Cornish Rex

The first known Cornish Rex, named for his coat’s resemblance to that of a Rex rabbit, made his appearance in Cornwall in 1950. As so often happens with unusual breeds, a nondescript barn cat gave birth to a litter that included one kitten who was a little different from the others. He was born with a natural mutation that caused him to have a curly coat. When he matured, he was mated with his mother on the recommendation of a geneticist, resulting in a litter with two more of the curly coated kittens. It was discovered in 1960 that the Rex type was caused by a recessive gene, which means that both parents must carry the gene. When that first kitten, who was named Kallibunker, was bred with Siamese, Burmese, and British Shorthair cats, the kittens had normal coats, but they carried the recessive gene. When they, in turn, were bred to what had become known as the Cornish Rex, or to each other, they usually produced curly coated kittens. Other breeds with which the Rex was crossed were Russian Blues, American Shorthairs, and Havana Browns. These outcrosses increased and strengthened the breed’s tiny gene pool and brought in additional colors and patterns. The Cornish Rex was first exported to the United States in 1957. The Cat Fanciers Association recognized the Cornish Rex in 1964. The Cornish Rex is also recognized by other cat registries, including The International Cat Association and the American Cat Fanciers Association, and today the attention-loving breed is a popular show cat.