Selkirk Rex: Breed Description, Care And Maintenance, Photos, Breeding Cats, Choosing A Kitten, Owner Reviews

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Selkirk Rex - a cat in sheep's clothing

Selkirk Rex occupy a special place among the "Rex cats" - curly breeds, very unusual and rare. And not even because only this breed has a dominant gene for curliness. The exotic, unique appearance of Selkirks is reinforced by a truly wonderful character - this cat can become both a decoration of your home and its happy talisman.

Content

• 1 History of the Selkirk Rex breed

• 2 Breed qualities of Selkirks

  • 2.1 External features

    2.1.1 Photo Gallery: Basic Selkirk Rex Coats

  • 2.2 Character and behavior

    2.2.1 Video: everything about the Serkirk Rex breed

  • 2.3 What diseases most often get sick

• 3 How to choose a kitten

  3.1 Video: adorable little selkirki

• 4 How to care for the breed

  • 4.1 Grooming and hygiene

    4.1.1 Video: grooming for a selkirk

  • 4.2 Feeding
  • 4.3 Toilet

• 5 Breeding work

  • 5.1 Nuances of breed breeding

  • 5.2 Castration and sterilization

    5.2.1 Video: Selkirk owners talk about their pets

• 6 Owner reviews

History of the Selkirk Rex breed

The Selkirk Rex is one of the brightest American breeds. Her story began in 1987 - it was then that a foundling kitten with unusual curly hair was discovered at a homeless animal shelter in Wyoming. The kid, who turned out to be a kitty, was sheltered by Jeri Newman, the owner of the Persian breed cattery. The woman named her pet by the beautiful name Miss de Pesto of Noface and when she grew up she mated with one of her cats.

Even an experienced felinologist was surprised by the result of this experiment - out of six kittens, three inherited the charming mother's curly hair, and one baby was born long-haired. This indicated that the gene for curliness in the found cub was dominant, unlike other known at that time "Rex" - curly cat breeds: Cornish and Devon, in which this gene is recessive.

Selkirka curls are provided with a dominant gene, and this is the uniqueness of the breed

A large selection work began to develop a new breed, called the Selkirk Rex. The elite blood of the British, Persians and exotics was added to the blood of the outbred foundling. Already in 1992 selkirki were presented to the court of a high felinological community and received international recognition. Soon, the "cats and sheep" were scattered all over the world; at the end of the last century, they appeared in Russia. But most of the most reputable breed kennels are still in the United States.

Some of the first American Selkirks were different from the modern breed.

Breed qualities of selkirks

The famous Selkirk fur coats are unique and unique - each one of its kind. Its appearance depends on many factors - primarily on heredity and the hormonal background of the animal, but proper care of the coat is of no small importance. The cute appearance of these cats is in complete harmony with their character - they are peace-loving, friendly and agreeable.

Selkirk coats are always exclusive

External features

Selkirkas can be either short-haired or long-haired - but wonderful curls should be present in both varieties of the breed. The short coat resembles astrakhan fur, and the long curls form cute curls, most pronounced in the collar, pants and belly areas. The coat is very soft and pleasant to the touch.

Photo Gallery: Basic Selkirk Rex Coats

Due to the dense undercoat, even short coat creates deep waves

Short coat with curled ends looks very impressive

Many breeders strive to get such cute curls on long hair.

Long, thick curls resemble a good old perm

Depleted undercoat produces clumping on short hair

The Selkirk Rex's eyes are large, round and very expressive. The muzzle is full, the head is large enough, the forehead is wide. Despite their rather dense physique, Selkirks are unusually graceful - they move beautifully, majestically waving their high-raised tail.

These pretty faces have something from the Persians, and something from the British.

These are medium-sized cats: the average weight of males is six kilograms, and females are four. The harmonious body is well muscled along the body and stands confidently on strong short legs. The tail is thick, not too long and looks in proportion to the body.

Character and behavior

Selkirks are very affectionate and strongly attached to their masters. However, their good disposition applies equally to other family members and pets, and even to strangers. If there are children in the house, then playful "sheep" will become ideal play partners for them.

