Selkirk Rex

Temperament

The Selkirk Rex is more about contact than activity. It likes to sit in laps, cuddle and keep its people company in everyday life, but it doesn’t demand nonstop play. It has a sense of humor, though: it can surprise you with comical antics, and it happily goes after a wand toy or a ball. It is quiet and rarely meows. It is usually patient with other animals and with children, though kids need to remember that the curly coat should not be tugged or ruffled. It is usually calm and curious with guests. It inherited its gentle, even temperament partly from the Persians and British Shorthairs used to create the breed. It does well in a quiet home and will handle a few hours alone, but it is happiest when someone is nearby.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Talkativeness

quietchatterbox

Indoor-only life

needs outdoor accessgreat

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Selkirk Rex for?

The Selkirk Rex suits quiet homes, seniors and families with older children who want a gentle, cuddly cat with an unusual look. It does well in an apartment. Don’t choose it hoping for a cat for allergy sufferers: it sheds like most cats. If you want a very active playmate, a Devon Rex or an Abyssinian will suit you better.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

The curly coat needs a careful touch. Combing once a week with a wide-toothed comb is enough; brushing more often straightens the curls and makes the coat frizzy. The longhaired variety needs attention in the armpits and on the belly, where mats can form. Baths are rarely needed; if you do bathe the cat, blot the coat with a towel rather than using a hair dryer, so as not to ruin the curls. The Selkirk sheds, so it is not a cat for people with allergies. Curly hair in the ears encourages wax buildup, so the ears need regular checking and cleaning. The breed is not especially active, so make sure it gets a short play session every day and keep portions in check so it doesn’t gain weight. Good food supports coat quality.

Health and breed-related conditions

The Selkirk Rex has no known diseases unique to the breed, but it can inherit problems from the breeds it was crossed with. From Persians, polycystic kidney disease, which is why the British GCCF requires breeding cats to have a PKD test result or come from tested parents. From British Shorthairs, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, detected with heart ultrasound. Breeders also screen for hip dysplasia and blood-type cats before mating, because incompatibility does occur. Curly hair in the ears encourages excess wax and irritation. VCA gives a lifespan of 10–15 years.

• polycystic kidney disease (PKD)A risk inherited from the Persians used in breeding; in the GCCF, breeding cats must have a test result.
• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)A risk linked to crosses with British Shorthairs; breeders screen cats with heart ultrasound.
• hip dysplasiaBreeders routinely screen for it because of the breed’s outcrossing history.
• excess earwax and ear irritationCurly hair inside the ears encourages wax buildup.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The breed began with a single cat. In the mid-1980s in Montana, a rescued cat gave birth to a female kitten with curly whiskers and fur, which was adopted by Persian breeder Jeri Newman and named Miss DePesto. When she was bred to a black Persian, half the kittens had curly coats, showing that the gene is dominant. Newman named the breed after her stepfather’s surname, Selkirk, making it the only cat breed named after a specific person. Persians, Exotics, British Shorthairs and American Shorthairs were used to develop the breed. TICA accepted it in 1992, and the CFA admitted it for registration the same year and granted championship status in 2000. Since 2025, the CFA has registered only kittens with two Selkirk Rex parents.

Fun facts

• The Selkirk Rex is the only cat breed named after a specific person: the founder’s stepfather.
• All Selkirks descend from a single cat from a Montana shelter.
• Miss DePesto’s first mating with a Persian produced three curly kittens out of six, proving that the curls are inherited dominantly.
• Since 2025, the CFA has registered only kittens with two Selkirk Rex parents.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Calmest cat breeds

Sources

1. 1CFA – Selkirk Rex breed profilecfa.org
2. 2VCA Animal Hospitals – Selkirk Rexvcahospitals.com
3. 3Wikipedia – Selkirk Rexen.wikipedia.org
4. 4FIFe – Recognised breedsfifeweb.org
5. 5WCF – Breed standards shorthairwcf.de

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.