Selkirk Rex - an intelligent cat with a permanent perm

There are about 200 cat breeds in the world. Some are officially recognized, others are at the stage of formation and development. Some breeds are indigenous. They developed on their own without the influence of foreign blood; man had a hand in creating others. Among artificially bred breeds, breeds with wavy fur deserve special attention. The length of their coat varies from ultra short, almost invisible, to long. What are the names of the breeds of curly-haired cats and how they differ from each other, we will tell you in the article.

Rex

Rexes make up a whole group of cat breeds, divided into subspecies. An interesting fact is that representatives of the breeds appeared naturally. Kittens can be born with completely straight hair; it curls over time. It is generally accepted that curliness is the result of a gene mutation. However, when they saw the cute curly-haired cats, breeders fell in love with them and decided to develop breeds of curly-haired cats. As a result of their work and crossings, more and more kittens with curly hair were born. These cats have an unusually attractive appearance and good disposition. For this they have become popular all over the world.

Skookum

Skookum

Skookum are dwarf curly-haired cats of the Laperm breed, which are bred into a separate species. Obtained as a result of marriage between a Laperm and a Munchkin. They are sometimes called dwarf laperms. A characteristic feature of Skookums is, in addition to the wavy fur and short legs, also the most gorgeous curly collar, which is obtained from Laperms.

Just as LaPerms can have short or long hair, short hair is less curly than long hair. Mustaches and eyebrows must curl.

Skookums received as a gift from the Laperms their wonderful character, distinguished by friendliness. In communication, Skookums are more silent than talkative, but they are very active and inquisitive.

A feature of all curly cats is a pronounced lack of shedding, but they need to be brushed at least twice a week. When caring for curls, it is worth remembering that using a hairdryer to dry your pet after bathing can lead to straightening of the curls.

Selkirk Rex

A curly-haired kitten was born in the USA in 1987. To consolidate the breed, breeders began crossing it with Persian, British and exotic cats. Thanks to this combination, representatives of the breed appeared with a wide head, large round eyes, thick paws and a stocky body. Their coat is thick and can be long or medium length. The color can be varied, the degree of curl of the fur depends on the shade.

The degree of curling of the coat is also affected by age and seasonality. It happens that kittens are born curly, then their fur straightens, and over time it becomes wavy again. These are very sociable and kind cats. They love the company of people, children and other pets. These animals are also distinguished by their talkativeness. They are also given a name for their coat: lambs or poodles.

Maintenance and care

Proper maintenance, a high-quality diet, sufficient physical activity and the absence of stress - these are the conditions, the observance of which will ensure the Selkirk Rex a long and happy life next to its beloved owner. Representatives of the breed often live up to fifteen, and sometimes up to twenty years.

Nutrition

Selkirks love to eat a lot and tasty. Therefore, you should not exceed the daily allowance of the diet. The veterinarian will help you calculate it based on the age, size and lifestyle of your pet.

Selkirks never suffer from poor appetite

Cat food

Give preference to high-quality (and therefore expensive) food with a sufficient content of vitamin B, which is necessary for the beauty of the coat. Choose super premium or holistic class offers from proven and well-established brands. Judging by the reviews of owners of cats of this breed, the most popular are the following ready-made super premium food:

• Pronature Original;
• 1st Choice;
• Bosch;
• Schesir;
• Brit Care;
• Monge.

However, breeders recommend purchasing the highest quality, professional food that belongs to the holistic level for the Selkirk Rex’s daily menu. This is especially important for show animals, as it will help not only maintain the health of the pet, but also achieve the ideal condition of its coat, which will be the key to victory at the cat show.

Show cats require special care and special nutrition.

The finished diet is selected individually; when choosing, you should pay attention to the following brands in the holistic segment:

• Innova;
• Acana;
• Almo Nature;
• Farmina N&D;
• Nature Holistic;
• Gina Elite;
• Grandorf;
• Barking Heads;
• Go!;
• Now.

