| Devon Rex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Origin |  England |
| Breed standards | |
| CFA | standard |
| FIFe | standard |
| TICA | standard |
| ACF | standard |
| ACFA/CAA | standard |
| CCA-AFC | standard |
| GCCF | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The Devon Rex is a tall-eared, short-haired breed of cat that emerged in England during the late 1950s. The breed is known for its atypical appearance, with an oddly shaped head, large eyes, and the short and wavy coat.
Beryl Cox came across a novel curly-coated kitten in Buckfastleigh, Devon in 1960 whom she decided to name Kirlee. Cox believed the cat to be related to the Cornish Rex which led to her breeding Kirlee with Cornish Rexes. When the queen gave birth the kittens all had straight coats, which led to the discovery that Kirlee had a different mutation than Cornish Rexes. Following this Cox began a breeding program to try and preserve Kirlee's mutation. [1]
The Devon Rex is a short haired breed with a medium build and a unique head type which gives the breed a 'pixie-like' appearance. The head is short with a broad wedge and the brow curving to a flat skull. The eyes are large, set wide, and oval-shaped. Devon Rexes may have any eye colour. The ears are large and set wide apart with rounded tips. The coat is short dense and soft and curls inwards a little giving it a waved or rippled effect. Some areas of the body such as the neck may lack enough fur for the wave/ripple effect. The whiskers and eyebrows are crinkled and twisted. Devon Rexes may come in any colour. [2]
Hereditary myopathy is found in some Devon Rexes. It is caused by a genetic variant known as COLQ and it appears anytime from 3 to 23 weeks of age. [3] Typically, there is a chance that the myopathy in the cats might stabilize, however, most of the time, the condition worsens and the Devon rex cats die from laryngospasm, after obstructing their larynx with food. [3] [4] [5]
The Devon Rex was found to be predisposed to feline atopic dermatitis in a retrospective study of cases of the disease. [6]
The Devon Rex is predisposed to congenital hypotrichosis and Malassezia dermatitis. [7]
The Siamese cat is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cats native to Thailand, the original Siamese became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century. The carefully refined, more extreme-featured, modern-style Siamese is characterised by blue almond-shaped eyes; a triangular head shape; large ears; an elongated, slender, and muscular body; and various forms of point colouration. Other than colouration, the modern-style Siamese bears little resemblance to the original stock, and the more moderate, traditional, or "old-style" Siamese, with a much rounder head and body, has been re-established by multiple registries as the Thai cat.
The Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down hair. 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. Occasional individuals are prone to hair loss or 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.
The Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair.
The Sphynx cat also known as the Canadian Sphynx, is a breed of cat known for its lack of fur. Hairlessness in cats is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and the Sphynx was developed through selective breeding of these animals, starting in the 1960s.
The Munchkin is a breed of cat characterized by its very short legs, which are caused by genetic mutation. Compared to many other cat breeds, it is a relatively new breed, documented since 1940s and officially recognized in 1991. The Munchkin is considered to be the original breed of dwarf cat.
Hypoallergenic, meaning "below average" or "slightly" allergenic, is a term meaning that something causes fewer allergic reactions. The term was first used in 1953 in an advertising campaign for cosmetics or perhaps as early as 1940. A 2017 study of the top-selling skin moisturizers from Amazon, Target, and Walmart found 83% of those marketed as "hypoallergenic" contained at least one potentially allergenic chemical.
Cat coat genetics determine the coloration, pattern, length, and texture of feline fur. The variations among cat coats are physical properties and should not be confused with cat breeds. A cat may display the coat of a certain breed without actually being that breed. For example, a Neva Masquerade could wear point coloration, the stereotypical coat of a Siamese.
The Donskoy cat, also known as Don Sphynx or Russian Hairless, is a hairless cat breed of Russian origin. It is not related to the better-known Sphynx cat whose characteristic hairlessness is caused by a recessive mutation in the keratin 71 gene. The Donskoy's hairlessness, on the other hand, is caused by a dominant mutation.
The rex mutation is a genetic variation in mammals that results in soft curly fur. These effects are due to changes in the structure of groups of hairs and cross-section of individual hairs. The rexed coats are unusual but occur in cats, rats, rabbits, horses, and dogs. The mutations, infrequent and spontaneous, occur in a variety of genes and genetic regulatory structures. The diversity of genetic factors results in variable coat thickness/density and fur length. A similar mutation can affect the feathers of birds.
The American Wirehair is a breed of domestic cat originating in Staten Island New York, which is characterized by its wiry fur and crinkly whiskers caused by a genetic mutation. As of 2017, though the breed is well-known, it is ranked as the most rare of the 41 Cat Fanciers' Association breeds.
The German Rex is a breed of domestic cat.
A dwarf cat is a domestic cat with dwarfism due to rare genetic mutations causing a disproportionate feline body and significant health problems. Unlike undersized cats of normal proportions, dwarf cats suffer from the genetic mutations osteochondrodysplasia and achondroplasia. These genetic disorders of bone and cartilage are typically manifested as abnormal bone shape, poor growth or lack of growth, bowing of the limbs to the side – front legs are more likely to be affected, and spinal malformations.
The Minskin is a breed of cat derived from intentional cross-breeding between the Munchkin and Burmese cat breeds, with the addition of Sphynx and Devon Rex. It is a mostly-hairless or very short-coated dwarf cat breed, with point coloration at the extremities.
The Abyssinian is a breed of domestic short-haired cat with a distinctive "ticked" tabby coat, in which individual hairs are banded with different colors. They are also known simply as Abys.
The Minuet is a hybrid mix of Persian and Munchkin cat breeds. Categorized by The International Cat Association (TICA) as a domestic hybrid, "developed from a deliberate cross between two existing domestic breeds, incorporating characteristics of both parental breeds into the new mix." The Minuet cat is characterized by its short legs, as a result of the dwarfism-mutation derived from the Munchkin breed.
The Persian cat, also known as the Persian Longhair, is a long-haired breed of cat characterised by a round face and short muzzle. The first documented ancestors of Persian cats might have been imported into Italy from Khorasan as early as around 1620, however, this has not been proven. Instead, there is stronger evidence for a longhaired cat breed being exported from Afghanistan and Iran from the 19th century onwards. Widely recognised by the North-West European cat fancy since the 19th century, and after World War II by breeders from North America, Australia and New Zealand. Some cat fancier organisations' breed standards subsume the Himalayan and Exotic Shorthair as variants of this breed, while others generally treat them as separate breeds.
The Lykoi is a breed of cat derived from a natural mutation causing a form of hypotrichia found in domestic short-haired cats. The mutation has occurred in domestic cats over the last 20 years. DNA testing has been done by UC Davis to confirm that the cats do not carry the Sphynx/Devon Rex gene. The breed was developed by Patti Thomas in Vonore, Tennessee.
The Bohemian Rex is a breed of domestic cat. It is registered by Fédération Internationale Féline as non-recognised breed.
The dictionary definition of devon rex at Wiktionary
Media related to Devon Rex at Wikimedia Commons