Cornish Rex - breed description

The Cornish rex race was reproduced on the turn of the 50's and 60's of the 20th century in Cornwall, UK. It differs from other breeds with a very soft, woolly fur.
Cornish rex is slim and muscular. All shapes of his body are rounded, softly curved. His hair is thick and wavy, mainly on the back and tail.
Cornish rex is, such as other shorthaired or hairless cats, exigent in respect of temperature, therefore it requires not only warmth but also energetically rich nutrition. It is sufficient to brush the soft and thick hair with a fine brush, otherwise it does not require any special attention.
By nature, it is an intelligent, discreet cat that is clinging and likes cuddling. It is a lively and sociable animal that is ever interested in the goings-on around it and likes to be the centre of attention. These cats like people very much and bear very well also other animals' company.

Cornish rex belongs to shorthair cats, which are, similar as hairless cats, partly suitable for most allergic people. It is due to the fact that the hairs do not contain guard hairs. Only exceptionally you will encounter such an allergic who does not bear even these cats. After all, it is not an absolutely hairless cat.
Kittens of the rexes are born with wavy hairs that start to straighten after about one week. They keep this non-standard appearance until they grow permanently curly hair together with adult teeth. Grown-ups reach the weight between 2.5 to 4.5 kilograms and on the average live for about 12 years, but in optimal conditions they live even longer.

Cornish Rex breed standards
Head:	Relatively small, flat, egg-shaped with gently rounded silhouette from both front and profile, which goes in a straight line from the centre of the forehead to the tip of the nose. Prominent, sharp cheekbones. Head length about 1/3 greater than the maximum width. Narrows prominently toward the chin. Whiskers are clearly terminated.
Nose:	One third of the head's length. A straight line in profile from the top of the nose to forehead, with significant depth. Muzzle slightly narrowed toward a curved end.
Ears:	Large, wide at the base and tapering to rounded tips, erect and pricked up. Set high on the head. Well covered with very fine hair.
Eyes:	Medium-sized, almond shaped. Full eye-size distance between them. Bright and clear colour of the eyes must match suitably the colour of the coat.
Neck:	Long and slim.
Body:	Of medium length, hard and muscular. Well developed, but not wide chest. Arched back. Sides and thighs slightly more massive in comparison to the rest of the body.
Legs:	Long, straight and slender, giving an overall appearance of being high on legs. Muscular thighs.
Paws:	Small, charming, slightly oval.
Tail:	Long, fine and tapering. Very flexible and well covered with wavy hair.
Coat:	Short and relatively dense, slightly plushy; without guard hairs. Wavy all along the body, from head to the back, sides and tip of the tail with suitably wavy, silky texture. On the lower side of the neck, chest and on the belly the coat is shorter and much wavier.
Colour:	All colour varieties and patterns are recognized, including those with white (any amount of white is permitted).
Faults:	Too broad or too long head. Small ears. Slanted eyes. Chubby body and little developed muscles. Short, bare or too bushy tail. Thin hair or bare patches.
Disqualification:	Curly or otherwise abnormal tail. Guard hair. Signs of lameness in the rear part of the body. Signs of weak health.
Overall impression:	Medium-sized cat with hard, muscular, but slender body and a long, slim tail. It is surprisingly heavy and warm to the touch. Cornish Rex is intelligent, watchful and prudent. Likes cuddling.

comparison: Devon & Cornish rex

Comparison of the Cornish rex and Devon rex breeds:

Until 1979 the rexes were judged in the USA as one breed. But they are different in many aspects. The two breeds differ with the head shape already at first sight. The short wedge-shaped head of the Devon rex with a round forehead, strong chin and raised cheekbones contrasts with the relatively small, elongate head of the Cornish rex with a flat forehead, which narrows visibly toward the chin. Significantly larger eyes and ears of the Devon rex only emphasize the difference between its wide head in contrast to with the narrow head of the Cornish rex.

Also a wider chest makes an impression that Devon rex is overall more massive cat. Cornish rex has delicate bones and its slender figure is accentuated by long legs. But despite of that, Cornish rex is a relatively muscular cat with a firm and well-made body.

Another significant difference, which is only evident at a close range, is the fur. The main difference is the absence of guard hairs in Cornish rex. But also by Devon, the texture of the hair makes an impression as if it were without guard hairs. Both breeds have wavy, soft and smooth hair, but Devon's hair is rougher.
Both aforementioned breeds come practically from the same southeast part of England, the neighbouring counties of Cornwall and Devon. Maybe due to that, even before Cornish and Devon rex were registered as independent races, there were efforts to crossbreed them mutually. But all kittens coming from this attempt had straight hair. It is due to the fact, as was proven by later genetic researches, that their curly fur was caused by two absolutely different genetic mutations.
Beside the curly fur, Devon and Cornish have similar traits of characters. Both races are very sociable, they follow their master and get on well with dogs and other pets. Long legs impart considerable skills verging on acrobatic skills. Both breeds are also excellent hunters, famous for their curiosity.
Rexes only exceptionally moult, and therefore the care of their fur is minimal. But as their fur is rather thin and has not sufficient thermal insulation properties, it is necessary to provide the necessary protection for these cats not only from the cold, but also from the heat. When you touch a rex, you will find out that their body temperature is higher than that of other cats. It is due to the fact that their metabolism is faster. That results in their enormous appetite.