The Selkirk Rex is a truly distinctive breed, instantly recognizable by its unique curly coat, a result of a dominant genetic mutation. This breed isn’t just about its striking appearance; it’s also known for its substantial build, sweet disposition, and active nature. Both males and females possess a medium to large frame with heavy bone structure, giving them a surprising weight and an impression of power, though females may be less massive. The Selkirk Rex is a harmonious blend of form and substance, where all physical attributes contribute to a balanced and appealing whole.
Physical Characteristics of the Selkirk Rex
The breed’s defining feature is its soft, plush, and curly coat, which can be either short or long. This distinctive texture is due to every hair follicle producing a curled guard hair, awn hair, and down hair. The curl is random and unstructured, appearing in loose, individual clumps rather than a uniform wave. While the curl’s intensity can vary with age, sex, and coat length, it should be evident throughout the entire coat, particularly around the neck, tail, and belly. The density of the coat is also noteworthy, with no bald or thinly covered areas, and it should stand out from the body rather than lying flat.
Head and Body Structure
The Selkirk Rex boasts a round, broad head with full cheeks, smooth to the touch from the stop to the back of the head and between the ears. Its muzzle is of medium width, with well-padded whisker pads giving a slightly squared appearance. The profile reveals a distinct muzzle beyond the curve of the cheek, with the chin aligning with the tip of the nose and upper lip in the same vertical plane. A noticeable nose stop is present, with a convex curve and a downward slant, set below the eye line. The chin is firm and well-developed, proportionate to the head, and can have either a level or scissors bite.
The ears are medium-sized, broad at the base, tapering, and set well apart, fitting the rounded contour of the head. Any ear furnishings are curly. The eyes are large, rounded, and set wide apart, avoiding an almond or oval shape. The outer corner of the eye is set slightly higher than the inner, contributing to a sweet, open facial expression.
The body is medium to large and well-balanced, with a substantial, muscular torso that is more rectangular than square, but not elongated. The back exhibits a slight rise towards the hindquarters, and the shoulders and hips appear to be of equal width. Legs are medium to long with substantial bone, proportional to the body. The feet are large, round, and firm, with five toes on the front paws and four on the hind. The tail is medium in length, proportionate to the body, heavy at the base, and neither blunt nor pointed at the tip.
Coat Colors and Patterns
The Selkirk Rex comes in a vast array of genetically possible colors and patterns, offering incredible diversity within the breed. This includes solid colors like white, black, blue, red, cream, chocolate, lavender, cinnamon, and fawn, each with specific requirements for nose leather and paw pad coloration.
Shaded patterns, such as shaded silver, blue shaded, and chocolate shaded, involve a white undercoat with a mantle of tipping color. Chinchilla patterns feature a pure white undercoat with specific color tipping, creating a sparkling appearance. Smoke patterns have a white undercoat deeply tipped with color, appearing solid from a distance but revealing the white undercoat when in motion.
Tabby patterns are equally diverse, encompassing classic, mackerel, spotted, and patched variations. These come in colors like silver tabby, brown tabby, blue tabby, chocolate tabby, and various combinations thereof, each with distinct marking and ground color requirements.
Tortoiseshell and blue-cream patterns involve mottling or patching of colors, such as black mottled with red or blue mottled with cream. Calico and dilute calico cats display distinct patches of white with unbrindled patches of color. Bi-color patterns feature solid colors or tabby patterns combined with white.
Colorpoint patterns, similar to the Siamese breed, are also accepted, with distinct color points on the ears, face, legs, and tail against a lighter body. These include seal point, chocolate tortie point, blue point, lilac point, and their variations, as well as lynx point variations which incorporate tabby markings on the points.
Mink patterns, such as natural mink, champagne mink, blue mink, and platinum mink, exhibit a unique shading from a darker body color to lighter underparts with distinct point colors. Sepia patterns, including sable sepia, champagne sepia, blue sepia, and platinum sepia, are characterized by a rich, solid color that shades almost imperceptibly to a lighter hue on the underparts, without barring or markings.
The breed also allows for “other Selkirk Rex colors” (OSRC), encompassing any other genetically possible color or pattern not specifically listed.
Temperament and Personality
Beyond their unique appearance, Selkirk Rex Cats are cherished for their sweet, endearing, and active personalities. They are known to be affectionate companions that thrive on interaction with their families. Their playful nature means they enjoy engaging in games and exploring their surroundings. This breed generally gets along well with children and other pets, making them a wonderful addition to many households. Their gentle and tolerant disposition, combined with their striking looks, makes the Selkirk Rex a truly special feline companion.
