They have all the qualities of the breeds that are allowed as outcrosses until there is a large enough gene pool when all use of outcrosses will now longer be allowed.  Persians, Exotics and British shorthairs are currently allowed as outcrosses and the Selkirk coat owes much of its lovely soft plushness to the Persian cat.   The use of these outcrosses is essential to increase the gene pool. 

The Selkirk Rex's coat, even the longhaired variety, requires little maintenance. An occasional bath followed by gentle combing once the cat dries will keep the fashionable "just got out of bed" look and remove loose hairs. Keep ears free of wax.

The feel of a Selkirk Rex coat is addictive, and the cats seem to know this. They love to participate in everything you do, provided you realize your obligation to pet them at the same time. Their relaxed personalities make them wonderful additions to families with other pets and older children.

They have a sweet disposition. They are playful without being wild, and loving without being demanding. They will expect to sleep on your bed. But with a little training they will allow you to share the pillow. 

The Selkirk Rex has two distinct coat types different from any other Rex cat. The shorthair coat features loose, random curls, while the longhair consists of cascading waves, almost ringlets. The body structure is more heavily boned with a more rounded head than a typical domestic cat. A distinctive, broad muzzle showcases the curly whiskers.   The muzzle should be an appearance of a rectangular matchbox with well padded whiskerpads

  Selkirk Rex come in three types of coat -

 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

The straight-haired is ideal for those who do not like the curly coat as they have the same most amazing endearing temperament as their curly counterparts.

As kittens some of the curly Selkirks can look quite ugly but just like the ugly duckling they turn into beautiful looking adults,   and have the most charming dispositions that soon have you wrapped round their little paws, loving fuss and attention.

They get along with people of all ages, old young, teenagers and also get on well with dogs etc .  They are very sociable, people oriented and like nothing better than being curled up on your lap. They love to cuddle, like to be carried in your arms and to lay back relaxed on their back.  They are better in pairs or in a house where someone is at home all day or where there is other feline company as being highly sociable cats they prefer company, and they  love to live in pairs and in  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!

Pictures by kind permission of some of our kitten owners ©

The first Selkirk Rex to arrive in the UK on February 7 and 8, 2002, were 3 siblings bred by the Austrian breeders Christiana & Karl Aichner (DGC Serenitie Betty Boop of Courtlycats, dilute Calico SH female x RW SGC Conan von Ebenthal of Courtlycats, blue BSH male). The first of the 3 was Courtlycats Count Basie, a cream LH male,

Courtlycats Count Bassie

On February 8, 2002, the 2 other of the 3 siblings arrived in the UK: GC Courtlycats Call Me Madam to cattery Toreska (owned by Linda Davison), and CH Courtlycats Cookies n Cream, a LH blue-cream female, to cattery Trueblu (owned by Lisa Peterson).

 Lisa Peterson  (Islarey, Australia) being the one who was most influential in getting the Selkirk Rex established in the UK. They are known worldwide as the Cat in Sheep’s Clothing as it resembles a lambs coat and has a wonderful and totally unique feel to the sheep-like coat. However, their purrsonalities are the thing that make you realise one is never enough.   Other experienced breeders followed , mostly getting their foundation Selkirk Rex from Lisa Peterson.

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 curly kitten in this litter was eventually 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.

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