Selkirk Rex

 

The first Selkirk Rex was seen in 1987 in a litter of cats born in Montana.  She was a diluted calico female kitten with a curly coat in a litter of otherwise non-pedigree straight haired kittens with a straight-haired mother.   The mother and kittens had been left in an animal shelter as  they were unwanted. The cat in the picture is one of Lisa Peterson's cats who very kindly let me have some of her pictures.  Lisa's prefix is Trueblu and she was one of three breeders who were responsible for first introducing the Selkirk Rex to the UK.

Insiders Olivia of Trueblu - German Import

Blue Shaded Golden Longhair Selkirk Rex

D.o.B 18 - June-2002

Bloodtype A

FAB / PKD certified negative tested

Olivia arrived on the 18th May 2003 from Monica

 Neumeister at Insider Cattery in Germany

Peggy Voorhees of the Bozeman Humane Society in Wyoming (USA) noticed that the kittens curly coat was something different. Because the coat of the kitten was so unusual, the female kitten was adopted by Jeri Newman, a Montana breeder of pedigree Persian Cats. When 14 months old, this young female, now known as "Miss De Presto", was mated with Newman's champion black Persian called "Photo Finish of Deekay", and on 4th July 1998 produced a litter of six kittens. Half of these displayed their mother's curly coat. One was a black and white male, another was a black female and a third was a tortie female. It was soon clear that this was a new breed and the name of Selkirk was chosen for the breed, after the Selkirk Mountains in Wyoming.

Further matings, including back-crosses to Miss De Presto were organized. There were also out-crosses to various short-haired breeds as well as long-hairs. Other Rex Breeds are not however, to be introduced into the Selkirk development programme, because it is clear that the Selkirk is the only type of Rex that is genetically dominant. This means that the Selkirk cannot be related to any of the other Rex genes, and there is therefore no point in mixing them.

Encouraged by the success of the Selkirk programme, the breeders involved formed a Selkirk Rex Society and in August 1990 two American Cat Associations agreed to give official recognition to this new breed. there is now also a Rex Breed Association in Canada.

The Selkirk Rex are currently bred into the British Short Hair, Exotic and Persian. With low maintenance and the ability to get along with everyone, they are sure to make the best pet you've ever had.

The Selkirk Rex, the third Rex cat to appear on the North American show bench, is markedly different from the two Rex breeds that preceded it - the Cornish Rex and the Devon Rex. Both the Cornish and the Devon are fine boned and svelte-bodied. The Selkirk, however, is a medium to large cat with heavy bone that gives it surprising weight.

With coats curly from birth, these rare cats are known as "Cats in Sheep Clothing". Their coats are soft, thick and plush with non-matting loose curls. Unlike other Rex breeds, the Selkirk comes in longhaired and shorthaired varieties. The differences in coat length are most apparent on the tail and ruff. The shorthair's coat texture is soft, plushy, full and obviously curly. The coat stands out from the body and should not appear flat or close-lying. The curls are arranged in "clumps" rather than all over waves. The Selkirk is found in virtually every colour imaginable, including solid, shaded, smoke, tabby, bicolor, pointed, and mink.

Although kittens appear very curly at birth, they may lose their curl almost completely, and young cat will go through an untidy-looking stage before they become curly again. the degree of curl on the body varies with climate, season and hormonal factors.

The straight haired Selkirk rex are known as variants and cannot be shown but are invaluable in the breeding programme.  Two Selkirk Rexes mated together can  produce what is known as a homozygous and again these cannot be shown,  but in litters they will always have curly kittens.

Selkirk Rex are very patient, tolerant, very laid back cats, cuddly and playful.  They are cats with a character.  Once you have had one you will be smitten.

Every home should have one :-)