their magnificent coat.  The Cornish Rex is truly one of natures miracles.

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The Cornish Rex History

The first curly coated Cornish Rex was born on 21st July 1950, in the Duchy of Cornwell in England, to an ordinary straight coated farm cat named Serena, in a litter of otherwise straight-haired kittens.

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Serena’s owner Nina Ennismore, a breeder of curly-haired Astrex rabbits, knew immediately that this cream tabby male kitten was unique and probably resulted from a mutant recessive gene.  Nina contacted her vet who suggested mating the cream tabby curly-coated kitten now named KALLIBUNKER, back to his tri-coloured mother.  Both mother and son carried the curly-haired gene and this mating produced two curly coated kittens – both male.

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One of the male kittens from the Kallibunker mating died soon after birth but the second, a rare blue-cream tabby named Poldhu, was mated to smooth-haired Queens to prevent excessive inbreeding.  All the smooth-haired offspring carried the Rex gene.

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After careful breeding in England, the first female was exported to America in 1957.  With specific mating to Siamese and Orientals and other fined-boned cats the fine boned Cornish Rex has evolved.

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