Cornish Rex Cats - A Breed Profile

When Nina Ennismore's tortoiseshell cat Serena gave birth to a litter of kittens on 21st July 1950, on her farm near Bodmin, in Cornwall, she knew immediately that she had something special. One kitten, a red and white male, had a tightly waved coat, quite unlike any cat that she had ever seen before. This kitten, who was named Kallibunker, became the foundation of the Cornish Rex breed, which today has enthusiasts all over the world. The name 'Rex', or 'rex-coated', was adopted for the breed due to the similarity of the coat quality to that of the pedigree Rex rabbit.

Ch. Rastacat Mikahakkinen
Bred By Jan Cross, owned by Judy Picknell

The Cornish Rex is a lean, muscular cat of medium foreign type, based on the overall appearance of Kallibunker. These cats stand tall on elegant legs with neat oval paws, and have long expressive tails, which can communicate their every mood! They have a flat skull with a straight profile, and large upright ears set high on their head, giving an alert expression. But of course the most singular characteristic of the Rex cat is its coat, which has no guard hairs (the long firm hairs which form the outer part of a normal cat's fur); it is very soft and wavy, with a texture almost like crushed velvet. The amount and type of curl in the coat can vary, even between the kittens of one litter, from a very close, tight marcel wave to a softer, more deeply rippled effect. Some kittens and young adults take longer than others to develop their curls, and may reach eighteen months or so before they have the full beauty of their adult coat.

Even the whiskers and eyebrows are curly - it is not unknown for an anxious novice rex owner to take their new kitten to the vet with a sore watery eye, simply because he is being poked in the eye by his own wildly curling eyebrows!

Cornish Rexes may be bred in the whole possible range of colours and patterns, including solid colours, smokes (with a pale undercoat), bi-colours (with white), tortoiseshells, and dilute colours (blue, cream etc). Tabbies and si-rex (colour-pointed) Cornish are also bred, but these patterns are far less common, and are much sought after by breeders and pet owners alike.

Females are usually quite petite, seldom weighing more than 7 pounds; adult males are usually significantly bigger, between 8 and 12 pounds. As all Cornish seem to have an insatiable appetite it is sometimes necessary to limit the food intake of the older neuter, to prevent the onset of middle-aged spread in what should be a firm and elegant animal!

Firm hand-grooming of the short Cornish Rex coat is usually sufficient to keep it in good condition, although those individuals with very dense coats may benefit from occasional use of a rubber brush to prevent them from becoming woolly. Particular attention needs to be paid to cleaning the ears; being large and open with very little fur they seem to act as magnets for all manner of dirt, particularly in pale coloured cats! Some individuals, especially entire males, have a tendency to suffer from 'stud tail', which needs to be treated with a suitable cleanser to prevent the build-up of oil and the possibility of infected spots on the upper surface of the tail.

Ch. Sebbitiboo Elliemae
Owned & bred by Judy Picknell


Sebbitiboo Twiglet
Bred by Judy Picknell,
owned by Leigh & Carl Patterson

Temperamentally, most Cornish Rexes are loud, vocal, sociable cats, which thrive on company (either human or other cats). They don't do well in a household where they are an only pet and are left alone for long periods, as they are likely to become lonely, bored and miserable.

They are lively, energetic and can be naughty, and don't mix well with fragile ornaments, expensive soft furnishings, or tender houseplants! They love to be involved in everything that their people are doing, and will characteristically sit on your shoulder and yell instructions into your ear as to the best method of performing your household tasks. Many will also take a passionate interest in your personal hygiene, and grip your head firmly between their forepaws while grooming your hair with their tongue!

Those that have access to outdoors often betray their farm-cat ancestry by proving themselves to be prodigious hunters. The females tend to be more intelligent and feisty than the males, but a soppy male neuter often makes the most affectionate and devoted pet.

Most people that have the pleasure of sharing their home with a Cornish Rex become hooked on the breed for life - no other breed of cat is ever quite the same!

Although many people are attracted to rexes because they have allergy problems with normal coated cats, and believe that rexes are hypoallergenic, this is sadly not always the case. Many people who react severely to normal coated cats do find that they suffer much less badly with rexes, to the extent that they are able to cope with and manage their allergies while living with one of these cats - very few are totally symptom-free. Other individuals have just as severe a reaction with rexes as with 'normal' cats, and for these unfortunate people a rex is not the answer. The only way to find out whether a rex will affect allergies is to spend some time with one (preferably in a 'rex only' household), handling and stroking it, to see if this triggers a reaction. For more information, see Margaret Lawrence's article on Rex Cats and Allergies.

Judy Picknell has been breeding Cornish Rex under the 'Sebbitiboo' prefix since 1983, and has also bred Russian Blues and Somalis.

© JA Picknell 2002