All selkirki are pathological clean-ups

They are smart and clean - they are ready to lick and make beauty for hours. No parenting problems! Selkirki love their owners so much and want to please them so much that they follow a person's commands with a dog's readiness and even know how to fully adapt to his mood.

Video: all about the Serkirk Rex breed

What diseases most often get sick

In general, the Selkirki are in good health, but they got some serious diseases from the original breeds that participated in the selection of breeds. So, as a "legacy" from the Persian cat, they received renal polycystic disease - if this disease is not detected in time and treated, the kidneys may fail.

Like many heavy, massive cats, Selkirk Rex are susceptible to joint pathologies - hip dysplasia and dislocation of the patella. These problems can be caused by both genetics and improper raising of the animal. These diseases are diagnosed from about six months of age on the basis of an x-ray. Treatment can be both medication - with the help of supportive therapy, and surgical - in especially difficult cases.

Excess weight can provoke serious illness in selkirks

You should also exclude the possibility of developing a dangerous heart disease - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The consequences of the disease can be very serious, up to arterial thromboembolism, which can lead to sudden death. The problem manifests itself at any age, therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the animal - annually take blood tests and do an ultrasound scan.

How to choose a kitten

Have you decided to have a little selkirk? Great choice, but keep in mind: this breed is not for everyone. If there are allergy sufferers in your family, then it is better to refrain from acquiring such a cat - despite the advertising promises, Selkirk Rex hair is far from hypoallergenic. The degree of the problem varies depending on the individual - each cat of this breed has a different amount of Fel d1 protein in its saliva and coat, which provokes allergies. But this point can only be clarified in an adult animal, and not in a small kitten.

Selkirka kitten is a real charm, but not everyone can get it

To exclude the presence of serious hereditary diseases in a kitten, such as polycystic kidney disease, veterinarians recommend that the breeder obtain the results of certain genetic tests that guarantee the health of the baby.

Kittens can inherit from their parents not only appearance, but, alas, genetic diseases

When purchasing a kitten, do not pay special attention to the curls of its fur - they have not yet been formed at all. But it is worth carefully examining the parents of the baby - if both have well-defined curls, then they will definitely pass this beauty on to their children.

Buy kittens only from reputable catteries

A specialist felinologist will never confuse a purebred Selkirk with a kitten of any other breed. But there are many nuances here that an inexperienced buyer may not even be aware of. Therefore, when acquiring a baby, seek professional help if you do not want to be deceived for your own money. And, of course, never buy a Selkirk Rex "off hand" - only in pedigree nurseries and only under an agreement with the breeder. This will be a reliable guarantee that you are purchasing a truly high-breed animal.

Video: adorable little selkirki

How to care for a breed

If you are lucky enough to get a Selkirk Rex, be prepared for the fact that you will have to spend a lot of time on caring for his wonderful fur coat. But it's definitely worth it.

Grooming and hygiene

Of course, the curls look especially impressive on long wool, but keeping them in a tidy condition will be very costly - both in terms of work, time, and money. Unlike most feline breeds, selkirk coats require regular washing - this is especially important for long-haired varieties. For bathing, only high-quality mild shampoos are suitable, and the procedure itself should take place at least once every two months. Without regular washing, selkirks can develop skin problems, up to dermatological diseases.

You need to take care of this coat constantly

A well-washed, drying coat should be slightly wrinkled with your hands, thus forming beautiful curls. But you should not pull the wool with a comb under a hot hairdryer - this will ruin its structure. If selkirka with short hair can be combed out once a week, then its long-haired counterpart - three times more often. Moreover, this should be done slowly and carefully, only in the direction of the curl growth, and after combing it is recommended to sprinkle the coat with water from a spray bottle and massage thoroughly. The delicate places under the armpits and behind the ears should be combed with a soft comb, and the ends of the curls should be trimmed from time to time.

