Selkirk Rex Cat
Updated July 19, 2026
The Selkirk Rex is a substantial, round-headed American breed wrapped in a dense, randomly curled coat. Unlike the close waves of some rex breeds, its guard, awn, and down hairs form loose plush curls, and its whiskers curl too. Selkirks are typically patient, affectionate, and moderately playful, but their coat needs thoughtful combing and their Persian and British-family ancestry makes documented cardiac and kidney screening important.
Affectionate, Patient, Easygoing, Playful, Sociable, Curious
7-16 pounds
10-15+ years
At a Glance
Maintenance Level
Affection Level
Energy Level
Good with Kids
Vocalization Level
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About Selkirk Rex Cat
The Selkirk Rex is a substantial, round-headed American breed wrapped in a dense, randomly curled coat. Unlike the close waves of some rex breeds, its guard, awn, and down hairs form loose plush curls, and its whiskers curl too. Selkirks are typically patient, affectionate, and moderately playful, but their coat needs thoughtful combing and their Persian and British-family ancestry makes documented cardiac and kidney screening important.
Coat Length
Short Hair
Breed Group
Rex
Weight
7-16 pounds
Great For
What Makes Selkirk Rex Cats Special
Dense loose curls affecting guard, awn, and down hairs
Curled or kinked whiskers and eyebrows
Heavy-boned, muscular, medium-to-large body
Patient, affectionate, and moderately playful temperament
Shorthaired and longhaired varieties
Slow coat and body maturation
Selkirk Rex Cat History & Origin
The breed began with a curly-coated kitten born in a Montana shelter litter in 1987. Persian breeder Jeri Newman named her Miss DePesto of Noface and bred her to a black Persian; three of six kittens were curly, demonstrating dominant inheritance. The name honored Newman's stepfather rather than a geographic mountain range. TICA entered the Selkirk Rex in its New Breed program in 1990 and granted championship status in February 1994.
Miss DePesto was born in Montana in 1987
Jeri Newman established the founding breeding program
A first litter of three curly and three straight kittens demonstrated dominant inheritance
Persian, Exotic, British Shorthair, and American Shorthair ancestry shaped the breed
TICA championship recognition arrived in 1994
Selkirk Rex Cat Characteristics
Individual Variation
Cats are individuals and not all cats, even those of the same breed, will exhibit all the same qualities.
Care Requirements
Exercise Needs
Grooming Needs
Shedding Level
Selkirk Rex Cat Appearance
A substantial, balanced cat with a plush randomly curled coat
Round head, full cheeks, and sweet open expression
Heavy bone and a slightly rectangular muscular body
Loose curls most evident on neck, flanks, belly, and tail
Physical Features
Ears
Medium, broad at the base, widely spaced, and tipped round; curly furnishings may be present
Eyes
Large, round, widely spaced, and expressive, with color appropriate to the coat
Nose
Short, broad, and straight with a downward-sloping convex curve and a stop below eye level
Coat & Build
Tail
Medium, proportionate, and tapering to a rounded tip; shorthair curls are plush around the tail
Selkirk Rex Cat Temperament
Dense loose curls affecting guard, awn, and down hairs
Curled or kinked whiskers and eyebrows
Heavy-boned, muscular, medium-to-large body
Patient, affectionate, and moderately playful temperament
Shorthaired and longhaired varieties
Slow coat and body maturation
Temperament Traits
Good With
Health
The KRT71 splice variant that defines the Selkirk curl is a dominant coat trait, not a general health certificate. Breed development used Persian, Exotic, British, and American Shorthair ancestry, so screening priorities should follow the actual pedigree. Published breed-wide clinical prevalence data remain limited.
Common Health Issues
Preventive Care
Verify parental PKD1 results and consider renal ultrasound when genotype, pedigree, or examination warrants it. Breeding cats should have periodic cardiac auscultation and echocardiography by a qualified clinician; DNA panels marketed for other breeds do not clear a Selkirk of HCM. Tell the veterinarian about Factor XII results before interpreting prolonged aPTT or planning procedures. Maintain lean body condition, dental prevention, vaccination, parasite control, and regular skin and coat checks. Investigate breathing change, fainting, increased thirst, urinary difficulty, persistent skin inflammation, or unexplained weight loss promptly.
Caring for Your Selkirk Rex Cat
Grooming Requirements
The shorthair coat is dense and curly rather than maintenance-free. The goal is to prevent felting without stretching every curl straight or damaging brittle curved whiskers and hairs.
Brushing
Gently comb once or twice weekly with a wide-toothed comb, separating tangles with fingers first. Increase checks during shedding but avoid aggressive daily brushing that frizzes or breaks the coat.
Bathing
Bathe only as needed with a moisturizing cat shampoo, rinse thoroughly, blot rather than rub, and air-dry in a warm draft-free room so curls reform. Avoid hot force dryers.
