Page 126 - The Complete Cat Breed Book (DK)

124 C A T AL OG OF BREED S

Large eyes with Round,
sweet expression smooth skull
Broad-based,
wide-set ears

Rectangular, well- Plush, curly black Curly, brittle
muscled body and white coat whiskers

Short,
square
muzzle

Medium-long,
well-boned
legs

Large, round Curls lie flat
paws against tail
SELKIRK REX

A HAPPY TEDDY BEAR OF A CAT THAT ENJOYS A LOT OF COMPANY

Place of origin US This cat takes its name from the Selkirk Grooming a Selkirk Rex is not difficult but
Date of origin 1980s Mountains near its place of origin in a light touch is advisable, because overly
Breed registries CFA, TICA Montana. Created in the late 1980s, the vigorous brushing can flatten out the curls.
Weight range 7–11lb (3–5kg) breed had its beginnings in an animal rescue Though calm and tolerant, this cat is far
Grooming
center, where a curly coated kitten appeared from staid and loves a hug. Selkirks stay
among an otherwise straight-coated litter kittenish for years and always enjoy games.
Colors and patterns born to a feral cat. This kitten became the
All colors, shades, founding female of the Selkirk Rex. As the GOING CURLY
and patterns.
breed was developed, planned matings with
The curls of a Selkirk
pedigree cats produced both the Selkirk Rex Rex can take up to

shorthair and a longer-coated type (p.194) two years to develop
that was the result of crosses with Persians. fully. Kittens are born
with curly coats that
Straight-coated variants are common in
usually straighten
litters of both types. out for a few months
The dense, soft coat of the Selkirk Rex before starting to
falls into random curls or waves, rather than turn curly again
when the cat is about
in the neat lines sometimes seen in other rex eight months old.
breeds. A greater degree of curl often occurs
around the neck and belly. The whiskers are
sparse and curly, and tend to snap off easily.