Table: comparison of the best holistic foods

Natural products

A cat’s natural diet is by no means food from the owner’s table. Proper preparation of a balanced menu from natural products requires knowledge and practical skills. The little predator should receive a lot of animal protein every day, which is contained in the following “dishes”:

• meat and meat products;
• sea ​​fish;
• dairy products;
• eggs.

To obtain carbohydrates in sufficient quantities, well-cooked porridge should be included in the diet:

• buckwheat;
• oatmeal;
• rice;
• corn;
• wheat

Don't forget about fiber-rich vegetables - they can be given both boiled and fresh. Suitable for cats:

• green bean;
• carrot;
• zucchini;
• cauliflower;
• pumpkin.

A natural diet should be of high quality and varied

Fats are also an important component of a cat's diet. Here are the foods she can get them from:

• butter;
• fish fat;
• egg yolks;
• offal.

Features of feeding

Like many massive, heavy cats, Selkirks are prone to gaining excess weight and the problems that accompany it. To avoid this, you need to strictly maintain the quality and quantity of food, and also feed your pets in fractional portions - three or four times a day.

An obligatory component of the menu is fresh herbs, grown with your own hands or purchased at a pet store. These are not only vitamins, but also an easy way to cleanse a cat’s stomach of clumps of matted fluff. For the same purpose, you can give Selkirk and specialized pastes.

Green grass should always be available to a fluffy cat

Necessary living conditions

Selkirks love to be close to their owner and sleep next to him. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have their own space. Cats of this breed are analysts and philosophers. From time to time they need at least a little time alone, to relax and recover emotionally. To do this, your pet should have its own corner in your apartment.

Collect your favorite toys here, place a scratching post and a comfortable bed. A couple of cardboard boxes won’t hurt either - like all cats, Selkirks love to hide in them.

Video: cheerful Selkirk family

Hygiene and grooming

Short curls are much easier to care for. This type of wool requires weekly brushing. And it is better to comb long curls daily, otherwise they will look untidy, and during the molting period the whole apartment will be filled with fluff.

In order for the coat to visually have a natural curl, it should be massaged with wet hands after each combing. When dry, the fur will become wavy.

The beautiful coat of the Selkirk requires careful care

Selkirks are bathed at the same frequency as other cats: short-haired cats - once every six months, and long-haired cats - once every three months. For animals that have a show career, washing becomes a more frequent procedure: usually such an animal is bathed with special cosmetics three to five days before the exhibition so that curls have time to form.

Selkirks require special cosmetics to bathe.

Suitable grooming products

The main enemy of cute curls is hair that is overdried due to improper care. Try to use natural cosmetics for Selkirks and make it a rule to wash your cat after show grooming. Owners of cats of this breed recommend using special products to nourish, moisturize the fur and untangle mats.

Professional grooming is an essential component of success at an exhibition

Table: popular cosmetics for the Selkirk Rex

Cleaning ears and eyes

The Selkirk Rex's ears are furry not only on the outside, but also on the inside. They need to be gently brushed with a cotton pad every three to five days, more often than most other breeds. It is better not to use cotton swabs so as not to accidentally damage the delicate ear. It is enough to wipe the eyes weekly, of course, if the discharge is not too abundant.

Nail trimming

Most Selkirks have claws that are not very hard and grow slowly—for many, scratching posts or trimming once every three to four weeks are sufficient for natural grinding. Patient “sheep” wear anti-scratch caps that are now fashionable longer than other breeds - bright silicone caps that are glued to their claws. But veterinarians usually do not recommend this kind of false manicure - it does not last long, and the cat often chews off the caps, which does not bring any benefit to her.

Devon Rex

In the 60s, a kitten appeared in Britain that was unusual and captivated everyone. This was the result of a gene mutation and mating with the Cornish Rex breed. The appearance of the resulting cats frightens some, but pleasantly impresses others.

The pet is small in size, has huge, widely spaced ears, its muzzle is flat, and its nose is snub-nosed. Devon fur is soft and hypoallergenic. These animals are active - they run, play, jump, and climb to heights.

Thanks to their developed intelligence, Devons are trainable. Since they are small cats, they need to be treated with care. It is especially important to protect them from drafts. There are such cats in the apartment.

