The history of breeding, the standard of appearance of the Selkirk Rex, features of the temperament of curly cats and their health, rules for caring for a pet, the price of a kitten. Selkirk rex is a delightful representative of the cat world who simply captivates with his unusual appearance and cute, friendly character. At first glance, these purrs impress not only with their pretty little face, but also with their amazing "fur coat", which is often compared to a sheep's coat and in some ways they are really similar.
Bringing such a pet into the house, you will be pleasantly surprised, because you simply cannot find such a polite, cheerful and peaceful pet in the afternoon with fire. These curly-haired Murziks will be able to cheer you up at any moment, they cannot be called ordinary cats, Selkirk Rex is a storehouse of kindness, devotion and an ocean of positive emotions.
The history of the origin of the Selkirk Rex breed
This breed of cats can undoubtedly be called one of the youngest, the first mention of these extraordinary animals from the feline world dates back to the 80s of the last century. Then, on the territory of the state of Montana in the United States, a completely ordinary cat, which, as it turned out, was later pregnant, accidentally fell into one of the local cat shelters. After the expiration of the term, kittens were born to this most ordinary homeless cat, all as one were cute and beautiful, but after a while, when the kids had already opened their eyes, one of the cubs, which was noticeably different from all the others, plunged the shelter workers into a kind of stupor.
The peculiarity of this kitten (the first individual of the selkirk rex breed) was the huge eyes of a beautiful green color scheme and curly fur. When the employees of the shelter took a closer look at the mother of this "curls", they noticed small curls at the ends of the hairs, but her unusual cub had not just curled hair, it was distinguished by "cool" curls, while even those mustaches were curly, but also fur in the ears.
The shelter manager, without thinking twice, decided to demonstrate the original purr to one of the local felinologists, it turned out to be Jerry Newman, who specialized in the study and breeding of Persian cat breeds. A professional breeder immediately appreciated the curly kitten and named him "Miss Depesto". From that day on, it was decided that the curly-haired Miss Depesto would move into Jerry Newman's house, while his parent would remain at the orphanage.
When a cat with curly hair (the first selkirk rex) reached puberty, an American felinologist tried to cross her with a Persian cat with a black coat. As a result, five kittens were born, three of which had the same unusual "coat" as their mother. So, by and large, the wave of this extraordinary new breed in the world of cats began. As a result of research, it was proved that a specific gene for "curliness" appeared absolutely by accident as a result of some kind of happy mutation, since the cat in the shelter no longer gave birth to offspring with curls, she gave birth to the most ordinary kittens, cute, beautiful, but, alas, not special at all. So the ancestor of the Selkirk Rex breed is usually called Miss Depesto.
Later, when the gene pool of the new breed was studied in more detail, felinologist Jerry Newman became aware of the fact that the “curly fur” gene, although it appeared from nowhere, is the dominant one. Based on this information, the breeder realized that it was worth a little work on improving the appearance of curly-haired Murziks and he was waiting for overwhelming success and he really was not mistaken.
Already in the mid-90s of the last century, selkirk rex cats received their first official recognition from TICA (International Cat Association), members of the commission of this organization and established the main criteria for the appearance standard. As soon as these cats became documented thoroughbred, their leading breeder decided to try his luck at one of the prestigious exhibitions in America and success awaited him again, his wards were awarded the champion title. By the beginning of the new millennium, selkirk rex has become one of the most prestigious and expensive cat breeds, recognized by most of the world's felinological organizations.
Description of the appearance of Selkirk Rex cats according to TICA
Representatives of this breed are animals, parameters, the bodies of which vary from medium to large in size. The average body weight of an adult cat ranges from 6 to 8 kg, the "fair half" of the variety is more refined and looks smaller, the weight of females usually does not exceed 5.5 kg.
- Head Selkirk Rex cats are always of the correct rounded configuration, of medium size. If you look at the purr in full face, then his face looks more like a square, and all thanks to a wide forehead, plump cheeks and a strong, well-developed chin. All lines of the head are soft and smooth, cheekbones are not protruding.
