Little Devon Rex elves: cats that do not cause allergies

History of the origin of the Devon Rex breed

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//data-ad-slot=”2475549904″ $ads_google = empty($ads_google) ? false : true; ?> if ($ads_google == false) {?> $ads_google = true; ?> } ?> The English county of Devonshire had several abandoned mines in the mid-60s of the last century. In one of these no longer used places, a curly-haired cat with surprisingly disproportionately large ears lived peacefully. It was not possible to catch the mystery of nature, but the cat left the world its offspring from an ordinary tortoiseshell cat: it was there that a small eared cat with fabulous curly hair was found. The kitten was taken from his small homeland to a home and nicknamed Curly.

Curly's origins are the most natural, and his appearance led the owner to think about the kitten's resemblance to a young Cornish Rex breed. The cutie was taken to the nursery, where at first they were very happy about him, but it soon became clear that Curly’s genes were completely different: the kittens from two curly haired cats were smooth-haired. But the smooth-haired cat and the curly-haired cat gave birth to kittens with wavy fur coats, which went down in history as a new breed.

Devon Rex breed in the United States in 1969, and, as usual, did not immediately receive the coveted recognition. By 1979, Devons had become a breed in their own right and had become an international favorite.

Today, American shorthairs, British shorthairs and some other cats are used to breed Devons.

Story

This variety appeared in the sixties of the last century in England. Near one of the abandoned mines, someone discovered a lost cat, looking quite unusual. His fur was curly, with waves running all over his body. A female always walked next to him, apparently a relative, because they were very similar.

After some time, the male went to wander on his own, but she stayed and rewarded the owner with kittens, among which one was black and curly. He was named Kirli, and from him all the Devons that exist today descended.

The nickname translated as “Curly”. Europe immediately recognized the new variety, but in America it gained popularity only two decades later.

Description of the Devon Rex breed

You can determine whether a cat is a Devon Rex by its description. There is plenty of information about the breed; European and American breeders produce identical cats, within the letter of the standard.

The head is small in size with noticeable cheekbones, more like a heart. An upturned nose is noticeable on the muzzle.

The animal's eyes are quite large, widely spaced, and slightly slanted. They should be golden-green or yellow in color. There is an exception for the eye color of the Siamese: there should be beautiful sky blue eyes.

The large ears are set wide apart, sometimes with lynx tassels at the tips.

A thick mustache and curly eyebrows.

adult Devon Rexes are quite stocky; already at the age of several months they have a powerful chest and high limbs. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. An interesting feature is the paw pads with their movable toes.

The long and thin tail should be slightly rounded at the tip.

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The coat should be wavy and short, soft to the touch. Guard hairs should not be visible. On the muzzle, back, sides and thighs the curly hairs are longer. There should be no hair missing; even during the shedding process, hair loss is minimal.

The slight loss of Devon Rex hair during shedding is important information for allergy sufferers: hair does not fly around the room and sofas are not covered with cat hairs; the cat is considered hypoallergenic, like the Sphynx. This concludes the question of a possible allergy to this cat breed.

Fortunately, breeding this type of rex can please cat lovers: all sorts of variations of colors and their combinations are allowed:

Dimensions and weight of Devons

Stocky cats look both very graceful and foldable.
Males are slightly superior to females in such indicators as length, weight, height. The size of cats is rather small; every month the kitten gains a little weight, and an adult cat usually weighs up to 4 kg. Kitties weigh less - about 2.3-3 kg. Devon Rex weight table by month

What is the difference between a Devon Rex and a Cornish Rex?

Although the origin of both breeds belongs to neighboring English counties, a different gene is responsible for the absence of guard hairs in the coat.

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The first difference that catches your eye is the different shape of the head. The boy’s alien appearance is achieved due to his huge ears and head, which strongly resembles the shape of a heart on Valentine’s cards. The Cornish's head is more like an egg.

The Cornish muzzle is elongated, long, somewhat aristocratic, and the ears are not so impressive, although large. The ears of the Cornish Rex are located high, and at the base they are narrower than those of the Devonian breed.

The nose of the Devonian breed has a noticeably sharp transition from the forehead to the nose (stop). In Cornish cats, the line from the forehead to the nose is absolutely straight, without a stop.

