Cornish Rex

The Cornish Rex’s history doesn’t reach so far. That means it is a “young” breed, which means its history is pretty well documented. This breed comes from Cornwall, England. The first Cornish Rex kitten was born in 1950 to a shorthaired tortoiseshell and white pet cat. The owners were Nina Ennismore and Winifred Macalister. Ennismore was immediately captured by the kitten with curly hair, so she searched for advice on establishing the trait and producing more kittens. After receiving a breeding plan, she managed to produce a male cat called Poldhu and his daughter LaMorna. Both cats heavily contributed to the further development of the breed.

The first thing that will surely catch anyone’s eye is the curly coat of the Cornish Rex. However, these cats have other characteristics that make them adorable. This breed has an egg-shaped head with large ears and eyes. They also sport curly whiskers and have longer hind legs. Here are some characteristics we will focus on.

Coat

The first characteristic we have to look at is the Cornish Rex’s coat. These cats have a curly coat, which is basically just an undercoat. Unfortunately, that makes it pretty delicate, so many cats end up with large bald patches.

Coat color

As all other breeds, the Cornish Rex has defined coat colors it can come in. Their standard allows cats in solid colors (including white, chocolate, orange, black, and the dilutes blue, cream, and lilac), all forms of tabby,  bicolor coats in all sorts of colors, and tortoiseshell, "smoke" colors, and the color-point pattern often seen in other breeds, like the Siamese.

Size

Another essential thing future Cornish Rex owners need to know is the size of these cats. The Cornish Rex is considered a small-to-medium-sized cat. Most adult cats weigh 6 - 10 pounds.

Temperament

The cat’s appearance is important, but its temperament is more important. It makes no sense to get a perfectly-looking cat that makes a terrible companion. However, the Cornish Rex makes a great pet. These cats love being the center of attention. They are very agile, so jumping, climbing, and sitting in high places is something they’ll absolutely love. These cats have long fingers, making them pretty skillful in handling objects or opening cabinets. The Cornish Rex loves cuddling and being handled, so taking them to a groomer or a vet shouldn’t be a problem.

Health

Unfortunately, all cat breeds have breed-specific problems. No matter which breed you have at home, you can be sure there are certain health threats you and your vet have to keep an eye on. Here are some of the potential issues the Cornish Rex is prone to;

• Umbilical hernia - This condition can happen when there is a defect in the abdominal wall and organs, or part of the intestines protrude through it.
• Congenital hypotrichosis - This condition is also called hereditary baldness. It is probably connected to the recessive genes that cause the curly coat.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - A heart condition that causes the heart to get enlarged. The heart’s capabilities will be lowered.

World Cat Finder Team