About the Selkirk Rex.....

The Cat in Sheep's Clothing…SheepCat…Selkirk Rex

Named from the mountain range near to where the first kitten was discovered.

The foundation cat for this breed a dilute curly calico female was discovered abandoned to a rescue centre in Wyoming in 1987 along with its mother and siblings- all the rest were normal straight haired domestic cats.

Peggy Voorhees of the rescue humane society recognised the kitten as something special and Jeri Newman, a Persian breeder, adopted the kitten and named her 'Miss De Presto.' She mated her to her black Persian champion male 'Photo Finish.'

On the 4th of July 1988 six kittens were born half curly and half straight haired. By back mating and cross matings, to cats such as the Persian, it was very soon evident that this was unlike any other rex gene - and was proven the only dominant rex gene known to date.

These cats soon gained recognition and were accepted by two American associations by 1990

Outcrosses to other rex genes are not allowed and would be pointless.

The coat consists of all three coats: Guard, Awn and Down.

The coat usually moults prior to adulthood and does not resemble the beautiful curly coat it will be when an adult.

Their status is present from birth.

Curly kittens are born curly - with curly whiskers too. They do not gain a curly coat after the first moult if born with straight hair.

Permissible outcrosses to these cats are..
All open type Persian Series
All open type Exotic
All British Shorthair - and a mixture of these groups as permitted outcrosses

Due to the cross matings and back matings to these breeds they resemble in size and shape that of the BSH, for the short hairs and open type Persian, for the longhaired group, with the added advantage of the curls.

However they are not quite as cobby as the Persian…flat faces and ultra cats are not allowed and they must have a definite wedge shaped face.

They share the same friendly disposition and laid back approach of these genetic groups.

All colours and coat patterns are allowed including eye colour.

Any one of the permitted outcrosses mated to a relevant curly cat, whether Heterozygous or Homozygous, are a Selkirk Rex Curly - if born curly and Selkirk Rex variant if born with straight hair….But still classified as a Selkirk Rex.

As a relatively young breed, permitted outcrosses are still allowed from the relevant groups however the US has established a cut off period. The UK will not have a cut off period until enough lines have been introduced. Showing is still in its preliminary state in the UK.

All cats used in the breeding programme must be PKD tested negative before any of their kittens can be registered.

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