- Auricles not too large, rounded in shape, slightly tapering from the base to the rounded tip. The ears are located high on the crown and at a fairly impressive distance from each other.
- Eyes curly seals in relation to the general parameters of the head seem to be very large, round in shape, resembling large buttons. They are delivered widely. As for the color of the iris of the Selkirk Rex eye, a riot of colors is allowed here, there are no restrictions, but the main thing is that the color of the eyes should be in harmony with the basic tone of the color of the "fur coat" of the animal.
- Torso representatives of the selkirk rex breed are rectangular in shape, stocky, with very well developed muscle tissue, but, despite such muscularity, these cats may visually seem just plump, but this is not so. The shoulder girdle is strong and wide, the projection of the hips is slightly raised above the level of the body. The neck is short but broad and powerful.
- Limbs these cats are medium in length, strong, muscular and resilient due to their strong bones. The paws are large, rounded.
- Tail of medium length, noticeably widening from the tip towards the base. Well pubescent, the hair on the tail is especially strongly curled.
- Wool, wrapping the beautiful body of Selkirk Rex is not just beautiful, it is truly a visiting card of this breed. The official standard of appearance allows both long and short hair, as long as it is curly. The texture of the wool is delicate and soft. When you have to stroke this amazing kitten, you involuntarily get the impression that you have not an animal at your fingertips, but a high-quality plush toy. The curls of selkirk rex are irregular, but chaotically curled, the curliness most clearly visible in the neck and caudal process. It is important to know that even if a kitten, which is a month old, is very, very curly, then there is no guarantee that it will remain so for the rest of its life. When choosing a kitten, it is important to pay attention to its parents and the degree of "curl" of their hairs. In addition, the health of the animal, the care of the coat, and even the climatic conditions of the external environment affect the curls.
- Color. The breed standard allows any variation of Selkirk Rex coat colors, but it should be noted that monochromatic pets are valued much more than animals with patterns and ornaments on the body. There are also albino rexes with sepia and mink colors, but this phenomenon is extremely rare. The only caveat is that the color of the nose, paw pads and the color of the iris matched correctly with the base color.
Temperament of Selkirk Rex cats
These extraordinary curly cats are not just compared to plush toys, in some situations the representatives of the breed really look more like a decoration than a pet. They are so cute, friendly and devoid of the usual feline arrogance and arrogance that it seems that this is simply unrealistic. All selkirk rex individuals are never in a bad mood, they are usually content with little - stroking them, praising them or treating them with something tasty - they are happy at heart, and when they also played with them, it is generally incredible happiness.
Such a character trait as aggression in Selkirk Rex never manifests itself, it seems that they simply do not know how to get angry. Their patience and affectionateness is inherent somewhere at the genetic level, so for a family where there are small children, such cats are just a godsend. Such a pet never strives to be the center of attention, it is more than enough for him to be the best friend and devoted companion.
You can do anything with such a pet, if you invite him to watch TV, he will happily settle under your side and will lie as much as you like. But selkirk rex is by no means lazy or lazy. As soon as a toy appears in the cat's field of vision, it instantly turns into a rather high-spirited and active "predator". From nature, these animals got a very outstanding intelligence, so it will not be difficult to teach such a pet some simple tricks, and he also quickly understands and accepts the rules of living under the roof of your house.
Selkirk Rex cat health
Representatives of this breed can be called perfectly healthy and strong cats, but do not forget that the breed is too young, and therefore has not been sufficiently studied. By and large, selkirk rex did not have any cases of hereditary diseases, but this does not mean that they cannot get hold of anything dangerous. Like all other Rex cats, you need to vaccinate according to the vaccination calendar, you also need periodic examinations by a veterinarian, regular courses of anthelmintic therapy, proper care and a balanced diet. Subject to simple rules, such a curly purr will accompany you through life for about 15-17 years.
Caring for selkirk rex at home, photo
At the sight of these adorable cats, many people may simply be frightened of how to take care of their chic "hair" and to some extent they are right, Selkirk Rex fur really requires special care, but it cannot be called too difficult and troublesome.
