Selkirk Rex — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD1)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
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.
Ask to see: PKD1 DNA test result for both parents (UC Davis VGL or an equivalent laboratory)
UC Davis VGL — Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1) (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pkd1-cat) · Lyons et al. 2004, "Feline polycystic kidney disease mutation identified in PKD1", Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASN.0000141776.38527.BB)