Cornish Rex
A Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex
has no hair except for down.
Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in
their coats: the outer fur or "guard hairs", which is about 5
cm long in shorthairs and 10cm+ long in longhairs; a middle
layer called the "awn hair"; and the down hair or undercoat,
which is very fine and about 1 cm long. Cornish Rexes only have
the undercoat and thus only lose a few of very fine hairs at a
time like humans and do not shed like other cats.
The coat of a Cornish Rex is extremely fine and is the softest
of any cat breed. However, their light coat means that they are
best suited for indoor living in warm and dry conditions.
Consequently, these cats tend to hang around light bulbs, the
tops of computer monitors, and other warm places. Some Cornish
Rexes also have a mild cheesy smell peculiar to the breed; this
odour comes from scent glands in the paws.
Often the breed referred to as the Greyhound of the cats,
because of the sleek appearance and the galloping run
characteristic of the breed. Some Cornish rexes like to play
fetch, race other pets, or do acrobatic jumps. The Cornish Rex
is an adventurous cat and is very intelligent. It can readily
adapt to new situations and will explore wherever it can go,
jumping into refrigerators, examining washing machines, etc.
Some humans consider its antics to be deliberately
mischievous.
The Rex is extremely curious, seeks out the company of
people and is friendly towards other companion animals. It is a
suitable pet for timid children.
Origin
The Cornish Rex is a genetic mutation that originated from a
litter of kittens born in the 1950s on a farm in Cornwall, UK;
hence the first part of the breed's name. One of the kittens, a
cream-colored male named Kallibunker, had an extremely unusual,
fine and curly coat; he was the first Cornish Rex. The owner
then bred Kallibunker back to his mother to produce other
curly-coated kittens. Cornish Rexes were later brought to
America and crossed with Siamese, giving them their long whippy
tails and big ears.
The Devon Rex looks similar in appearance to the Cornish Rex,
but has guard hairs and sheds. The Devon Rex mutation is
different than the Cornish Rex mutation in that the Devon has
shortened guard hairs, while the Cornish Rex lacks guard hairs
altogether. Crosses between Devon and Cornish Rexes are not
permitted in pedigrees and matings between them will not
produce a cat with short wavy fur. Another hair-deficient breed
is the Sphynx cat, which has no hair but may have a very light
coat of fuzz.
Despite some belief to the contrary, the Cornish Rex's short
hair does not make it non- or hypo-allergenic. Most people who
have cat allergies are allergic to cat dander and cat saliva.
Since Cornish Rex cats groom as much as or even more than
ordinary cats, a Cornish Rex cat will still produce a reaction
in people who are allergic to cats. However, because of the
fine, light fur that is shed from these cats, people with only
mild allergies may experience fewer symptoms with a Rex.
Using the word "Rex" to imply short or otherwise unusual fur
originates from an occasion when King Albert I of Belgium
(1875-1934) entered some short-haired rabbits in a rabbit show.
They did not meet the breed standard, but the show's officials
did not wish to risk offending the king by rejecting them.
Instead, they accepted them but wrote "Rex" (Latin for "king")
beside their names. Stimpson J. Cat, of Ren and Stimpy fame,
was probably a Cornish Rex.
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