The Devon Rex is a rare breed of cat that differs from other cat breeds because of their physical appearance. Their skull shape is flat with extremely large protruding ears and very large eyes.
While the first reactions to the Devon Rex cat were subdued or even negative, it soon gained recognition due to its very special external characteristics. The Devon Rex is a typical family cat because of its pleasant personality traits. It is also very suitable for keeping at home. Perhaps you will soon enrich your home too?
History of the Breed
This curious breed of cats with the unusual coat mutation was discovered in 1960 in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England next to a disused tin mine. The English lady who found the interesting-looking cat was named Beryl Cox. The color of the cat’s fur was tortoiseshell on white. Beryl Cox took a liking to this unusual feline appearance and had a desire to capture the cat for breeding purposes. But she didn’t want to succeed.
Instead, things turned out differently: one day the pregnant cat dragged itself to Beryl Cox’s property and gave birth to her young in their garden. To everyone’s surprise, the litter also produced a tomcat with curly fur. Mrs. Cox was very fond of the goblin-like little fellow and named him Kirlee. Kirlee’s head was particularly broad and his cheeks were very prominent. The black curly Kirlee became the progenitor of all subsequent Devon Rex cats.
Mrs. Cox then contacted the first breeder of the Cornish Rex, Mrs. Sterling Webb. Kirlee was bred to the daughter of a Cornish Rex male. The result of the litter was awaited with great curiosity. However, nature is known for not always playing the way people imagine. And so it turned out quite differently here too: All kittens in the litter had straight hair! So it was clear that Kater Kirlee had to have a different genotype. He was a new type of Rex cat and came to be known as Gen 2, which corresponded to the Devon Rex cat, while Gen 1 stood for the Cornish Rex.
The gene that is responsible for the curls, by the way, follows a recessive inheritance. This means that this gene is inherited from a parent with curls, but the curls only show up in the kittens if both parents have curls. The mating of the tomcat Kirlee with a smooth-haired cat did not result in curly kittens.
In 1967 the Devon Rex was recognized by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), in 1968 by the Féderation Internationale Féline (FiFe), and in 1979 by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA).
Appearance
The relatively short fur of this sweet exotic woman is wavy to curly. The fur has a curled structure with little top hair and a high proportion of undercoat. The density of the fur varies with the areas of the body – and with the season.
The question of whether she belongs to the hypoallergenic cats is answered differently. There is no doubt that she loses very little hair. Because of this, the chances of the Devon Rex causing an allergic reaction in its human roommate are slim.
With its large ears and broad skull, it resembles the shape of a goblin. The Devon Rex cat’s long, thin tail thins towards the tip and is covered with short, curly hair. The medium-length curled mustache hairs are relatively strong. With their long, slender legs, representatives of the Devon Rex stand on small oval-shaped paws. The slight curvature of the legs on the body can give the impression that the Devon Rex has bow-legged legs.
Devon Rex cats come in many colors and patterns.
Devon Rex Temperament
Their loyal, affectionate and cuddly character makes the Devon Rex cat an ideal cat for families. She is as funny as she is fun-loving, bright, playful, relaxed, and social. Her curiosity for everything that happens around her is very strong. The Devon Rex loves to have fun. Due to her playful nature, she also likes to learn tricks quickly and easily. Their nature is a bit like that of a dog. She is considered very loyal and philanthropic. The quality of loyalty was first established in the progenitor of the breed, the little tomcat Kirlee. According to legend, Kirlee even liked to walk on a leash. Maybe he copied this behavior from a dog.
The Devon Rex turns its human roommate into “its” human. If you are lucky enough to share your home with a cat of this breed, she will likely eat, sleep, and sit on your shoulder at the same time as you work – that is how much she participates in your life and is connected to you. She follows you every step of the way, sits at your feet or in your lap, and even accompanies you with the housework. The Devon Rex cat is also known to be relatively communicative. As you can see: with this cat you always enjoy the best company and entertainment at the highest level!
She generally gets along very well with children. Children in the household can literally develop a friendship or at least a close connection with their beloved feline friend. The Devon Rex loves to play with their human roommates, with whom they form a deep bond. She likes to romp around and climb scratching posts. Therefore, one or more of them should be ready for the Devon Rex. As much as she likes to be owned by her human roommates, on the other hand, she is also self-sufficient and can do well on her own.
Devon Rex Diet
Make sure that there are always enough sources of water in your household for the Devon Rex to feast on. It is important that the water bowls are not directly next to the food bowls. In the wild, too, cats would eat both separately because the water could be contaminated with meat. A cat drinking fountain or a cat drinking fountain are also recommended. These optimize the cat’s drinking behavior by constantly encouraging it to drink water. This prevents urinary tract infections and supports healthy kidney function.
Because the Devon Rex cat can develop gum disease and tooth decay with age, we recommend a feeding method that takes this predisposition into account. You can prevent the problem by feeding dry food. This is important, among other things, because diseases of the tooth space can spread to the entire organism of the cat and lead to serious diseases, such as problems with the kidneys.
A certain amount of high-quality fat is also an important part of an optimal diet. Your trusted veterinarian will be happy to provide you with competent information.
It should go without saying, but in some cases, it still needs to be mentioned because there are owners who feed their cats dog food: Dog food is not suitable for cats and should not be given to cats!
The Devon Rex will likely try hard to convince you to feed it very often. However, you should not succumb to this temptation but stick to the recommended amounts, because otherwise, you could gain weight with the corresponding negative side effects. As a sporty and active animal, however, it also has a high basal metabolic rate and quickly trains off any excess calories.
Care Tips
Grooming this goblin-like cuddly cat is, on the whole, straightforward. All Devon Rex asks for is a loving home that is also lively. In order for her to enjoy the best possible health in the long term, you should only pay attention to a few breed-specific aspects.
Always use a little caution when brushing to avoid accidentally pulling hair out of your roommate kitty. It is best to use a very soft cat brush. With this, you can brush your feline friend carefully several times a week. In addition to strengthening your bond, this also ensures good blood circulation and a beautiful, healthy coat.
Because the self-cleaning effect does not exist in this breed of cats due to the lack of hair in the ear canal, it is advisable that you clean the ears of your roommate kitty regularly.
It is also important to note that the thin layer of hair does not protect the Devon Rex sufficiently from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. As a result, the Devon Rex cat is prone to sunburn.
Choosing the Right Breeder
First, you could inquire at the animal shelter or at a foster station whether a Devon Rex is looking for a loving home there. There is a possibility of finding a pedigree cat there too.
Otherwise, of course, you can turn to a reputable breeder. You can recognize this among other things by the fact that it can provide you with information on the cat’s family tree, which is recognized by world organizations. The kittens should also come from a legal, tested, and veterinary registered to breed. Of course, kittens from a reputable breeder also have a vaccination certificate, are vaccinated, dewormed, and chipped.
Regardless of whether you have your roommate kitty from a reputable breeder or from animal welfare – we wish you a lot of fun and a wonderful time with these funny and loyal animal roommates!
