We Love Cats

Research has shown that cats can be very healing for us. A 10-year research study suggests that cat owners were less likely to die of heart attacks than people who have never owned one. The latter group was 40 percent more likely to die from heart attacks and 30 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Other studies confirm that cats can lower our blood pressure and release dopamine and serotonin, which reduce stress and improve immune functioning.

Cat Facts

To their owners, cats will always be fascinating creatures. So here are a few facts about cats you may find interesting. The cat Cats have been domesticated for around 4,000 years. While they were once valued for their hunting abilities, they are now valued for their companionship and loving behaviour. While not well known, the collective nouns used for cats and kittens are a clowder of cats and a kindle of kittens. Our domestic cats are known as little cats. They differ from large cats such as lions and tigers because they are naturally active at night and can purr. Cats are now the most popular pet in the UK and in the US.

About Selkirk Rex

The breed has been developed in two coat lengths, long and short. It is a large and solidly built breed, similar to a British Shorthair. The coat is very soft and has a woolly look and feel with loose, unstructured curls. The head is round, with large rounded eyes, medium-sized ears, and a distinct muzzle, whose length is equal to half its width. A white Selkirk Rex American Shorthairs, Persians, Himalayans, Exotic Shorthairs, and British Shorthairs have been used as outcrosses to develop this breed. The American Shorthair has now been discontinued as an outcross, except in The International Cat Association (TICA).

Loving and patient

You’ll want to — and so will everyone else. Though sometimes referred to as the “cat with the bad hair day,” the Selkirk Rex has been bred to have a patient and loving personality — two traits that are clearly essential, as everyone he encounters (and we do mean everyone) wants to run their hands through his fur. The temperament of the Selkirk Rex reflects that of the breeds used in its development. They have a lot of the laid-back, reserved qualities of the British Shorthair, the cuddly nature of the Persian, and the playfulness of the Exotic Shorthair. There are no known health problems specific to the Selkirk Rex breed.The breed is accepted in all colors, including the pointed, sepia, and mink varieties of albinism; bicolors; silver/smoke; and the chocolate and lilac series. This breed has an extremely dense coat and high propensity for shedding.

Distinct from all other Rex breeds

Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing. It differs from the LaPerm in that the Selkirk Rex coat is plusher and thicker. While the LaPerm gene is a simple dominant, the Selkirk gene (Se) acts as an incomplete dominant; incompletely dominant, allele pairs produce three possible genotypes and phenotypes: heterozygous cats (Sese) may have a fuller coat that is preferred in the show ring, while homozygous cats (SeSe) may have a tighter curl and less coat volume.Like other Rex breeds, irritation of the inside of the ear by curly fur can occur, increasing the production of ear wax. Homozygous cats (with two copies of the dominant Selkirk Rex gene) may have a tendency towards excessive greasiness of the coat, requiring increased frequency of bathing. Other health problems it's no known. In the UK, all Selkirk Rex registered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) for breeding are genetically tested .

Originated in Montana, USA in 1987

with a litter born to a rescued cat. The only unusually coated kitten in the litter was ultimately placed with breeder, Jeri Newman, who named her Miss DePesto (after a curly-haired character in the TV series Moonlighting played by Allyce Beasley). This foundation cat was bred to a black Persian male, producing three Selkirk Rex and three straight-haired kittens. This demonstrated that the gene had an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. All Selkirk Rex trace their ancestry back to the cat Miss DePesto. Jeri Newman named the breed after her stepfather, "Selkirk," making this the first (and currently only) breed of cat to be named after an actual person.

Good for families...

The Selkirk Rex makes a good family cat. His mellow persona and penchant for cuddles and hugs makes him a great companion for children or households with multiple pets (including dogs). He also thrives in smaller areas such as apartments. There are longhair and shorthair varieties.The breed was accepted by The International Cat Association in 1992, the American Cat Fanciers Association in 1998, and the Cat Fanciers' Association in 2000. In Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and in Australia, all outcrosses are scheduled to be discontinued in 2015.

Recent Blog Post

Find out everything there is to know about cats and stay updated on the latest feline news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and cat pictures . Learn more about these fascinating creatures as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about cats.

Dec 1th, 2018