MyCatBreeds
Cornwall is the birthplace of the unusual Cornish Rex cat – a curly-coated cat.
A kitten was born in 1950 and belonged to Nina Ennismore and Winifred Macalister. The other kittens had short hair but this unusual kitten had curly hair, the result of a spontaneous natural mutation.
A successful breeding program was started and it was in 1963 that the American Cat Fanciers Association as well as the and today it is recognized by all cat registries.
The Cornish Rex is a small to medium-sized cat weighing between 3 to 5kg. It’s a lithe, slender cat with a small, narrow head with big ears and eyes.
The cat has long, slender legs with a tail that is also slender and long. The hair is very fine and they are actually prone to hair loss. The coat has fine, short, silky hair. There can be a bit of a curl in the hair, The coat comes in many colors from white, silver, black, red, blue to chocolate and they can have different patterns too as well as bein bi-color.
The eyes can be gold, brown, or green. The torso is long and lean, the cat has a deep chest but strong hips and rear end that allow the Cornish Rex to leap with ease up onto perches.
The Cornish Rex loves his human family and loves spending time with them, whether that means fun and games or sitting in your lap.
He is intelligent and can learn a few tricks and is capable of learning to walk on a leash. He is a confident cat, playful and entertaining. Gentle and loving, he is a talkative cat, wanting to express his opinion about everything.
He will fit easily into different lifestyles, whether you’re single, a family, or in a retirement home, so long as he is receiving lots of attention.
He isn’t as frail as he looks and can get pretty active and social with children and dogs and may even beat the dog to fetching a small ball.
If you’re looking for a cat that can bring laughter and fun into the household, you won’t go wrong with a Cornish Rex as they will amuse and delight.
He is also a cat that doesn’t require a lot of fuss and bother, although he makes a fuss about the amount of attention he gets.
He doesn’t like being left alone for long, so a good idea is to work from home or to get a companion for him. Other than than, he makes the most splendid feline companion.
The Cornish Rex is a hardy cat with very few health issues. Certainly, because of the very fine hair, you’d have to be aware of sunburn.
Cats can get sunburned and can be at serious risk of getting skin cancer later on. Be sun-smart and apply pet sunscreen.
Be careful of the type of sunscreen you use as your cat will likely want to lick it off. Other issues to look out for are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is a common kind of heart disease in cats where there is a thickening in the wall of the heart.
Grooming your Cornish Rex isn’t going to be an issue as the cat has very little hair. Although nothing is set in stone and some Cornish Rex’s have thicker coats, requiring more brushing. Maybe a soft brush once a week will be sufficient for this cat breed.
A good idea is to take a cloth of warm water and to gently wipe your cat so that he is free of dust.
Supply a litter box and make sure that you remove his droppings every single day.
Have your pet neutered or spayed if you don’t want unwanted kittens. These minor ops have many health benefits for your cat as well.
When you brush your cat, check his entire body out for any abnormalities. Check for new lumps, check inside the ears to make sure they are clean and free of redness which could indicate an infection.
Clip his toenails, make sure his eyes are clear and bright, free of discharge, and check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any bad teeth, as this could cause him a lot of discomfort.