- Hair care. The problem is that the selkirk rex fur coat is not just curly, it is chaotically curly and, moreover, very thick, which complicates the situation a little, but such wool can also be kept neat. To do this, you first need a comb, which is best used daily. When choosing a brush, it is better to give preference to a soft massage comb, in addition, get a comb, it will better rid the cat of tangles. At first, it is better to carefully comb the pet with a comb, and only then do some kind of "styling" with a brush. After completing this procedure, it is recommended to smooth the hairs of your Selkirk Rex with a damp palm - a fabulous effect will not take long. In order for the curls of an unusual cat not to lose their shape, from time to time it is recommended to cut them off at the tips. Also, representatives of this breed need to be bathed often, this should be done at least once a month. These purrs do not experience a panic fear of water, and if you teach them to bathe from early childhood, then over time they will meekly stand under the shower, waiting for everything to end. When choosing a shampoo, remember that Selkirk Rex skin tends to dry out, so they need a cleanser with a moisturizing effect, and don't forget about conditioner, it plays an equally important role in your pet's stunning appearance.
- Hygiene. In general, you need to take care of such a pet like an ordinary cat, once a week wipe the eyes with cotton pads soaked in a disinfectant (a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid is perfect). It is also recommended that you brush your selkirk rex's teeth once or twice a week with a small soft toothbrush and tooth powder. If the cat completely refuses such a procedure, you can wrap a piece of bandage or dense tissue, previously soaked, for example, in a decoction of herbs, on your finger and thoroughly wipe the teeth and soft tissues of the oral cavity. In addition, from time to time, you can offer your pet special food with the designation "DENTAL", it quite effectively cleans the cat's oral cavity, but they cannot replace mechanical cleaning. A separate topic is Selkirk Rex auricles. For the reason that even there these cats have increased "hairiness and curliness" earwax is released from them more abundantly than from other breeds. In addition, for the same reason, a large number of particles of dirt and dead epidermis accumulate in their ears, so the ears of such pets need to be cleaned often, and it is better to do it daily. To carry out this procedure, you need to arm yourself with ear sticks (choose only children with a special stopper, since due to the same "hairiness" in the ears, the field of vision of the cavity is limited, and you can easily injure your friend's eardrum). As an additional substance, it is better to give preference to specialized lotions for cleaning the ears of animals, they act less aggressively on the sensitive skin of your selkirk rex, than the risk of inflammatory and allergic processes is reduced to zero.
- Toilet. Usually, such cats do not have problems with training to the litter box. Selkirk Rexes are very fond of being praised, so they grab any instructive information on the fly. But in order to protect your home from extraneous "odors", you can use a substance for training cats to the litter box. Also, do not forget that this meowing pet is very squeamish, so it is extremely important to keep its toilet clean, otherwise it will simply relieve itself of a cleaner and tidier place.
- Diet. A balanced food is a guarantee of the beauty and longevity of your selkirk rex, therefore, the preparation of the menu for it must be approached with special responsibility. The easiest way is to feed Selkirk Rex with ready-made industrial feeds, but of exceptionally high quality, premium or super-premium feed will be optimal, as a rule, in such food all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, micro and macro elements are selected properly and you do not have to worry about that your pet is missing something. If you are still inclined towards homemade food, then you should take into account the fact that the animal cannot eat what the rest of the family members and you will have to cook for it separately. The list of permitted products for representatives of the breed should include only low-fat meats, offal, cereals, dairy products, vegetables and occasionally sea fish. You should refrain from consuming milk and freshwater fish.
Selkirk Rex kitten price
Despite the fact that this breed is quite young, it is not at all difficult to acquire such a curly cat, since one of the nurseries where Selkirk Rex are bred is in Moscow. The starting cost of a kitten of an amazing breed is approximately 12,000 rubles, but the final cost depends on many nuances, which include gender, color, pedigree and parental status. Show class kittens will stand many times more.
