Devon RexCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

The FIFe profile says the breed appeared in 1959, in Devon, Britain, from a natural coat mutation (Wikipedia gives the year 1960). The first Devon Rex, Kirlee, was the kitten of a stray cat and was adopted by Beryl Cox, in Buckfastleigh.

Beryl Cox tried to mate him with Cornish Rex cats, but all the kittens had straight coats. That is how it was discovered that Kirlee's mutation was a different one. Only a few generations were needed for a standard, and FIFe recognised the breed in 1967.

How the breed developed

• 1959–1960 – Kirlee, the first Devon Rex, is born in Devon.
• The 1960s – attempts with the Cornish Rex show the mutations are different.
• 1967 – recognised by FIFe.

• People who spend a lot of time at home. It demands a lot of attention.
• Homes with another cat. FIFe says it needs feline companions to play and sleep with.
• Warm homes. Its thin coat makes it feel the cold.
• People who accept a mischievous cat. It jumps onto doors and cupboards, into flowerpots and into the bath.

The FIFe profile describes it as slender, medium-sized and muscular, with strong legs and small, oval paws. The hind legs are slightly longer, so it jumps very well. German Wikipedia gives 2.5–3 kg for females and 4.5 kg on average for males.

General appearance

The head is a short, broad wedge with a flat top. The ears are very large, set low and wide apart, with rounded tips. The nose is short, and the eyes large, oval and set wide apart. The whiskers and eyebrows are curly too.

All colours are accepted. The hallmark of the breed is its short, curly, wavy coat. The cat must be well covered, but a thinner coat on the neck and belly is accepted.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Cornish Rex looks similar, but has a different mutation: it has only down, while the Devon Rex also has short top hairs. The Sphynx was created partly with Devon Rex cats.

The FIFe profile describes it as very loving, curious, playful, athletic, affectionate, “crazy” and funny. French Wikipedia adds that it is mischievous, very close to people and demands a lot of attention.

Socialisation

It needs feline companions to play with, groom and sleep with, preferably other Devon Rex cats; it also accepts dogs.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is very active and an excellent jumper. FIFe warns: you have to make your home safe for it, but also from it, because it jumps onto doors and cupboards, into flowerpots and into the bath.

Tips for a balanced life

• Keep it warm and give it soft, warm places to sleep.
• Secure fragile objects on shelves.
• Get it a second cat if you are away from home a lot.

Coat care

Because it has few guard hairs, it sheds very little. The fine coat does not need frequent brushing. French Wikipedia recommends keeping it warm.

Common health problems

The FIFe profile says it is a healthy breed thanks to breeders who choose the parents carefully. Wikipedia does, however, mention hereditary myopathy, caused by a variant of the COLQ gene, which appears between 3 and 23 weeks and usually gets worse. The breed is also prone to atopic dermatitis and to Malassezia dermatitis (a fungal skin infection). French Wikipedia adds patellar luxation and a vitamin K-dependent clotting disorder.

Recommended genetic tests

For hereditary myopathy (the COLQ gene) the variant is known, so the parents can be genetically tested.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

The Devon Rex is among the breeds said to cause milder allergic reactions. However, research on whole breeds is not complete, so someone with allergies should spend time with the cat before taking it home.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

Desmond Morris (quoted by French Wikipedia) says it has a metabolism that demands a lot of energy and, therefore, a big appetite.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Ask for the result of the parents' genetic test for myopathy (COLQ).
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• A mistake that led to a new breed. The attempt to mate it with the Cornish Rex showed that there were two different mutations.
• Curly whiskers. Both the whiskers and the eyebrows are curly.
• It sheds little. It has few guard hairs, so it loses little hair.
• A household acrobat. It jumps onto doors, cupboards and even into the bath.

Is it hypoallergenic?

No cat is completely hypoallergenic, but the Devon Rex is among the breeds said to cause milder reactions, and it sheds little.

Can it be left alone?

It does not like it; it needs people and, ideally, another cat.

How long does it live?

French Wikipedia gives 12–16 years.

How is it different from the Cornish Rex?

It has a different mutation, short top hairs and a short wedge-shaped head, with lower-set ears.