Cornish Rex
The Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat that only has down hair, with a fine, naturally curly coat.
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The Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat that only has down hair, lacking the outer guard hairs and awn hairs found in most breeds.[1] The breed originated from a natural mutation in a kitten named Kallibunker, born on a farm in Cornwall, UK on 21st July 1950.[2]
Quick Facts
- Country
- United Kingdom
Facts from the source article.
Biology and range
The Cornish Rex's coat is extremely fine, soft, and naturally curly, often compared to rabbit fur or silk when touched.[3][4] According to the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy standard, all colours and patterns are acceptable for the Cornish Rex.[5][2] The Cornish Rex mutation is different from the Devon Rex mutation, as the Cornish Rex lacks guard hairs entirely while the Devon has shortened guard hairs.[6] The breed is the oldest of the Rex cat breeds, which also include the Devon Rex and Selkirk Rex.[4]
Due to having only down hair and lacking guard hairs, Cornish Rex cats are vulnerable to cold and should live indoors where it is warm and dry.[3][4] The Cornish Rex is often likened to a Greyhound because of its slender form and running style.[7] A 2013 study found that a 4-base-pair deletion in the LPAR6 gene on chromosome A1 is the defining mutation for the Cornish Rex breed.[8]
What the specialist sources record
The same source states that Cornish Rexes retain kitten-like energy throughout their lives and enjoy playing fetch.[4] The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy describes the Cornish Rex as a highly social, affectionate companion that adores human attention and would decline without close human contact.[2] The GCCF also records that the Cornish Rex obtained official recognition with championship status in 1967.[2] The WebMD source lists autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and progressive retinal atrophy as inherited conditions to which Cornish Rexes are predisposed.[4]
According to WebMD, the Cornish Rex has lengthy legs and a noticeable abdominal tuck, which leads to comparisons with Greyhounds.[4] The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy advises that because the Cornish Rex lacks guard hairs, its coat can get soaked quickly in rain, so it should not be left outside without cover.[2]
References
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Drummey, "What to Know About a Cornish Rex", WebMD, 20 July 2022 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "Cornish Rex", Governing Council of the Cat Fancy. facts only, no text reused. gccfcats.org
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cornish Rex Standard", Governing Council of the Cat Fancy; Drummey, "What to Know About a Cornish Rex", WebMD (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Drummey, "What to Know About a Cornish Rex", WebMD, 20 July 2022. facts only, no text reused. webmd.com
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cornish Rex", Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Robinson, "The rex mutants of the domestic cat", Genetica, 1971-12-01, p. 466–468 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Animal Planet television series: "Cats 101" episode:"Colorpoint Shorthair". (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Cornish Rex" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gandolfi, "To the Root of the Curl: A Signature of a Recent Selective Sweep Identifies a Mutation That Defines the Cornish Rex Cat Breed", PLoS ONE, 27 June 2013; LeRoy, "Clinical and Histologic Description of Lykoi Cat Hair Coat and Skin", Japanese Journal of Veterinary Dermatology, 7 June 2016, p. 179–191 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Cornish Rex (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Cornish Rex (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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