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Devon Rex

Devon Rex

The Devon Rex is sometimes called a poodle that purrs, due to her curly coat and wagging tail when she is happy. Also described as the pixie of the cat world, the Devon Rex has a pixielike face and large, inquisitive eyes. This extraordinarily social cat is a wonderful family pet that gets along well with cats and cat friendly dogs. A highly active breed, the Devon Rex is known for her clownlike antics.

DID YOU KNOW? Originally, it was thought that Devon Rex and Cornish Rex shared the same spontaneous genetic mutation responsible for their curly coats. When breeders realized that the cats had separate genetic variations, the first rexed cats, the Cornish Rex, were referred to as Gene I Rex and the Devon Rex as Gene II Rex.

The need-to-know
  • Highly active and inquisitive cat
  • Friendly but independent cat
  • Somehow talkative cat
  • Lean and elegant cat breed
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Hypoallergenic breed
  • Needs some out-door space
  • May require familiarisation before living with children

Pet Card

  • Living Considerations: Good for multi-pet households, not hypoallergenic
  • Size: Small to medium, with males weighing 3 to 4.5 kilograms and females weighing 2 to 3.5 kilograms
  • Coat: Short
  • Temperament: Mischievous, clownlike, highly interactive
  • Grooming: Daily
  • Shedding: Minimal
  • Vocalisation: Gentle voice, purrs incessantly

Personality

Devon Rex cats are fondly described as 'little terrors' and 'monkeys in cats' clothing' with antics such as swinging from the curtains and climbing the wallpaper! They are lively and extrovert cats. They have several 'dog-like' qualities, such as a fondness for fetching toys, and can be trained to walk on a harness and lead. They are very gentle and loving cats, and hate to be bored or alone. Visitors to the house may be surprised to find that they are thoroughly investigated by a nosy Devon Rex cat before they have a chance to sit down!

History and Origins

Country of Origin: England (county of Devon)

The Devon Rex cat breed stems from a curly-coated cat found in Devon in 1960. Like the Cornish Rex cat breed, the Devon cat's coat is caused by a recessive gene, and inbreeding was necessary to perpetuate the breed. The Devon cat gene is, however, different to that which curls the coat of the Cornish Rex, and crossing Devon Rex cats and Cornish Rex cats produces litters of straight-coated kittens. The two mutations must have arisen independently, despite arising so close geographically, ie, in Devon and Cornwall. Within 10 years of discovery, the breed was recognised in Britain.

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