Devon Rex
Enormous ears on a small wedge of a face, and a coat so short and loose it looks unfinished. It rides on shoulders and finds the warmest lap in the house.
Photo by andrechinn, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Devon Rex appeared in Devon in 1959, in a kitten called Kirlee, and although it is also a curly coated cat it is a completely different mutation from the Cornish Rex. Crossing the two produces straight coated kittens, which is how breeders established that.
The look is unmistakable: enormous low set ears, a short muzzle, huge eyes and a loose wavy coat that is often thin over the chest and belly.
Temperament
Playful, mischievous and permanently attached. Devon Rex cats are described as monkeys in cat suits often enough that the phrase has stopped being original, and it is accurate.
They ride on shoulders, sit in laps, get inside jumpers and follow people continuously. They are food motivated and will steal, and they are very poor at being left alone.
Care and grooming
Minimal brushing, because the coat is sparse and fragile. Hands rather than brushes.
Ear cleaning is a genuine routine job, since they produce a lot of wax, and the skin can get greasy enough to need occasional bathing. They also lose heat quickly and want a warm house.
Living and exercise
Indoors, warm, and with company. They are athletic and will be on top of the fridge.
Two health items matter. A COLQ variant shared with the Sphynx causes congenital muscle weakness in the breed, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs. Both are worth asking a breeder about directly, and the heart screening is the one to insist on.
Something here wrong or out of date?