As Kirlee grew, the owner contacted a gentleman, who was working to establish the curly-haired "Rex" (after the curly-haired Rex rabbits) cats as a breed, and offered the use of Kirlee to help increase the size of the Rex gene pool. Kirlee was mated with several rex females and to everyone's surprise, the resulting kittens were all straight-haired!

After several additional attempts, it became apparent that Kirlee represented a completely separate genetic variation than that found in the other "Rex" cats, which became referred to as "Gene I" Rex, as opposed to Kirlee's "Gene II". Work proceeded to establish both types as independent breeds.

The "Gene I" Rex cat became known as the Cornish Rex, due to their origin in Cornwall, England. They have a curly coat with no guard hairs, and awn hair that is difficult to distinguish from the down. The body type is somewhat reminiscent of the "Oriental" breeds of cats (such as Siamese), and the head is comprised of a series of smooth oval shapes.

Kirlee and the "Gene II" Rex cats became known as the Devon Rex, and established a look and breed distinctly their own. The Devon's coat contains all three types of hairs and has a larger and looser curl than the Cornish Rex. The body type is also very different, stockier and more heavily built, with a broader and shorter head with lower ears, and the distinctive "pixie" or "elfin" look that has come to be the hallmark of the Devon Rex.

In 1967, Great Britain's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognized the distinction between the two breeds, and wrote standards to allow each of them into competition as distinctive breeds of cat.

The first Devon Rex were imported into the United States in 1968. The United State's largest cat registry, the Cat Fancier's Association (CFA), recognized the Devon Rex as a breed eligible for championship competition in 1979.

While one of the cat fanciers youngest breeds, the Devon Rex has become one of the most sought after breeds of cat lovers everywhere.

We hope you enjoyed reading about the
history of the Devon Rex.

Warmest regards,