Rex

Breeds of cats have, until recently, been divided into two types, the longhair and the shorthair. In all these cats, the hair is straight. One of the newest introductions to breeds of cats, however, is called rex-coated. Each individual hair of this coat is waved and no guard hairs are visible, because they are shortened to just below the level of the top coat. The hair is considerably shorter than that of other shorthaired types, giving an extremely soft, short coat with tiny marcel-like waves.

Geneticists believe that the Rex came about as a mutation involving a single recessive factor. For this reason, the hair type can be transferred to any breed, color or type of cat. As a result, the variety of cat to which this factor is transferred will retain all its characteristics, except that its coat will become rex type.

In the United States, the Cat Fanciers' Association have recognized the Rex Cat as a breed and set the following standards:

Head: should be longer than it is wide, with a break at the muzzle when viewed from the front, and with a Roman profile.

Eyes: should be medium-size, oval in shape. Color in keeping with the coat color.

Tail: long and slender, tapering slightly. No penalty for a bare upper surface.

Body: long and slender, with a tuck-up behind the ribs. Hips heavy in proportion to the rest of the body. Body hard and muscular.

In Great Britain, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy now recognize two breeds of rex-coated cats. They are the Cornish Rex-coated Cat Gene 1 and the Devon Rex-coated Cat Gene 2.


Cat Fanciers' Association Point Score:

Head Size and Shape 5
Muzzle and Nose 5
Eyes 5
Ears 5
Profile 5
Body Size 3
Torso 10
Legs and Paws 5
Tail 5 Bones 5
Neck 2
Coat Texture 10
Length 5
Wave, Extent of Wave 20
Close Lying 5
Color 5