Cornish Rex is one of those breeds that you either love or hate from the first sight. “Oh, what a cutie!” and “Oh, what an ugly cat!” are the two most common reactions, and it is usually impossible to make the holders of these two opinions understand each other.

Cornish Rex cats are famous for their curly (wavy) fur, very short and extremely soft to the touch. Their whiskers are short and curly as well. Another prominent feature is the cats’ very large ears, which, combined with the egg-shaped head, long nose, and big, thoughtful eyes, make them look like aliens from the outer space. Their lean bodies are strong and muscular. Some compare them to the long-necked cats depicted on old Egyptian drawings, but no, Cornish Rex do not come from Egypt.

Cornish Rex Breed History

Cornish Rex cats originated in Cornwall, England, in 1950. Despite seeming similarities, they are different from and not related to the Devon Rex breed. On July 21, 1950 an unusual kitten was found in a litter of barn cats: his short orange and white coat was curly. Unlike the other four kittens in the litter who were the common round-faced, stocky domestic shorthairs, the curly one had a long, slim body, long legs, narrow face, and large ears. Nina Ennismore, the owner of the mother cat, had found the odd mutation attractive and decided to try breeding such cats. Her attempt was successful.

In 1957 two Cornish Rex cats were imported to the United States. One had died, but the other, a pregnant female, survived and became the mother of the breed in North America. Initially, Cornish Rex cats had been crossed with some other breeds, like American Shorthair, which resulted in a variety of colors. Cornish Rex cats come as orange, black, white, gray, tortoiseshell, calico, and in all other possible combinations.