Cornish Rex Kitten Breed

This breed is characterized by its curly coat, which was discovered in a cat in the west of England in 1950, the result of a mutant gene that inhibits [he production of normal guard hairs and, in some cases, of awn hairs too. Individuals of German Rex stock contributed to the development of the breed in the USA but the introduction of Siamese and other oriental blood give this cat a different look. Similar curled coats discovered in Oregon and New York State contributed to the development of the American Wirehair. The Cornish Rex is a smallish to medium-sized cat with a long slim look. The line of its back tends to form a natural arch. Its Marcel-like waves extend from the top of the head right back to the tip of the tail and even the short hair under the chin and on the abdomen is wavy. Whiskers and eyebrows should also be crinkled and of good length. A head of shorthair type or of too long a wedge shape is a fault. Rex cats do not shed their coats and are easy to groom by hand stroking and an occasional combing.

Hard and muscular, long slender torso, long straight legs with small oval paws and a long slender tail tapering towards the end and extremely flexible.

Small and narrow, lengthabout one third larger than thewidth, narrowing to a strongchin; large full ears, wideat the base and set high,tapering to rounded tips; theroman nose is one third thelength of the head and theprofile straight from its tipto the forehead.

Oval, medium to large, a fulleye's width apart and slopingupwards. Color appropriateto coat or, except in the caseof the pointed patterned (Si-Rex), chartreuse, greenor yellow.

Short and plushy, withoutguard hairs, it should curl,wove or ripple, particularlyon the back and tail.

All colors are recognized.