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.
Typically 5-7.3 kg and 28-36 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
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 rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1); FIFe breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
FIFe standard · Selkirk Rex
As the FIFe standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
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.
TICA lists the Selkirk Rex in these divisions. They are the registry's own groupings — usually hair length — not a list of colours: no registry we hold publishes one. Ask a breeder what colours their line produces.
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Selkirk Rex in general; any individual animal can differ.
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)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)
This is where Selkirk Rex owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
That is not the same as none existing. Publishing a litter is part of a breeder's subscription here, so a Selkirk Rex breeder can have a litter and no listing — ask them directly.
See Selkirk Rex breeders