Eye Care
Use separate soft damp pads for minor discharge. Persistent tearing, redness, cloudiness, or squinting needs veterinary evaluation.
Nail Care
Trim every 2-3 weeks and provide broad, sturdy scratchers.
Essential Grooming Tools
Exercise & Play
Selkirks are usually relaxed but retain an engaging playful side. Planned daily play supports muscle and weight control and prevents a placid adult from becoming sedentary.
Daily Requirements
Provide about 30-45 minutes of interactive play in several sessions, alongside everyday access to climbing, scratching, observation, and food puzzles.
Mental Stimulation
Rotate puzzles, boxes, tunnels, toys, and safe scent items. Many Selkirks respond well to reward-based training and household participation; use part of the measured ration rather than extra calories for training.
Recommended Activities
Nutrition & Feeding
A complete, balanced life-stage diet is appropriate. Curly hair does not create a special ingredient requirement, while measured energy intake is important for this heavy-boned, sometimes leisurely breed.
Daily Amount
Start with the manufacturer's measured recommendation for the cat's ideal body weight, split it into two or more meals, and adjust with a veterinarian using weight, body-condition, and muscle-condition trends.
Special Considerations
Keep treats within the daily calorie budget and encourage hydration with clean water stations and wet food when appropriate. Cats with PKD, other kidney disease, urinary disease, or cardiomyopathy need an individualized veterinary plan rather than a breed-wide supplement.
Living Environment
Space Requirements
Adapts to apartments or houses with broad perches, sturdy trees, scratchers, hiding places, and enough open room for play. Multiple resting and toileting resources reduce conflict in multi-pet homes.
Climate Preferences
The dense coat insulates well in normal indoor conditions. Prevent overheating in hot weather, maintain airflow, and dry the coat completely after bathing.
Ideal Lifestyle Match
Well suited to gentle households seeking an affectionate, moderate-energy companion and willing to maintain the coat. Selkirks generally dislike chronic isolation and benefit from predictable daily contact.
Colors & Patterns
Selkirk Rex cats occur in virtually every genetically possible color and pattern. Curl quality and overall balance matter more than any single color, subject to the registry's division rules.
Solid Colors
Patterns
Eye Colors
All colors are accepted as appropriate to coat, including copper, gold, green, blue, aqua, and odd eyes
Fun Facts About Selkirk Rex Cat
The foundation cat, Miss DePesto of Noface, was born in a Montana shelter litter in 1987.
Three of her six kittens were curly, revealing that the Selkirk coat trait is dominant.
A breed-specific splice variant in KRT71 is strongly associated with the curls.
All three hair types—guard, awn, and down—can curl in a Selkirk Rex.
The whiskers and eyebrows are curly or kinked as well as the body coat.
Curly kittens may pass through a relatively straight-coated stage before the mature coat develops around two years.
Both shorthaired teddy-bear and longhaired woolly-looking varieties are recognized.
TICA accepted the breed for championship competition in February 1994.
Training Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every Selkirk Rex curly?
Curly kittens inherit at least one copy of the dominant Selkirk KRT71 variant, but straight-coated siblings can occur in breeding programs. Curl intensity also changes with age, hormones, climate, and coat length, so kittens may temporarily lose much of their curl.
Is the Selkirk Rex hypoallergenic?
No. It produces feline allergens and sheds. Curl can hold loose hair close to the body, but that does not make the cat safe for a person with cat allergy.
Should I brush out a Selkirk's curls every day?
Usually not. Gentle combing once or twice weekly is more appropriate for many shorthairs. Overworking the coat can break hair and turn curls into frizz, while under-grooming allows mats; frequency should follow the individual coat.
Does the Selkirk Rex have the same mutation as Cornish or Devon Rex cats?
No. Selkirk curl is linked to its own dominant splice variant in KRT71. Cornish Rex curl involves LPAR6, while Devon Rex has a different KRT71 variant and a distinct coat structure.
Why can a Selkirk kitten's coat become straighter?
The coat continues developing for roughly two years. Curly kittens may shed an early coat and look less curled for months before the mature coat develops; hormones, season, and coat care also influence curl.
Specialized Care Guides
Kitten Care
Confirm PKD1 results and family cardiac history, arrange an independent examination, and expect coat transitions rather than judging health or identity by temporary curl loss. Establish gentle combing, bathing, nail, tooth, carrier, and handling routines with rewards; feed measured complete kitten food and encourage varied low-impact play.
Senior Care
Use twice-yearly veterinary reviews to track kidneys, heart, teeth, thyroid, weight, skin, and mobility. A senior may groom dense curls less effectively, so check tangles more often and use gentle assistance; add warm beds, ramps, and low-entry litter boxes without eliminating daily play.
First-Time Owner Tips
A Selkirk's relaxed nature can suit a prepared new owner, but the coat is not self-maintaining. Learn combing from a knowledgeable groomer or breeder, verify health testing independently, budget for dental and cardiac or renal evaluation, and choose temperament and health over curl tightness.
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