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Cornish Rex Cats

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Felis domesticusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Justin Brough

     The Cornish Rex is a unique, social, athletic cat. It has an interesting appearance that makes it stand out from other breeds, though it is a gentle, friendly cat, which makes it a good family pet. It requires little grooming and does not shed very much.

    An interesting fact about this breed is that it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to cats than other breeds. The Cornish Rex is a playful, active cat that enjoys being around people and other animals. Some say that it is a lap cat, while others say that it prefers play to cuddling. It is a gentle, loving cat that bonds to the whole family. It enjoys being indoors. The Cornish Rex is talkative and has a similar voice as the Siamese, but is not as high-pitched. This breed requires very little grooming. In fact, it is important not to over-groom a Cornish Rex.

The Cornish Rex originated from Cornwall, England, and can now be found in England, the United States, and Australia.

Common Name(s)     Cornish Rex

Background     The Cornish Rex originated from a spontaneous genetic mutation in a litter of typical farm cats born on July 21st 1950 in Cornwall, England. The first Cornish rex was named Kallibunker and his mother was Serena. He was a red tabby with an unusual curly coat. The owner, Mrs. Nina Ennismore, bred Kallibunker with his mother, which produced two more curly coated kittens. Continued breeding established the Cornish Rex breed. The breed was given its name because it originated in Cornwall and Mrs. Ennismore believed that its coat was similar to the coat of Rex Rabbits. However, if a Rex Rabbit was found to have a curly coat, it was considered faulty. A more accurate name would have been Asterex, the name of another breed of rabbit that is known for its wavy fur. Despite this discrepancy, "Cornish Rex" has prevailed as the name for this breed. The Cornish Rex was recognized as an official breed in America in 1964 and in Britain in 1967. Sadly, there was a lack of enthusiasm for this breed in its early years, and its father, Kallibunker, and most of the other Cornish Rexes were put to sleep in 1956. Mrs. Ennismore had acquired 40 cats and could not afford to keep all of them, so most of them were destroyed. Thankfully, enough of them were saved to preserve the breed. Since this breed was known for a lack of stamina, it was selectively bred with Burmese, Siamese, Russian Blue, and British Shorthairs.
    The Cornish Rex is closely related to the German Rex. They share the same curly-coat gene. While the Cornish Rex appears to be very similar to the Devon Rex, they do not share the same gene for their curly coats.

Description      The Cornish Rex is known for its unique coat. At first glance, it just looks like this breed has a wavy coat. However, it is distinct from other breeds in that it has a short and wavy coat with no guard hairs. The average cat has down hairs (the undercoat) and awn hairs and guard hairs (the top coat). The Cornish rex has few awn hairs and no guard hairs, making his coat mostly comprised of down hairs. These hairs are thinner than other cats' hairs, being about 60 the thickness of the average cat hair. This fact, along with the fact that they are mostly down hairs, makes the Cornish Rex's coat very delicate and soft. All colors and patterns are accepted in this breed. Some examples include Red, Shaded Silver, Blue Smoke, Brown Patched Tabby, Calico, Blue-Cream, and Van Bi-color.
The Cornish Rex has a small to medium sized body. The torso is long and slender, while the hips are heavy and muscular. The back is naturally arched. This breed has a medium sized head that is triangular and longer than it is wide. The eyes are medium to large sized and oval in shape. The nose is long and the ears are large. The whiskers and eyebrows are crinkled. The legs and tail are long and slender. This cat weighs about 6 to 10 pounds. Males are larger than females. Its lifespan is 12 to 15 years.

Care and Feeding     The Cornish Rex enjoys meat over other food groups. However, it does not require a special diet.

Housing Your Cat     Due to its delicate coat, this breed does not fare well in extreme weather conditions. It should be kept out of extreme heat and cold and should be provided with extra warmth when it is cold inside. The Cornish Rex enjoys being indoors, and can be kept as an apartment cat. It is also an active breed, so it enjoys time outdoors in mild weather.

Maintenance     The Cornish Rex requires minimal grooming. Excessive brushing can cause bald spots to develop. Firm stoking of the coat can promote the wavy pattern.

Social Behaviors     This is a social breed. It enjoys being around people and animals. Its gentle and friendly nature makes it a good family cat. It has been described as "individualistic", though it likes playing and being around others.

Activities     The Cornish Rex is active and playful. It enjoys playing, so it should be provided with toys and a scratching post indoors.

Breeding/Reproduction     This breed should only be bred with the same breed. Litters contain 3 to 6 kittens. Cornish Rex females are excellent mothers.

Common Health Problems     This breed is somewhat fragile, due to its delicate coat. Its coat is more easily damaged than other breeds' coats and it has little protection from hot and cold weather. However, it is a generally healthy cat with a long life-span. The first Cornish Rexes were known to have little stamina, but they were bred with other breeds to improve the stock. The current Cornish Rex is an active, agile cat that has no problem with stamina.

Availability     This breed can be found from breeders on the internet or in your local area. The price of a Cornish Rex ranges from about $200 to $1200.

Glossary Terms Down Hairs - The fine, fluffy hairs that are closest to the skin of the animal and comprise the undercoat.
Awn Hairs - The hairs that are longer than the down hairs and shorter than the guard hairs that help protect the down
       hairs and provide insulation. They are a part of the top-coat.
Guard Hairs - The longer, coarse hairs that help protect the undercoat and are a part of the top-coat.

Author: Ruth Bratcher

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I have an adorable 11-year-old Cornish Rex. She is still playful and boisterous as the day I brought her home when she was 6 weeks old. Very vocal, very affectionate, and very talented. She can open doors with her paws! Even people who don't like cats love my kitty. She's just that good! Reply Anonymous 2009-01-25
My Cornish Rex is just over 4 years old and very affectionate. He is very much a shoulder cat and enjoys riding on my shoulder throughout the house. He is cold-natured and enjoys the comfort of his warm blanket during winter. He is solid white, odd eyed, (one gold and one blue), and enjoys being the center of attention! Reply Edwin Taylor 2008-04-15
Our Cornish Rex is now 14 years old. She is still playful, very social, and very, very affectionate...After returning home from a week's business trip outside, no choice is given to me but to cuddle with her. She just harrasses me until I pick her up and then turbo-purrs for hours. Sleeping involves her getting under the comforter and sleeping at your feet. During summertime she just sleeps over the comforter and wakes you up on week-end mornings when she thinks you had enough sleep... Our rex is a little cat with a big, big heart. Reply Francis 2008-04-02
My cornish rex is 6 years old and he still acts like a kitten. He is the most cuddly cat I have ever had. He insists on sleeping under the covers with you. He is very vocal, if he can't find you, he will cry out until you respond to him. He is also very friendly and playful with dogs and other cats. Reply Ellen 2008-03-25
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Questions - Answers
I think my Cornish rex has more bald spots right now than before, has this ever happen to you? do you know the cause? Reply leopold 2010-03-08
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