The history of the progenitors, breeding and popularization, the appearance, the temperament of the German Rex, the health, care and maintenance of the cat at home, the price. The German Rex or German rex is a breed of cats that at first glance can bewitch with their very unique appearance, and after some time with their temperament and intellect. Bringing this miracle of nature into your house, you will not only get a beautiful pet, but also a loyal friend and companion who will delight you every minute.
Historical information about the progenitors of the German Rex
The German rex, the German rex, or, as they are used to calling it, the Prussian rex, is an animal that today occupies the top places among the most demanded cat breeds. According to many historical sources, the birth of this curly pet is not a planned idea of breeders, but rather a matter of chance, which was crowned with unprecedented success.
The ancestor of the German Rex breed is considered to be a cat named Kater Munch, who was born around 1930-1931 (the exact date of birth is unknown), in a small village near present-day Kaliningrad. The parents of this almost world famous kitten were an Angora cat with a rich tobacco coat and a Russian blue cat. Kater Munch was a special "child" in the litter, his beautiful curly fur coat was his uniqueness.
As soon as this "curly hair" began to grow, it immediately became a peculiar attraction of the village. His pretty face, combined with curly silky fur, simply captivated the villagers and their guests. Almost everyone considered it his duty to cuddle the adorable kitten and even take a picture with him. And although Munch enjoyed fame and honor among people, the idea of breeding his unique breed for some unknown reason did not occur to anyone, so this curly-haired handsome man was engaged in the continuation of his kind individually. Until the last days of his life, this curly cat endowed the neighbour's purr with the genome of curliness.
By his temperament, Kater Munch was quite energetic, inquisitive and, one might say, hardworking, because he was not only a pet that pleased the eye, but also an excellent housekeeper, namely a breadwinner. The owner of this cat, Schneider, adored his curly-haired friend not at all for his handsome appearance, but for the fact that Munch was still that fisherman, he deftly fished in the local pond, and brought the catch home.
The death of Cutter Munch dates from 1944 or 1945. After some time, the unique curly hair was mentioned less and less, until in the summer of 1951, an employee of one of the hospitals in Berlin noticed an unusually beautiful kitty who was actively playing in the park on the territory of the institution. This kitty could not help but draw attention to herself thanks to her coal-black and, moreover, curly hair. She immediately became a favorite of the hospital staff and was named Lemchen, which means "lamb" in German. After people got acquainted with the lamb kitty, they decided to observe its offspring, so Lemchen became the founder of the breed and the first official cat called the German Rex.
The history of breeding modern Hermann Rex and their recognition
She first reproduced offspring in 1957, there were two kittens in the litter, the father of which was a straight-haired cat named Fridolin. All Lemchen kittens were carefully guarded and used to improve the breed. The very progenitor of German Rex died in December 1964.
Since 1968, one of the most famous catteries in Germany has bought out all the remaining descendants of Lemchen and began to actively cross them with different breeds of cats, including the European Shorthaired Murka. The founders and employees of the cattery were inspired by hopes and dreams of a big profit for these unique kittens, but to their great disappointment, their plans were never realized. Since kittens were not in demand abroad due to their small number. Only after 1970 litters began to increase and German Rexes significantly expanded their population, then their first representatives went far overseas, namely to the United States, where seals named Marigold, Jet and Christopher Columbus began to increase the population of Prussian Rex in North America.
To date, there are discussions about the recognition of this breed. The whole problem is that outwardly the German Rex are similar to the Cornish Rex, therefore in many countries they are not recognized as a separate breed, but only revered as a subspecies of their fellow Cornish Rex. Although the German Rex were officially recognized and approved as a separate and independent species by the decision of the International Cat Federation back in 1983.
Features of the appearance of cats of the German Rex breed
Herman Rex is an elegant and graceful medium-sized animal. The proportional body weight of a representative of this breed ranges from 3 to 5 kg, females are slightly smaller than males. In appearance, the German Rex really has some similarity with the Cornish Rex, the main difference is that the first pets have a more muscular and weighty body.
