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Devon Rex Cat
IntroductionOriginThe Devon Rex cat was discovered by Miss Cox in Buckfastleigh, Devon, UK in 1960 as a feral/stray kitten. She called the cat "Kirlee" after the curled hair. Kirlee is the founding father of this breed. The genetic mutation causing the curly hair is recessive (the gene is indicated by the letters "re"). The breed is not related to the Cornish Rex, whose coat is also due to a recessive gene ("r"). It is a rare and little known breed.
AppearanceThe picture above gives a nice idea of what the coat looks like. They are of medium size (average six to nine pounds), but lightly built, which when combined with their long strong rear legs enables them to jump athletically.Their pixie like face and large ears give her the nickname "pixie cat" or "alien cat". There is a hint of the pixie about their appearance. They come in all colors. The coat can range from "suede" to "mop".
BehaviorBeing particularly people orientated they show a lot of affection. They like to snuggle up to their human partner apparently preferring to be high up on the person around the neck. This may naturally happen at night in bed:). This behavior is in part, at least, due to the heat loss from the cat because of the thin coat (i.e. the cat feels cold more easily and is seeking warmth).
Notable FactIt is claimed that the Devon Rex cat is hypoallergenic meaning causing fewer or weaker allergic reaction to people who have an allergy to cats.Cats have three types of hair: guard hair, awn hair, and down hair. The Devon Rex has no guard hair. The coat is sparse, curly, very soft, with low shedding. The combination means that this breed, although not hypoallergenic, is suited to people who suffer from cat allergies. Because the coat is thin the cat feels hotter than expected.
HealthGenetic Disorder - Richard Malik, BVSc, DipVetAn, MVetClinStud, PhD, FACVSc, MASM in a talk given at the 28th World Congress of the Small Animal Veterinary Association (OCt 2003) referred to two genetic disorders in relation to this cat breed. They are both autosomal recessive problems. The first concerns muscle weakness known as "spasticity" to cat breeders. Symptoms are head bobbing and the head moved towards the ventrum (orientated toward the belly) due to flexion of the spine. Secondly, there is "hemophilia", which is abnormal coagulation of the blood. This can result in life threatening bleeding. Practical information from people who have kept this cat: DEVON REX AND ALLERGIES The cause of the allergies are the fur and the saliva/dandruff of the cat. The Sphynx cat is one of the best for people with cat allergy because all they have is a kind of fuzz for hair. Although they are not hypoallergenic - no cat is. DEVON REX CAT PERSONALITY Remember there is "breed personality" and "individual personality". The latter can outweigh and be more important than the former. Just as for humans individual cats may buck the trend for that particular species or at least be off target for that breed in respect of character. DEVON REX KITTEN HAIR It seems that some kittens are almost bald except for hair on the extremities for example. The hair gradually grows with the kitten. If the kitten appears well and is like this it is probable that the hair will grow to cover the body in due course. DEVON REX INDOOR CAT AND ALONE Bearing in mind that this breed is social and active it would seem to be inappropriate to leave him/her in a home all day alone. But, one solution might be to adopt two adults from the same shelter if possible to keep each other company. Sources:
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