The selkirk fur coat must be washed and combed to prevent the appearance of tangles

Constant care of your eyes, ears and teeth is also very important - they must be cleaned at least once every five days. Do not forget to do this constantly - the breed is characterized by excessive production of earwax, rapid plaque formation and souring of the eyes. Every two weeks you need to shorten the cat's claws. The kitten should be taught to hygienic procedures from the most tender age, then he will take them for granted and will not protest.

Video: grooming for selkirk

Feeding

Please note: selkirki love to eat well, and sometimes they are so addicted that they cannot stop. You need to carefully monitor the nutrition of your pet and in no case overfeed it. To maintain the good condition of the coat, professional feed rich in vitamin B, or special vitamin and mineral supplements, which both the breeder and the veterinarian can advise you, are useful.

Regular exercise will keep your pet in shape

Adepts of natural nutrition will have a little more difficulty - they need knowledge and practical experience to build a balanced pet diet. Here's what must be on his menu:

• boiled sea fish;
• lean boiled poultry;
• offal;
• fresh and stewed vegetables;
• dairy products;
• cereals in the form of well-boiled buckwheat and rice.

Selkirk's natural food should be varied and balanced

Sweets from the master's table and some completely natural products are categorically contraindicated for selkirkam:

• any legumes;
• too salty and spiced dishes;
• sweets and pastries;
• sausages.

Restroom

Cleanliness is one of the undoubted advantages of Selkirks, who prefer order to chaos in everything. Kittens very quickly get used to the litter box - usually their mother deals with this important aspect of upbringing. There are no problems with adult animals in this regard, but most selkirks prefer that the litter in their tray is replaced more often.

For this breed, any type of tray is suitable, the only requirement is that it should be spacious enough so that the pet can comfortably sit here in a "moment of thoughtfulness." Of the fillers, it is better to use silica gel or high-quality mineral ones with large granules - they will not get tangled in curly soft wool and spread throughout the house.

Silica gel filler is great for selkirks

Tribal work

Each Selkirk litter is a surprise even for an experienced breeder. Littermates can have completely different hairs: some have straight hair at birth, and some have curly hair. And you can never be sure in advance that the curls will not even out, and the straight fur will not twist into curls. The only thing you can know for sure: a pair of long-haired parents will definitely have kittens with long hair too. The curl gene is dominant; it is not present in individuals with straight hair.

Each Selkirk litter is a surprise for the breeder

Nuances of breed breeding

In breeding work, the key point is always a competent selection of a parental pair. But for selkirk this is especially important. The breed is still quite young and quite recently was not considered closed - until 2015, mating with short-haired British was allowed. The long stage of interbreeding has come to an end, and now all the efforts of breeders are aimed at stabilizing the main types within the breed.

The main guide to action is, of course, the breed standard. Selkirk Rex have not one, but three equivalent standards - from such international felinological organizations as TICA, CFA and WCF. However, there are no significant differences between these breed standards.

Selkirk Straights are a valuable breeding material

Despite the fact that straight-haired selkirki - straights - do not participate in exhibitions and are much cheaper than their curly littermates, they can by no means be considered a breed marriage. This is the most valuable material for breeding work in a young breed with a limited gene pool. When used correctly in breeding and crossing with Curly Rex, straights give wonderful offspring, with which you can work very fruitfully in the future.

Castration and sterilization

Individuals that have been found to have serious diseases by genetic testing are definitely subject to sterilization. Such animals should not participate in breeding in order not to produce obviously sick offspring. In addition, in most of these cases, sterilization can have a beneficial effect on the health of the animal. Decisions of this kind should be made by the breeder after consulting a veterinarian, in each case being guided by the interests of not only the breed as a whole, but also each individual individual.

Selkirki do not mature too early, therefore the optimal period for castration or neutering of representatives of this breed is an age range of six to eight months. It is preferable to carry out the operation not at home, but in a good veterinary clinic, where they will create all the necessary conditions for a quick and complete rehabilitation of the animal.

Video: Selkirk owners talk about their pets

Owner reviews

The appearance of a Selkirk Rex in the house will be a happy moment for you personally and for your entire family. A curly lump of positive is able to create a real miracle - it will change the life of its beloved owners for the better, bring joy and well-being to it.