Cornish rex
The Cornish rex began with a single kitten, Kallibunker, born on a Cornish farm in 1950 with a curled coat caused by a spontaneous mutation.
Every Cornish rex descends from that cat.
It has no guard hairs at all — only the soft downy undercoat — which is why the coat feels like crushed velvet and lies in waves. The body is equally distinctive: arched back, tucked waist, very fine bone and enormous ears, giving a greyhound outline. Cornish rexes are hot, busy, acrobatic cats that stay kitten-like for life and seek out warm laps with real determination.
- Origin
- Cornwall, England, 1950
- Size
- 2.5–4.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 11–15 years
- Coat
- Wavy undercoat only, no guard hairs; very short
- Temperament
- Busy, acrobatic, affectionate, permanently kittenish
- Grooming
- Minimal, but bathe occasionally
Related: Devon rex · German rex · Selkirk rex · Tennessee rex
3 cornish rex photos, newest first
Living with a cornish rex
Do not brush hard — the coat is fragile. A hand stroke is usually enough, though the lack of guard hairs means skin oils build up, and many need an occasional gentle bath.
They feel the cold acutely and will find the radiator, the laptop or you. Large ears need regular cleaning, as they produce a lot of wax.
The coat offers little sun protection, so pale cats can burn on the ears. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs, as does patellar luxation and, in some lines, a hereditary myopathy. Otherwise a hardy little cat.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual cats vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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