2 breeders are on record here.
Medium to large cat with plush, curly coat resembling a teddy bear. More stocky build than other Rex breeds.
Originated in 1987 in Montana from a curly-coated kitten in a shelter litter. Named after the Selkirk Mountains. Unlike other Rex breeds, the curl gene is dominant. CFA recognized in 2000.
Generally described as active, affectionate, dependent, gentle, patient, playful, quiet and social.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Drawn from sources, not opinion: The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1); FIFe breed standard. An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.
The Selkirk Rex standard is published by the FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline), the international federation of pedigree-cat clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.
Soft, plush, dense and evidently curly.
There are no bald or thinly covered areas of the body.
The coat stands out and should not appear flat or close lying.
The curls are random, unstructured, and arranged in loose, individual curls.
Curliness may be more evident around the neck, on the tail and belly.
The entire coat should show the effect of the rex gene.
Length of coat and curls may vary with the seasons.
The adult curly coat starts to develop at the age of 8-10 months.
Notes
Shortened from FIFe standard SRL/SRS — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source. FIFe lists this standard’s last modification as 2019. Text read on 31 Aug 2026.
The colour varieties FIFe recognises for this breed are listed, with their EMS codes, in the table at the end of its standard. FIFe describes each colour group in the General Part of its standards.
The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health. Quotations from the FIFe are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.
Known hereditary risks for the Selkirk Rex breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
1 condition documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Documented in this breed, but no source says how many of its dogs carry or have them. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign they are rare.
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Selkirk Rex in general; any individual animal can differ.
Polycystic kidney disease causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys from a young age, usually leading to kidney failure later in life. UC Davis's genetics laboratory lists Selkirk Rex among the Persian-derived breeds it recommends testing, reflecting the Persian and British Shorthair ancestry used to develop the breed's body type.
What to ask for
PKD1 DNA test result for both parents (UC Davis VGL or an equivalent laboratory)
Polycystic kidney disease causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys from a young age, usually leading to kidney failure later in life. UC Davis's genetics laboratory lists Selkirk Rex among the Persian-derived breeds it recommends testing, reflecting the Persian and British Shorthair ancestry used to develop the breed's body type.
What to ask for
PKD1 DNA test result for both parents (UC Davis VGL or an equivalent laboratory)
