Selkirk Rex: Cat Food and a Description of the Breed
The Selkirk Rex is a cat breed with a curly coat. This young breed comes from the USA. The Selkirk Rex is becoming increasingly popular with cat lovers, not only because of its unusual appearance, but also because of its gentle nature.
History of the Selkirk Rex
The Selkirk Rex was created more or less by chance. In 1987 the staff of an animal shelter in the USA noticed that a kitten from a litter given there was very different from its siblings. The female had a short, curly coat, curly whiskers and bright green eyes.
When they informed the well-known Persian breeder Jeri Newman about their unusual discovery, she took the curly four-legged animal and mated it to a black male Persian about a year later.
The resulting litter consisted of three cats each with smooth and curly coats and Jeri Newman decided to name the new breed Selkirk Rex. In the following years the Selkirk Rex could inspire more and more cat lovers. So far, the FiFé has only provisionally recognised it as an independent cat breed.
Because the curly coat of the Selkirk Rex is inherited dominantly, unlike other cats with curly hair, such as the Devon Rex, it is sufficient if one parent cat has a curly coat. Some breed societies therefore still allow the controlled crossbreeding of other cat breeds, such as the Persian or the British Shorthair.
Appearance of the Selkirk Rex
The Selkirk Rex is a medium to large cat breed that can reach a weight of up to seven kilograms. It has a strong build and sturdy legs with thick paws. Its head is round and its ears are small to medium sized. Her big, round eyes are set wide apart.
Because the Selkirk Rex is still regularly crossed with other cat breeds due to its small gene pool, there are currently quite clear differences within the population. Basically, the Selkirk Rex should correspond to a British Shorthair in type.
The coat of the Selkirk Rex
The curly coat is the most striking external feature of the Selkirk Rex. Depending on the breed crossed in, the coat can be short or semi-long. In a Selkirk Rex with a half-long coat the curls are usually a bit more distinct. Regardless of the length, the coat has a soft and fluffy texture.
Character of the Selkirk Rex
The Selkirk Rex is a great family cat. She is gentle and friendly and builds up a very close bond to her owners. The cuddly Selkirk Rex loves to get attention and cuddles. Sometimes she even follows her owner at every turn, which is why she is sometimes called a dog cat like the Maine Coon.
The Selkirk Rex is sociable and is happy to have a companion as a playmate. Apart from that she prefers it rather quiet and relaxed, even if she is not averse to occasional play, like most cats.
Keeping and care of the Selkirk Rex
The Selkirk Rex is ideal for home use. As long as it can maintain a close relationship with its human housemates, it will prove to be a pleasant and frugal house cat that can easily cope with both children and visitors.
The Selkirk Rex does not necessarily have to go outside. Occasional visits in a cat-safe garden are certainly appreciated however they are not absolutely necessary.
It’s enough to brush the coat of the Selkirk Rex about once a week. If your cat is shedding, we would advise you to brush your cat more often to promote hair growth.
Selkirk Rex diseases
The Selkirk Rex does not tend to suffer from certain typical breed diseases. However, its still manageable gene pool means that inbreeding is a quite widespread problem.
Skin parasites like cat fleas find ideal living conditions on cats with long fur and a regular coat inspection is therefore very important.
The Selkirk Rex can be infected with various cat diseases such as feline rhinitis, diabetes or a fatal infection with FIP. Regular medical checks and vaccinations are important for Selkirk Rex.
Life expectancy of the Selkirk Rex
A healthy Selkirk Rex easily reaches an age of 12-15 years. However, how old the cat becomes depends on various factors. Especially when inbreeding comes into play or when there are no species-appropriate keeping conditions, the life expectancy of the Selkirk Rex can also be significantly lower.
The right food for the Selkirk Rex
By feeding according to your needs, you ensure that your Selkirk Rex is optimally supplied with nutrients and the risk of nutrition-related problems is significantly reduced.
Make sure not only that you provide the right amount of food for your cat and that the food is of a good quality.
With I Love My Cat cat food offers nutritious, grain free nat food for your Selkirk Rex. Our food has a high meat content and we are sure that your cat will love our food.
You can also support the well-being of your Selkirk Rex with the following products from our range:
- Shiimun Skin provides your cat with valuable nutrients for a dense coat.
- Dental powder gently supports the daily dental care of your Selkirk Rex.
- Shiimun Immune provides your four-legged friend with additional nutrients for the immune system.
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