Physical Characteristics
The Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair, including the whiskers, and is distinct from all other Rex breeds. Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing, and there are longhair and shorthair varieties.
Selkirk Rexes differ from the LaPerm in that their coat is more plush and thick. Although both have dominant Rex genes, they behave in different ways. While the LaPerm gene is a simple dominant, the Selkirk gene acts as an incomplete dominant and produces a few possible types of cats: heterozygous cats may have a fuller coat that is preferred in the show ring, while homozygous cats may have a tighter curl and less coat volume.
The breed has been developed in two coat lengths, long and short. It is a large and solidly built breed, similar to a British Shorthair. The coat is very soft and has a woolly look and feel with loose, unstructured curls. The head is round, with large rounded eyes, medium sized ears, and a distinct muzzle, whose length is equal to half its width. An extreme break, like that of a Persian, is a disqualifiable fault.
Temperament
The temperament of the Selkirk Rex reflects that of the breeds used in its development. They have a lot of the laid-back, reserved qualities of the British Shorthair, the cuddly nature of the Persian, and the playfulness of the Exotic Shorthair. They are very patient, tolerant, and loving.
Health Characteristics
There are no known health problems specific to the Selkirk Rex breed. They are a healthy and robust breed. Breeding towards proper head structure is necessary to prevent kinking of the tear ducts or muzzle creases that can result in dermatitis on the face. Like other Rex breeds, irritation of the ear by curly fur can occur, increasing the production of ear wax.
Homozygous cats (with two copies of the dominant Selkirk Rex gene) may have a tendency towards excessive greasiness of the coat, requiring increased frequency of bathing. Other health problems may be inherited from the outcross breeds used, including Polycystic Kidney Disease from Persians and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy from British Shorthairs. Responsible breeders screen their breeding cats for these diseases to minimize their impact on the breed.
History
The Selkirk Rex originated in Montana in 1987, with a litter born to a rescued cat. The only unusually coated kitten in the litter was ultimately placed with a Persian breeder, Jeri Newman, who named her Miss DePesto. This foundation cat was bred to a black Persian male, producing three Selkirk Rex and three straight-haired kittens. All Selkirk Rex trace their ancestry back to Miss DePesto.