Mary Allen
The Devon Rex is exceptional and unique both in terms of its appearance and its nature: The playful cats with curly fur are affectionate charmers with “cuddly genes” and assertiveness. Learn all about the Devon Rex cat breed here.
Devon Rex cats are among the most popular pedigree cats among cat lovers. Here you will find the most important information about the Devon Rex.
Origin Of The Devon Rex
The extraordinary pedigree cat Devon Rex has its origins in England (Devon). A natural mutation, which is inherited in a recessive manner, causes the curly or wavy coat to form. Together with the Burmese and the British Shorthair, he founded the wonderful, unique breed.
The Appearance Of The Devon Rex
The Devon Rex is medium-sized. She has a slim, muscular, and elegantly shaped body. It feels remarkably firm. The distinctive head is short and broad with fully developed cheeks, the neck is narrow.
The large, wide ears are also characteristic of the Devon Rex. They are set very low and have slightly rounded tips. The Devon Rex’s eyes are oval, large, and set wide. Her whiskers and eyebrows are curled. All eye colors are allowed in the Devon Rex. However, they should always be pure in color.
Coat And Colors Of The Devon Rex
The fur of the muscular pedigree cat is very short and fine. It is soft, wavy, or curly, with or without guard hairs. Many Devon Rex has only down on the underside of the body. Full hair is preferred. All colors and patterns are recognized, including those with a (large) proportion of white.
Important: The Devon Rex is now considered a torture breed. Breeding of these cats has resulted in deviations in the growth of the hair coat, which means that the hair is missing from individual parts of the body or is completely absent. Deficiency in keratin causes the Devon Rex’s whiskers to curl or break off altogether. However, since the whiskers are essential sensory organs for the cats, this breeding can be understood as torture breeding, in which the health of the cat is neglected.
The Temperament Of The Devon Rex
The Devon Rex is a pedigree cat with a pronounced “cuddly gene”: it is very people-oriented, affectionate, and cuddly.
On the other hand, the Devon Rex is also curious, spirited, and playful and is often referred to as the “leprechaun” among pedigree cats. A Devon Rex likes to climb, including on a human’s shoulder. She loves warm places and appreciates a place to sleep in a bed. She is intelligent and docile.
The Devon Rex is very strong-willed and has a lot of assertiveness: she knows what she wants and her charm means she usually gets it.
Husbandry And Care Of The Devon Rex
Due to its affectionate nature, the Devon Rex needs a lot of attention and affection. Solitary housing is not suitable for this cat, as it does not like being alone and gets bored easily. An attitude with a conspecific is therefore recommended to prevent loneliness.
The Devon Rex loves warmth and is therefore well suited to being kept indoors. Especially in the warm summer months, however, she enjoys fresh air on a balcony or in a secured garden. Due to its active and at the same time cuddly nature, the Devon Rex is well suited as a family cat. She also gets along well with children and (cat-friendly) dogs.
The Devon Rex’s soft, curly coat is not particularly good at insulating. In order to maintain a body temperature of around 38.5 degrees, Devon Rex cats have a fairly high basal metabolic rate. In relation to their size, they, therefore, need a relatively large amount of particularly high-quality feed. The coat should be carefully groomed regularly with a soft brush.