About this breed
Origin
The story of the Cornish Rex begins in Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. On July 21, 1950 a tortoiseshell cat named Serena, owned by Mrs. Nina Ennismore gave birth to a litter of five kittens. One red & white coloured kitten in this litter had an unusual curly coat. The kitten was named Kallibunker (Kalli) and was to become the founder of the Cornish Rex breed. Nina's veterinarian suggested she contact geneticist A C Jude. He advised she mate Kallibunker back to his mother. This breeding produced three kittens. One was a straight coated female the other two curly coated males. Sadly, one male died at 7 months of age, the second male named Poldhu (along with Kallibunker) went on to sire further litters. Due to the gene pool being very small in the 1950s-1960s the Cornish Rex was an endangered breed. They were out crossed to domestics as well as Siamese, Russian Blues, American Shorthairs, British Shorthairs and Havana Browns to create great genetic diversity and a strong, healthy foundation for the breed. In 1956, Life magazine published an article on the Cornish Rex that generated a lot of attention worldwide. The following year Frances Blancheri of California imported Lamorna Cove. She was pregnant by her father Poldhu at the time. She went on to have a litter of 4 kittens...the start of the Cornish Breed in North America. (www.tica.org)
General Description
The energetic and elegant Cornish Rex bounces through life and into your heart with undaunted enthusiasm. They are a natural breed originating from a mutation first recognized in England. Often referred to as the Greyhound of the cat world because of their long-legged body complete with tuck-up, the Cornish Rex is easily recognizable by its wavy marceled coat. These curls go from their eyebrows to their whiskers and all over their body. There is NO hypo-allergenic cat, but the Cornish is considered a good choice for people with allergies as they do not seem to aggravate them as much as other cats. Their large tall ears and soft, big oval eyes blend into their egg-shaped head giving them a wonderfully expressive appearance. Smart, social cats, they know their place...right in the middle of everything! (www.tica.org)
Personality
The Cornish Rex has an outstanding enthusiastic personality. They are highly social cats, not at all reserved, liking to be right in the middle of everything and thrive on attention. They are extremely intelligent, very acrobatic & clownish, and retain their kitten-like personalities throughout their adult life. They are a very lively, energetic breed that loves to play and will entertain themselves for hours. One of their favorite games is Fetch, retrieving toys like a dog, and if no one is available...they will even throw the toy for themselves with their little paws that they use like hands. Cornish Rex love attention and make wonderful pets, although can be demanding at times. They do not like to be alone for long periods so it is a good idea for them to have a companion if the family works long hours. The Cornish is definitely a lap cat and ANY lap will do, they get along well with other animals and make an ideal children's pet. They are usually quiet, but can express themselves quite well with a pat on the cheek, a kiss on the cheek or a turned back & flip of the tail. (www.tica.org)
Additional Information
extra info here