German Rex

The German Rex is a medium-sized, slender cat with short, thin, and, above all, wavy fur. Wavy or curly hair is the typical characteristic of all Rex cats.

Origin and Breed History

Mutations occur naturally in evolution, including those that cause changes in the fur structure. In the Rex cats, a gene segment has mutated which is responsible for the production of keratin and thus the structure of the hair. In the Rex variants, the effects are particularly a deformation of the individual hair, which can have different characteristics, as well as thinning or missing fur.

Such genetic defects can be strengthened in a population through targeted breeding. This has been done with the Rex mutation in cats and rabbits. In the 1930s, the United States and Great Britain began to systematically breed Rex cats and successfully market them. The exact origin of the German Rex is, however, in the dark. There are stories about the first breeding in Königsberg and Berlin. However, these do not stand up to any closer examination with regard to the origin of our German Rex.

The zoology professor Dr. Friedrich Schwangart, profound connoisseur and for many years responsible for the standards of German pedigree cats, does not include a single Rex cat in his list from 1954. The same applies to Prof. Dr. Hans Petzsch in his work on cats from 1969. It was probably not until the 1970s that a German Rex cat breed, the German Rex, was systematically established on the basis of British Rex cats, such as Devon Rex or Cornish Rex. This breed of cats has remained very rare even in Germany but was officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FiFe) as early as 1982.

Description

The German Rex is a medium-sized house cat. The Rex mutation initially causes her to have a short, velvety, silky, thin, and wavy coat; Guide hairs are missing. The topcoat can vary between thin and thick. That emphasizes once again her already very slim and long physique. The genetic defect, which changes the production of keratin and thus the hair structure, can affect the whisker hair in individual cases. These can then be puckered or completely absent. The FiFe standard requires the whiskers to be “shorter than normal and curled”. The German Rex should have a strong, muscular body, but it should by no means appear clumsy. All coat colors are allowed.

Temperament and Essence

The German Rex is a typical house and family cat. She is very affectionate and loving and seeks closeness to her people, with whom she can develop a close bond. She is curious, lively, and likes to play. She is happy to accept suitable cat toys. The German Rex is extremely sociable and gets along with other animal companions without any problems. She has a very high-stress tolerance for cats and is completely peaceful.

Attitude

The German Rex is an ideal house cat for the apartment. It is undemanding and frugal with regard to its keeping conditions but needs an intimate relationship with its two-legged friends. She especially loves the shared experience with people or other animal partners in her family. You don’t have to be outdoors to feel good all around.

Upbringing

The German Rex is very easy to train. If it comes from a reputable breeder who has looked after and socialized parent animals and kittens well, then it will fit into the rules and habits of its family by itself. With a little guidance, the kittens can be house trained quickly and easily.

Care and Health

The German Rex is extremely easy to care for.

Diseases Typical of the Breed

Some German Rex breeds naturally suffer from severe inbreeding. This not infrequently leads to immune deficiencies, sickness, and shortened life expectancy of the cat. The Rex mutation sometimes causes the hair to break off. These handicaps do not have to affect every German Rex cat.

Nutrition / Feed

As a rule, the German Rex should be a border without problems for a cat. However, against the background of possible inbreeding, allergies may be more common in this breed. This would then make dietary nutrition necessary for the cat.

Life Expectancy

A German Rex can live to be 12 to 15 years old. However, there is no really reliable information on this. As with all cats, inbreeding drastically shortens life expectancy.

Buy German Rex

If you want to get a German Rex you should first look at the family tree. No ancestor should appear twice here in order to rule out excessive inbreeding. Both parent animals should have fully developed whiskers. A cat of this breed should cost around 600 euros.