The Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair, including the whiskers (vibrissae). Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing, and there are longhair and shorthair varieties. Also unlike the other Rexes, the Selkirk gene is dominant.
The Selkirk Rex originated in America in 1987, with a cat named Miss DePesto, who was bred to a Persian, producing three Selkirk Rexes and three straight-haired cats. It is a large and solidly built breed, similar to a British Shorthair but with a characteristic curled coat. The coat has a woolly look and feel.
American Shorthairs, Persians, Exotics and British Shorthairs have been used as out crosses to develop this breed. The American Shorthair has now been discontinued as a breeding partner. In Australia Persians, Exotics and British are accepted out crosses until 2015.
