|
Some are not the most good looking kittens but as adults they are
stunning . All types whether straight , curly or ultra curly
have the same loving endearing disposition and just differ on coat For
those people who do not like the curly coats the variants
(straight-haired) are ideal as they have the same amazing temperaments. They
get along with all breeds of cats and are equally happy with dogs, and love
being with people of all ages.
Selkirk Rex are adorable cats but some are not always the
most attractive looking as kittens but as adults they are stunning
and have the most wonderful endearing disposition. Selkirks are people cats
and love fuss and attention.
Selkirks
are highly sociable cats and love to live in pairs and small groups. They
are wonderful with children particularly the kittens as they will play for
hours and then curl up and purr away to their hearts content - perfect
companions for small children, teenagers and adults alike!
The Selkirk Rex arrived in the UK in 2002 They are known as The Cat in
Sheep’s Clothing and have a unique feel to their curly coats. It is however
their wonderful personalities that win you over and one is never enough!
What is a Selkirk Rex?
The basis for the Selkirk Rex breed is a mutation that causes a curly coat.
The foundation cat for this breed was a shorthaired, curly coated dilute calico
female found in a litter of normal domestic cats born in 1987.
The straight coated mother and her family of five straight coated kittens
and one curly kitten landed in an animal shelter. The unusual kitten was given
to
Jeri Newman, an experienced Persian breeder, and named Miss DePesto.
Miss de Pesto
When she reached maturity she was bred to Jeri's champion black Persian, Photo
Finish of DeeKay.
The resulting litter of six contained three curly coated kittens.
This proved that the gene was dominant, unlike the recessive gene of the Devon
or Cornish Rex.
Because there was only one kitten with the curly coat in Miss De Pesto's litter,
it is presumed that this was a spontaneous mutation that Miss DePesto then
passed on to her offspring.
Jeri decided to name the breed after her stepfather, although she told people it
was named
after the Selkirk Mountains in Wyoming, (which are actually in Canada!)
near to where the original cat was found.
Personality
The temperament of the Selkirk reflects that of the breeds
used in its development.
They have a lot of the laid-back, reserved qualities of the British Shorthair,
the cuddly nature of the Persian, and the playfulness of the Exotic Shorthair.
They are very patient, tolerant, and loving.
Varieties
They come in Heterozygous (one copy of the curly coat
gene), Homozygous (two copies of the curly coat gene) or variant - straight-haired.
The coat of the homozygous tends to be a tighter coat as
it carries the two curly genes
All have the same lovely laid back personality , just
differing on coat
Coat
The Selkirk comes in both shorthair and longhair varieties, and they are both
entirely different .
The coat of the
shorthaired Selkirk is
plush, medium in length, and curls over the entire body, although some may
have fewer curls than others.
In the
longhair the semi-long coat hangs in loose individual ringlets and has a more
dramatic look - The curls are particularly
prominent around the neck and on the tail.
In both hair lengths, the fur is
soft and dense. The Selkirk rex is accepted in all colours and patterns,
including colourpoint.
Examples of longhaired coats at the top and shorthair coats at the bottom
T
|