One of the newest natural breeds, this naturally curly cat originated from a housecat found in a shelter in Montana. This cat was bred with a black Persian and had a litter of three curly kittens out of six – proving that the curly coat mutation was dominant.

The Selkirk Rex is being developed as a large, heavy boned cat rather like the British Shorthair in conformation. The cat’s curly coat is plush and loosely curled, showing up more dramatically on the longhair. Selkirks are patient, loving, and tolerant cats.

From the moment of birth, curly kittens can be distinguished from their straight haired littermates by their curly whiskers. The whiskers are brittle and may break as they grow longer. The whiskers and hair do not change as the cat grows older; if they are curly at birth, they are curly as an adult.

Selkirk Rexes come in two coat lengths: short and long. The care of the two different lengths of coats is similar to that of either a short or longhair coat. Brushing in either case should not be as frequent if the curly coat is to be maintained. Shampoos that do not coat the hair but leave the cat feeling silky and clean are the best to allow the hairs to curl.

This breed is not for the uptight organized pet owner. These cats’ humans must be prepared to take all kinds of hair jokes such as: “The cat with the bad hair day.” But Selkirk Rex owners are consistently stopped by people with anxious hands wanting to pet and feel this soft, plush pet. The fortunate humans are those who can take these live teddy cats home for cuddles and hugs.