THE SELKIRK REX: CAT WITH A RINGLETED COAT

The Selkirk Rex has an appearance that is somewhat unique among the Rex breeds.  Its long thick coat looks as if it is permed, and is at its best when two heterozygous cats are bred, one with a rexing coat, and one with a straight coat.  This combination gives the coat a ringleted effect, with all three hair types present in a single cat.  The drawback is that a long haired Selkirk may shed as much as a Persian. 

APPEARANCE

The Selkirk Rex head is rounded with a short, squared-off muzzle, and its eyes are rounded and widely spaced.  Both its cheeks and whisker pads are full, and the eye color is not related to the color of the coat.  Kittens are born curly, but may lose all curl  before maturity, and young adults tend to go through a messy stage before their curls return (Bruce Fogle, Catalog).  Her ears are medium-sized, pointed, and set well apart.  Her body is muscular as well as rectangular, with a slight rise in hindquarters.  Her tail is think, and tapers slightly to a rounded tip.  The weight of a Selkirk Rex will vary from 7 to 11 pounds (3-5 kg).

BREED HISTORY

Of all the Rex breeds, the Selkirk is the latest, not appearing until 1987.  The great grandmother of all Selkirk cats, Miss DePesto of NoFace, was a short haired kitten born at a pet rescue center in Montana (Bruce Fogle, DVM, Catalog).  When Miss DePesto entered the home of a breeder, Jeri Newman, she fell in love with a long haired black Persian show champion named Photo Finish of Deekay, and gave birth to kittens, some long haired, and some short haired.  The kittens were also a mixture of straight haired cats and curly haired cats.  Consequently, the Selkirk breed includes both long haired and short haired classes, the two are not separated, and the Persian remains an out-cross breed for the cats, among others.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW IF CONSIDERING A SELKIRK REX

The cat requires a moderate amount of grooming that cannot be neglected.  Brushing or combing once or twice weekly is recommended.  As a pet, your Selkirk will be self contained, quiet and sedate, and he or she is best kept indoors.