- Head German rex has the correct rounded shape, proportional to the parameters of the body. The representatives of this breed have a well-developed chin, nose and cheekbones, all the protruding parts of the skull are connected by smooth lines. Wavy vibrissae flaunt on the face of this curly cat. If you look at the animal in profile, you can see a shallow depression in the projection of the bridge of the nose.
- Eyes such Prussian rexes are of medium size, rather wide apart, well open. The color of the eyes of the animal often corresponds to the color of the coat, always clean.
- Ears rather large, have a characteristic widening at the base, erect, the end of the auricle is slightly rounded.
- Torso Hermann Rex at first glance may seem very powerful, although this is not entirely true. Despite all the strength and development of muscle tissue, which is visible to the naked eye, the physique of this cat is very graceful and neat. His vertebral column is straight, the rib cage is slightly rounded and quite strong.
- Limbs of medium length, in their structure they are rather thin and end with well-developed oval-shaped legs.
- Tail process its length is in harmony with the parameters of the body, has a tendency to taper from a thicker base to the tip, which in turn is slightly rounded.
- Wool German Rex is truly his calling card. By its texture, it is soft and velvety, one might say - plush; besides, one must not forget that the "fur coat" of this cat has characteristic curls all over its body.
- Color such beauties of the cat world are already very diverse, there are no rules and restrictions, they can be of a variety of colors.
German Rex character
As for the representatives of this breed of cats, then we can safely say about them that each of them is unique and individual in its inner world. Although they have many common traits of character. By its nature, this pretty curly lump is very active, playful and this natural energy cannot be quieted by either castration or even old age, even being already at a respectable age this German cat can happily chase a ball or a crumpled piece of paper.
Some cats can take a long time to get used to a new place of residence and new acquaintances, but as soon as German Rex begins to understand that this is his home and he is loved here, then the transformation from a suspicious kitty into a loving and affectionate pet will not take long. They will be very amused by the attention given to them and will demand it, but these requests cannot be called "pesky", these cats have everything within the bounds of decency and upbringing.
They can chat a little with the owners or give voice when they really really need it, but his voice is always moderately loud.
It should also be noted that these curly-haired German Rexes are very careful and thrifty. You can safely buy your four-legged companion a lot of toys, he will treat them very reverently. After the completion of the next process of the game, the cat cleans up the toys after itself in a safe place.
In addition to all the above positive qualities, nature has awarded individuals of the Prussian Rex breed with remarkable intelligence. They literally in "a few minutes" are able to accustom themselves to all the attributes of their life in the house, be it a tray, a harness for walking or a scratching post.
Thanks to their extraordinary friendliness, these kittens get along well with children.
Features of the health of cats of the German Rex breed
In the event that you have purchased a German Rex, then there is practically nothing to worry about in terms of health. By nature, they got a fairly stable immunity to all sorts of viruses, bacteria and other unwanted guests that cause infectious diseases. These cats do not have a predisposition to hereditary pathologies either, so we can say that it is you who are responsible for the one you tamed, and the health of your pet depends on you. With proper care, diet, timely vaccination, and most importantly, regular visits to the veterinarian for a general diagnosis of the body, this curly pet will delight you for many years.
But the body's natural defenses and good genetics are not always a guarantee of painlessness and longevity, after all, the Prussian Rex is a cat that also has every chance of getting sick. Therefore, if suddenly you began to notice that the behavior of your curly purr began to differ from the usual one or there are any changes in the appearance of the cat - do not hesitate and wait for what will happen next, immediately go to a specialist, since any pathology is treated much easier at the initial stages.
