CORNISH REX

Brief description of the breed

Representatives of this breed have a short, wavy and soft coat, completely devoid of coarse hairs. At the same time, the undercoat of the Cornish Rex is much shorter than that of other cats shorthaired breeds. The hair of the Cornish Rex tends to curl a lot, especially on the back, due to which peculiar waves form on the coat.

In general, speaking about the representatives of this breed, we can say with confidence that it is very difficult to find another, more elegant and graceful cat. Representatives of the breed have a fairly acute hearing, so they often react even to those sounds that a person cannot hear. The expressive eyes of the Cornish Rex, combined with no less luxurious ears, make these cats look like some kind of fabulous elves.

As for the color of the Cornish Rex, it can be varied: both solid and have a color of three colors. At the same time, absolutely any coat color is allowed by the breed standard. The same goes for the color of the cat's eyes. There is an opinion that Cornish Rex with blue eyes can suffer from deafness. This has become the reason that many refuse to purchase kittens with this eye color. Although this opinion has not yet been officially confirmed.

The real unique characteristic of the Cornish Rex is the presence of webbed feet. Despite this, it cannot be said that cats of this breed especially like to swim, rather the opposite. Unlike other cat breeds, Cornish Rex have 18 toes instead of 20 - five on the front and four on the hind feet. Such a physiological feature of cats of this breed is not an obstacle in performing the usual actions for cats. They easily climb trees, furniture, etc.

It is impossible not to focus the reader's attention on another feature of the representatives of this breed, which is the tail. Cornish Rex can use it to express various feelings and moods: love, resentment, curiosity, aggressiveness, etc. Cats of this breed always try to keep their tail up. Moreover, like dogs, Cornish Rex will happily greet their owner with a brisk tail swing.

The origin of the Cornish Rex was facilitated by an incident that occurred in England in the middle of the twentieth century. The owner of one of the farms discovered that among the kittens that her ordinary cat gave birth to, there are several unusual curly kittens. This incident took the woman by surprise. She called them "rex" and decided to show unusual pets to geneticists. Specialists, of course, became interested in kittens and began to study them, later adding the prefix “cornish” to the word “rex” - after the name of the region where unusual animals were born.

A little later, in the sixties of the last century, the same kittens appeared on another farm. Having learned about this, the owner of the first unusual pets decided to meet with the owner of newborn kittens. When the animals grew up, they crossed them. As a result of such selection, smooth-haired kittens were born. Note that unusual curly kitties began to appear in different places of our planet. All of them were somewhat different from each other. In this regard, several varieties of "rex" have been identified: Cornish Rex, Oregon Rex, Devon Rex and German Rex. Already in 1967, the breed was recognized, while the Cornish Rex and the German German Rex were separated.

Cornish Rex cats differ from cats of other breeds not only in their peculiar appearance, but also in their special character. These pets are easy to train and train, as they stand out with a sharp mind.

There is an opinion that only dogs are capable of bringing the ball on command. Cornish Rexes have completely debunked this myth. Moreover, cats of this breed are able to perform other tricks and exercises that are no less unusual for cats, but for this it is necessary to properly organize the system of classes.

The playful nature of Cornish Rex cats does not fade with age. Even at a very advanced age, the pet will be happy to run after the ball, play with children and delight with its activity. It should be understood that such a cat cannot be called passive. It requires active games, it is unlikely that the pet will be able to sit still for a long time. If you are not ready to become the owner of such an active animal, then it is best to opt for another breed.

Cornish Rexes are companion cats. They need constant communication with the owner and family members. They do not tolerate loneliness well. Therefore, the owner's lack of time is another reason that may indicate that the breed is not suitable.

As a rule, Cornish Rex single out for themselves one person, who will be the “main” in their life. But, despite this, the pets of this breed are full of love and devotion towards all family members. They love to take part in all family activities.

Corshish Rex are distinguished by a special curiosity about everything that happens in the house. The animal will be happy to rummage through the bag when the owner comes from the store, for example. They love to sit not only on their hands, but also on their necks. Perhaps in this way they study everything that is happening around.

Note that representatives of the Cornish Rex breed have an independent character, which is sometimes a serious problem during training. But, unlike Siamese cats, Cornish Rex cats are not vindictive, but rather the opposite. In their own way, cats are very fearless, this breed cannot be frightened by dog barking, which, on the contrary, causes not fear and anxiety, but immense curiosity.

Cornish Rex do not need special conditions of detention. If the pet is vaccinated in a timely manner, properly fed (preferably using special cat food appropriate breed), then no problems should arise.

Specialists strongly recommend Cornish Rex owners to feed their pets with specialized premium and super-premium food. In no case should you save on pet food. With the wrong diet, a cat can acquire serious diseases that can be avoided. An important condition for this breed is round-the-clock access to fresh, clean water.

As for care, it is also not particularly difficult. Bathe Cornish Rex as needed, but no more than twice a month. Particular attention should be paid to the pet's ears so that inflammation and pollution do not occur in them. The auricles and auditory canal are treated with a solution prescribed by a veterinarian.

Features of the coat of cats of this breed require attention to temperature control. The fact is that the Cornish Rex does not tolerate cold well, even a small draft can provoke a cold.

Puberty in Cornish Rex occurs at about one year of age. It is not uncommon for cats to start mating at a younger age. But early mating will negatively affect the health of future offspring, which is why you should not allow crossing up to a year. Cornish Rex females make excellent mothers, the owner practically does not have to worry about the offspring.

Please note that Cornish Rex do not tolerate pregnancy very well. You will have to spend extra money on various medicines. If you do not plan to engage in professional selection, then it is better to sterilize your pet.

The Cornish Rex has been fortunate in that they have been able to avoid a number of genetic diseases that are common to many other breeds. This is the merit of conscientious breeders, but sometimes it is not possible to avoid the manifestation of diseases. Despite the fact that the Cornish Rex is a relatively healthy breed, there are still some ailments among its representatives.

Hypokalemia is a disease in which there is a lack of potassium. According to the University of California, this breed is one of the five breeds that are most prone to this problem. The disease is recognized as hereditary, while the disease in a kitten will manifest itself only if both parents suffered from hypokalemia. Diagnosing the disease is quite difficult. Often, she may not show up at all. It is important to contact the veterinarian in a timely manner for diagnosing at an early stage. Untimely treatment leads to disruption of the normal functioning of the kidneys, general muscle weakness and shortness of breath.

Progressive retinal atrophy is another genetic disease. Unfortunately, Cornish Rex are also among the leaders in the number of diseases. It is possible to establish an ailment only with a thorough ophthalmological examination.

Alopecia is another disease that manifests itself at birth in the form of a delicate fluff on the skin of a kitten, which disappears after a couple of weeks and the animal becomes bald. It happens that not only wool is affected, but mustaches and claws.

Such problems can be avoided if you buy kittens only from reliable and trusted breeders. Also an important condition for the healthy development of the pet is constant preventive examinations at the veterinarian.