Character of the breed

Patient, loving and tolerant, the Selkirk Rex is a gentle, people-oriented cat. But be careful, as they retain their kittenish and playful attitude even into adulthood. The breed is known for being very social and will wither if left isolated.

The Selkirk Rex will fit well into any home with owners who will love it, play with it, and care for its coat. It is recommended to keep your cat indoors to protect it from cars, diseases spread by other cats, and attacks from wild animals.

Herman rex

This breed appeared in Germany thanks to the crossing of a Russian Blue cat with an Angora cat. Later, European Shorthairs took part in its breeding.

There were times when the breed was almost completely exterminated. We had to start the selection all over again, so the shades of coat and exterior faded into the background. The main goal was to obtain a characteristic coat texture - without undercoat, soft and with curls resembling astrakhan fur.

Representatives of the breed are very smart and loyal, cheerful and energetic. Moderately curious and inquisitive. The happy owners of these cats are very glad that they chose this particular breed.

Cornish Rex

This is a very ancient breed of cat. It appeared in Britain in the 50s, but was recognized only 17 years later. The first kitten appeared on a farm where they were breeding rabbits. To consolidate the breed, they began to be crossed with Siamese and ordinary domestic cats.

The appearance of this cat is lean and tall, but the body is very graceful and graceful. The ears are very large, set wide apart and look in different directions, the muzzle is elongated, and the eyes are large. The legs and tail are long and graceful relative to the body.

The Cornish Rex is very similar to the Sphynx, but with wavy fur. It differs in that it does not have main hairs, but is an undercoat. Such cats resemble in their appearance a Karakul lamb.

These are sociable and inquisitive cats. They easily find a common language with everyone. They are very smart, very loyal and friendly, and amenable to training.

Psychological picture

Selkirk Rex is a wonderful breed of companion cats, friendly and sociable, loving human company and fun outdoor games. They are very patient and gentle, treat all members of the family in which they live well, do not conflict with pets, and live peacefully. Selkirks value communication with their owner most of all, they cannot live without it, and they become very attached to the owner, therefore it is strongly recommended not to leave Selkirk Rexes alone during the long absence of the owner. These cats love to be the center of attention, they really love sitting in the arms of the owner, hugging and scratching behind the ear.

Ural rex

The Ural rexes appeared completely by accident, thanks to Mother Nature. Such kittens were considered defective, sick and destroyed, thereby reducing the breed to a few individuals. Years later, one cat gave birth to curly-haired kittens. Breeders paid attention to this; they did not miss the opportunity to breed and reproduce this breed.

These are medium-sized cats with a powerful, muscular body. The eyes are large almond-shaped. Their fur is dense and dense, and can be medium-length or short. Due to the presence of large curls, it is difficult for the rex during molting. Lost hairs can get stuck in your hair. The owner’s task is to comb the fur with a special one so that all unnecessary hairs fall off. The character of these cats is characterized by cheerfulness, simplicity and kindness.

How to choose a kitten

You should buy a laperma kitten from a nursery with a high reputation. The seller is obliged to provide the buyer with a veterinary passport with marked vaccinations and a document confirming purebred.

A purebred kitten has large ears, almond-shaped eyelids, a pronounced chin, and soft fur. Healthy Laperm kittens are active, inquisitive, non-fearful, and non-aggressive. The belly is soft, the body is well-fed, the tears, ears, anus are clean, the mouth does not emit an unpleasant odor, and there are no traces of disease or parasitic infestation on the skin.

Price

The breed is not widespread in the CIS; a few breeders charge a high price for Laperm. The cost is determined by gender, color, pedigree, and exhibition category.

newborn kittens

newborn kittens

For a kitten of the pet (companion) category they ask for a minimum of $200, but on average $500 . For show-class kittens, prices reach up to $4,500 .

Nurseries

The largest number of nurseries are located in the USA, Australia, and Japan.

The breed is not common in Russia. Kittens sold by private breeders sell out quickly, so you have to order in advance. There is a nursery “Russicurl” in Moscow.