The Rex Breeds
Meet CFA’s Curly-Coated Breeds!
Liz Watson, CFA allbreed judge
In today’s article I will be comparing and contrasting the various wavy-coated breeds that are accepted for CFA. Each breed has a written standard that allocates points to the various aspects of the cat. For example, head has x number of points as does body and so on. The number of points will add up to 100. Where you see the greatest number of points is where the standard puts the emphasis. With our curly-coated breeds, many of the points are given to coat and texture.
When I first came into the cat fancy there was one breed called “Rex.” Through the years and through generations of breeding, three breeds have been developed using Rex in their names. First was the Cornish Rex (the original Rex breed, developed in Cornwall area of Great Britain), next came the Devon Rex (from the Devonshire area of Great Britain), and finally the Selkirk Rex (named after the developer of the breed). The Cornish and Devon are shorthair breeds but the Selkirk Rex and our final wavy breed, LaPerm, come in both longhair and shorthair varieties. The LaPerm is our newest of the curly breeds, and was accepted for championship showing in 2008. Even though three breeds use Rex in their names, they couldn’t be farther apart in coat texture and type (what the cat looks like). Each breed has a unique gene with a natural mutation that presents in the coat texture.
The Cornish Rex I have always considered to be the aficionado’s cat because of its stylized structure and unique Marcel wave coat. They are the greyhound of the cat fancy, with their abdominal tuck up and lean race-like appearance. The head is egg-shaped or oval and supports large upright ears. The eyes are oval and very luminous. Theirs is not a large head, so the first thing you notice are the ears and eyes. The breed is known for its tight Marcel wave coat, to which 40 points in the standard are allotted. They have no guard hairs, so the coat is very soft to the touch. They stand on long refined (thin) legs and possess a long tail. Cornish have a terrific personality. They are active and will eat anything that doesn’t eat them first!
Next in development was the Devon Rex, and their type and coat could not be more different from the Cornish. They are often called “little ETs” for their resemblance to the beloved film character. Their front-on head look is a series of three curves: a) the whisker break, b) the cheekbones, and c) the curve of the ear. The ears are very large with a “jug handle” base. While the coat is heavy, the wave is not as tight as that of the Cornish. The Devon has guard hairs and needs more length and density of coat to produce the waves. They are on the small side and the written standard favors the females. They have a broad chest that often produces a bulldog stance. They are delightful creatures and love to snuggle. While the wave and density of the coat is important —30 points — emphasis is on the head, which is allotted 40 points.
The Selkirk Rex came into the fancy for registration in 1992 and was accepted for championship showing in 2000. It comes in two coat lengths, long and short, with type and structure being the same regardless of coat length. The Selkirk has the loosest coat wave, even in the shorthairs. The ringlet curl is most pronounced on the ruff. They can often look as though they’ve had a bad hair day. Structurally they are a larger cat than either the Cornish or the Devon and resemble the British Shorthair in size and roundness of head. They have heavier boning and the head structure is round with no flat planes. Their personality is loving and sweet. While they may not be quite as playful as the Cornish, they do love their toys. The Selkirk splits its points evenly with 33 each for head, body, and coat with one point for color. Thus, balance of type and coat are of equal importance.
The LaPerm is our newest breed with a wavy coat. While this cat is very prevalent in Japan, it is not so in the United States. The coat is not really a wave but a collection of loose randomly curled hairs that may have ringlets in the throat area. The best way to evaluate the coat is to run your hand backwards from the tail up to the neck. The breed is also divided into two varieties: longhair and shorthair. It comes in any genetically possible color, as well as a new pattern called “karpati,” which is the opposite of the Siamese pattern in that they are light in their face, legs, and tail and the body is dark. However, their written standard only gives one point to color and pattern, but as with the other Rex breeds, there are many points allotted to coat and texture.
In conclusion, not only are these breeds different in type but also in coat texture. To appreciate them up close, please attend a CFA show in your area. You can find a show on the CFA website. I hope you will be charmed by these breeds and the many others in competition.