What is a Cornish Rex cat?

The Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or “guard hairs”, a middle layer called the “awn hair”; and the down hair or undercoat, which is very fine and about 1 cm long. Cornish Rexes only have the undercoat. They are prone to hair loss and many will develop a very thin coat or even go bald over large parts of their body. The curl in their fur is caused by a different mutation and gene than that of the Devon Rex. The breed originated in Cornwall, Great Britain.

What does a Cornish Rex look like?

The Cornish Rex is an elegant, slender cat breed with long, muscular legs. The curve of the body from the ribs upwards, arched throughout, rounded rump, slender tail that always wags like a dog – often curled around the body as if it had a life of its own. The head is long and narrow showing a Roman profile. The whiskers are short, curly and stiff. Huge, hairless ears stand high on the head, resembling a statue of an ancient Egyptian cat. Of course the most eye-catching is the Cornish Rex tight wave curls, in the best specimens, the curls cover the whole body, even the belly.

• Body: Slender and tall, looks very sensitive. But muscular, not thin. The overall look is quite slim and slender, known as the supermodel of cats.
• Fur: Only one layer of down, short, soft and curly, like layers of fine waves, feels like velvet, and it is almost difficult to detect hair shedding.
• Personality: Extremely caring, smart (a dog among cats), gentle, playful and curious, easy to keep.
• Ears: Large ears, slightly rounded at the tip, higher than the head and erect, with a wide distance between the ears.
• Eyes: The eyes are large and oval, with slightly hanging corners. The eyes are piercing, and the color of the eyes is golden yellow, bronze, blue and so on.
• Body: Small to medium size, long and graceful, with slender bones, arched topline, compact chignon, adducted abdomen, and curled hair on the abdomen parallel to the back.
• Limbs: The limbs are slender and muscular.
• Toes: Oval in shape, with compact, strong and powerful claws.
• Tail: The tail is long and thin, with a pointed end, soft and elastic, like a whip.
• Coat color: All colors are allowed, with solid color, white and tabby being the most common.
• Disqualification: Coat not curly, non-Roman nose, back too level. The coat is rough and mixed, with upper hair (double coat), twisted tail, deformed bones, etc.

How to care for a cornish rex?

Cornish Rex’s natural wavy hair can be cared for directly by hand, and daily caressing is the best care process. Most cats groom themselves daily and rarely need baths. But there are some exceptions, for example, your cat is old or has skin problems, such cats need you to help them bathe.

Because Cornish Rex has less hair and only soft lanugo, their hair has limited ability to absorb oil, which requires us to bathe them regularly. Cornish Rex usually only takes about 10 minutes to bathe. Proper degreasing and Nursing, followed by a gentle brush-drying, is the cornerstone of Cornish Rex care.

However, some grooming techniques will bring special effects to the coat, especially on exhibited Rexes. The required tool is a chamois hide. Since your Rex already has a beautiful smooth coat, rubbing the chamois hide will add luster to his coat. The best form of grooming is daily hand grooming. Long, gentle stroking with the hands will create ripples in the coat and help transfer the coat’s needed oils. The best thing about this form is that your Cornish Rex loves it. If grooming other breeds of cats is a somewhat tiresome job, grooming a curly-haired cat is something you’d rather do.

The Cornish Rex has a shorter coat and is therefore less hardy. In the cold and wet season, the owner should pay more attention to keeping them warm and dehumidifying.