Rules for keeping and caring for German Rex at home
- Wool. As for keeping cats of the German Rex breed at home, there is nothing supernatural. Perhaps the most important aspect in caring for this animal is its fur, which, besides being thick, also has beautiful "curls", so it is she who needs official attention. Brush your pet with a soft bristle brush, or use a flannel glove. The combing procedure must be carried out at least 2-3 times a week; during the shedding period, it is better to increase the frequency of hair care. But if you have a few free minutes, then you can scratch your curly comrade every day - it will also be pleasant for him and you will not have cat hair everywhere in your house. From early childhood, it is recommended to teach a kitten to bathe, so that henceforth it will take a bath at least once a month. Thus, his beautiful "fur coat" will not have pollution through natural fat secretion.
- Eyes. Also, due to the fact that nature has endowed the representatives of the German Rex breed with beautiful large eyes, they also require proper care, which consists in periodically wiping the eyes with a cotton swab previously soaked in a decoction of medicinal plants or in strong tea. The temperature of the liquid should be at room temperature, approximately 24-26 degrees. It is carried out with a cotton pad from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one, gently and without pressure. If necessary, change the tampon and repeat the operation.
- Ears. Do not forget about the hygiene of the auricles, the kittens will not clean their own ears, but it is extremely necessary for them. To do this, you need to use ordinary cotton swabs. This procedure must be carried out extremely carefully, since cats are usually not happy with it and if the animal does not like something, then you are unlikely to be able to continue cleaning the ears. But they do not need to be afraid of damaging the ears or hurting your pet, since in German Rex the ear canal has a specific shape that allows even deep cleaning, another thing is that it may seem unpleasant to a cat. Under no circumstances use various substances containing alcohol to clean your ears, as they can lead to swelling of the ear tissues, and as a result, your friend will experience too painful sensations.
- Claws and games. A scratching post is an equally important attribute, both for your pet's claws and for your furniture and wallpaper, about which he will grind down his "weapon". Bringing such a pet as a cat of the German Rex breed into the house, you should be aware that she needs to pay a lot of attention, or rather active entertainment with this pet. Play with him to keep him moving a lot. Physical inactivity not only promises a bad mood for the cat, but can also lead to obesity. If your pet will live with you in a city apartment, then it is better to teach him to walk on a harness from childhood. At a time when no one is in the house, it is good to take care of what your cat will do, it can be a variety of toys, in addition, you can install a small tree on which the pet will climb. German Rexes are very fond of conquering peaks, so it would be nice to equip his sleeping place on a certain hill.
- Nutrition of the German Rex. Making a daily menu for this original cat is not difficult at all. In food, he is completely unpretentious, this curly hair easily learns to eat both specialized feed and homemade food - that's up to you. If you are more inclined towards ready-made feed, then the most important thing is that it is balanced and of high quality. When deciding to feed your pet with natural homemade products, then low-fat varieties of meat and fish are suitable for him as main dishes, but cereals and vegetables cannot be excluded from the Hermann Rex diet. In principle, it cannot be said about the representatives of this breed that they freeze strongly and require some kind of additional heating, but by nature they do not have an undercoat, therefore, it is necessary to give preference to a high-calorie diet. This cat should have enough fat in its diet. In the process of feeding the Prussian Rex, it is necessary to monitor the amount of food eaten, since these miniature cats are big lovers of refreshment and overeating is their lot. From time to time you need to feed your pet with various vitamins and mineral complexes. During the molting period, vitamins of group B must be added to the main food of the cat. As for the dosages and the frequency of intake, the veterinarian should already paint this individually for each individual. Such vitamin prophylaxis will prevent excessive shedding and the appearance of local baldness.
Cost of a German Rex kitten
Today, it is not always possible to find a Prussian Rex kitten at exhibitions, and even more so in pet stores, due to the fact that this variety is not very common, but if you make a little effort and search the Internet, then everything is possible. The average cost of a pet with a set of all documents and vaccinations is from 800 to 1100 euros, if we talk about a hybrid of the German Rex, then it is estimated at about 350-450 euros.
Learn more about the German Rex cat breed in the following video:
