History of occurrence
It was first thought that Kirlee, a kitten born in Devon, England, in 1959, shared the same genetic makeup as the Cornish Rex, a breed born a decade earlier in nearby Cornwall, but test breedings soon established that Kirlee was unique, another result of a natural genetic mutation. As suggested by his name, Kirlee had a wavy coat. Little is known of his ancestry. His mother was a stray, and his father was thought to be a roaming tom who also had a curly coat.
Kirlee became the progenitor of a new breed, the Devon Rex, named for his birthplace of Devonshire, as well as his curly coat, which had a texture reminiscent of that of a rex rabbit. Less than a decade later, in 1968, a Devon Rex had emigrated to the United States. The Cat Fanciers Association gave the breed full recognition in 1979.
General form
The Devon Rex is a breed of unique appearance. Its large eyes, short muzzle, prominent cheekbones, and huge, lowset ears create a characteristic elfin look. A cat of medium fine frame, the Devon is well covered with soft, wavy fur; the fur is of a distinctive texture, as the mutation which causes its wavy coat is cultivated in no other breed. The Devon is alert and active and shows a lively interest in its surroundings.
Отличительная особенность породы Devon Rex
Head: modified wedge. In the front view, the wedge is delineated by a narrowing series of three (3) distinct convex curves: outer edge of ear lobes, cheekbones, and whisker pads. Head to be broad but slightly longer than it is broad. Face to be full-cheeked with pronounced cheekbones and a whisker break. In profile, nose with a strongly marked stop; forehead curving back to a flat skull. Allowance to be made for stud jowls in the adult male.
Muzzle: short, well-developed. Prominent whisker pads.
Chin: strong, well-developed. In profile, chin shall line up vertically with nose, being neither undershot nor overshot.
Eyes: large and wide set, oval in shape, and sloping towards outer edges of ears. Any eye color is acceptable, as no points are assigned to eye color (although colorpoints generally will have blue and minks generally will have aqua eyes).
Ears: strikingly large and set very low, very wide at the base, so that the outside base of ear extends beyond the line of the wedge. Tapering to rounded tops and well covered with fine fur. With or without earmuffs and/or ear-tip tufts.
Body: hard and muscular, lithe, and of medium length. Broad in chest and medium fine in boning, with medium fine but sturdy legs. Carried high on the legs with the hind legs somewhat longer than the front. Allowance to be made for larger size in males, as long as good proportions are maintained.
Neck: medium long and slender.
Legs and paws: legs long and slim. Paws small and oval, with five toes in front and four behind.
Tail: long, fine, and tapering, well covered with short fur.
Coat: Density: the cat is well covered with fur, with the greatest density occurring on the back, sides, tail, legs, face, and ears. Slightly less density is permitted on the top of head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Bare patches are a fault in kittens and a serious fault in adults; however the existence of down on the underparts of the body should not be misinterpreted as bareness. Sparse hair on the temples (forehead in front of the ears) is not a fault.
Texture: the coat is soft, fine, full-bodied, and rexed (i.e., appearing to be without guard hairs). Length: the coat is short on the back, sides, upper legs, and tail. It is very short on the head, ears, neck, paws, chest, and abdomen. Kittens may have very short fur all over; even if not long enough to wave, it must cover the kitten evenly, so that no bare patches are evident. Waviness: a rippled wave effect should be apparent when the coat is smoothed with one’s hand. The wave is most evident where the coat is the longest, on the body and tail.
Nature of the movements are similar to dogs.
Character
The Devon’s favorite perch is right at head level, on the shoulder of his favorite person. He takes a lively interest in everything that is going on and refuses to be left out of any activity. Count on him to stay as close to you as possible, occasionally communicating his opinions in a quiet voice. He loves people and welcomes the attentions of friends and family alike.
This is a smart cat with a moderate activity level. He’s not in constant motion, but he does like to learn tricks and play fetch. Puzzle toys and interactive toys are a delight to his inventive brain and will help to keep him occupied while you are out earning money to buy more of them.
At mealtime, the Devon will try to seat himself at the dining room table with the rest of the family, sure that the food you have prepared is just for him. He likes to eat and will snack himself into a few extra pounds if you don’t carefully monitor his food intake.
Under the covers is his preferred place to sleep. Like a heat-seeking missile, he targets the warmest spots he can find.
Choose a Devon if you will enjoy the company of a mischievous, agile cat and won’t be alarmed to see him peering down at you from the top of a door, plotting the trajectory to your shoulder.
Maintenance care
The Devon’s wavy coat is easy to maintain. Groom gently so you don’t break the delicate hairs. In many cases, brushing your hand over the coat is all it needs. The best thing about a Devon Rex coat is that it doesn’t shed much, and the fur is so fine that it isn’t very noticeable on clothing and furniture.
Baths are rarely necessary unless the cat is white or has a lot of white on the coat. Those cats can start to look dingy if they are not regularly bathed. The coat dries quickly after a bath.
Brush the teeth to prevent periodontal disease. Daily dental hygiene is best, but weekly brushing is better than nothing. Wipe the corners of the eyes daily with a soft, damp cloth to remove any discharge. Use a separate area of the cloth for each eye so you don’t run the risk of spreading any infection. Check the ears weekly. If they look dirty, wipe them out with a cotton ball or soft damp cloth moistened with a 50-50 mixture of cider vinegar and warm water. Avoid using cotton swabs, which can damage the interior of the ear.
Keep the litter box spotlessly clean. Like all cats, Devon Rex are very particular about bathroom hygiene.
The Devon Rex feels warm to the touch, but he is always seeking warmth. If you are cold, he probably is too. Buy him a nice sweater or two to help him retain heat.
It’s a good idea to keep a Devon Rex as an indoor-only cat to protect him from diseases spread by other cats, attacks by dogs or coyotes, and the other dangers that face cats who go outdoors, such as being hit by a car. Devon Rex who go outdoors also run the risk of being stolen by someone who would like to have such an unusual cat without paying for it. If possible, build your Devon Rex a large outdoor enclosure where he can jump and climb safely. If your Devon Rex has an outdoor enclosure that allows for sunbathing, be sure to apply cat-safe sunscreen to his body to prevent sunburn.
Lifespan — 9-15 years.
Dignity
Good with children , good with other household pets, low shedding.
Difficulty keeping
Keep the litter box spotlessly clean. Like all cats, Devon Rex are very particular about bathroom hygiene.
Diseases
Both pedigreed cats and mixed-breed cats have varying incidences of health problems that may be genetic in nature. Devon Rex are generally healthy, but the following diseases have been seen in the breed:
Congenital hypotrichosis, otherwise known as hereditary baldness, a condition that is probably the result of an inherited recessive gene. The Devon Rex naturally has a very fine coat, but those with less hair than normal for the breed are considered to be hypotricotic.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease that is inherited in some cat breeds such as the Maine Coon. Heritability has not been proven in the Devon Rex.
Malassezia dermatitis, a single-celled yeast that causes ear infections, greasy skin and itchiness, which is treated with antifungal drugs.
Hip dysplasia, a malformation of the hip socket that causes laxity of the hip joint.
Urticaria pigmentosa, a dermatological problem that causes crusty sores on the body and is treated with prednisolone and essential fatty acids.
Devon Rex myopathy, also known as spasticity, is an inherited condition that becomes apparent between 3 weeks and 6 months of age. It causes generalized muscle weakness, and the cats tire easily. No treatment is available, and severity of the condition varies. It may remain stable or progress slowly.
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