If the Devon Rex is compared to muscular, lean athletes, then the Cornish are as graceful as ballerinas. The latter have a noticeable high arch of the back

Cats also have different coat types: Devonian curls are short and tousled, very soft. The Cornish coat resembles tight, ordered waves.

Habits and character of the Devon Rex

Intelligent Devon Rex cats are very willing to make contact with adults and children. Cats remember the simplest commands easily and carry them out successfully. Those who would like to get into training and training a pet will enjoy raising a girl.

Both kittens and adult cats of this breed remain active and love to play. Their playful nature will be especially appreciated by a child if there is one in the family.

The habits of a cute domestic alien can be called dog-like: reviews from owners are full of reports that Curly is happy to fetch a ball, catches up with people moving around the apartment, and jumps from a running start into his arms.

To keep the animal active, you can equip play corners with shelves and ropes along the entire wall. A cute curly-haired dog's favorite pastime may be jumping on the owner's shoulders.

How to litter train a Devon Rex

The curious nature of the pet is combined with great love: the cat’s manner of rubbing against the owner and spending a lot of time with him comes from the cat’s desire to communicate and become a friend in the family. Therefore, it is better for overly busy people to have several Rex cats so that one baby does not get bored in a large house.

Cats are quite vocal - they are able to communicate their problems loudly and throughout the apartment with a loud “meow”. The friendly cat soul is always ready to communicate with every member of the family.

The description and characteristics of the young breed continue to be studied by breeders, so gradually you can learn new things about the behavior of cats and their character.

Character reviews

Everyone, without exception, claims that Devons are simply created to live next to humans. These are loyal, sociable and loving creatures. They do not have such traits as rancor and vindictiveness in their character.

They get along with all family members, but they especially single out one person. Affectionate and friendly, they do not leave their owner for a minute.

This is confirmed by Irina (32 years old) , the owner of the cat Cherry: “Cherry has some kind of dog devotion: she follows me everywhere. I work on the computer, and so does she. I'm preparing dinner and she's right there. Even at night he crawls under my blanket.”

The owners are 100% sure that representatives of this breed will never offend a child. They talk about the patience and loyalty of these animals towards children.

Olga, 27 years old : “If you have a small child in your family, then such cats are what you need! My little son squeals with pleasure! She squeezes her, carries her around all day, but Kitty endures it, doesn’t growl, doesn’t complain. She never even showed her claws. He would rather run away than offend. I recommend!"

Most reviews are about the activity and cheerfulness of tailed pets. They are often compared to monkeys, and for good reason. These temperamental individuals have an amazing ability to jump and climb with extreme agility and accuracy.

Alina calls her pet “conqueror of peaks”: “He strives to climb to where it is higher. And in general, from time to time I find it in the most unexpected places: on the ceiling cornice, in a desk drawer, in a closet...” And playing is a favorite activity for representatives of this breed.

It has been noted that these creatures are very fond of outdoor games, especially if children participate in them.

It is important to know that these creatures simply cannot stand loneliness. This is what Anna says about her cat named Marsik : “He absolutely cannot be left alone. As soon as I go out onto the landing, he sits down under the door and waits, calling. I come and there is no end to the joy.”

Therefore, do not leave your pupil alone - this will be real stress for him. Well, if you are already leaving home, take care of company for him. Moreover, it can be any other animal (even a parrot) - Devons get along with almost everyone. But sometimes they can be at enmity with their relatives, often out of jealousy towards their beloved owner.

Care and feeding of the Devon Rex

To properly care for a Devon Rex cat, you need to take into account the peculiarities of its coat. The fur covers cats unevenly and gets dirty faster than many other breeds. This problem can be solved by regular bathing.

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You need to start training your kitten for bath procedures from an early age. You need to wash your cat with a special shampoo: it will not cause allergies and various flaking of the skin. After bathing, the cat should be dried and kept warm, away from drafts. You can train your Devon Rex to climb into its warm house every time after washing.

Eyes and ears also need good care. It is better not to get water into the ears, and clean the ears from accumulating dirt with a cotton pad. The cat's large, intelligent eyes also need to be cleaned of dirt with a damp cotton pad. Claws are trimmed 1-2 times a month as they grow.

Keeping the breed takes into account the nuances and rules of feeding. There are two ways to feed your beloved curly-haired cat: natural food, dry or wet ready-made food.

What to feed a one-month-old kitten

Natural food should not be salty or fatty, otherwise food allergies and indigestion may occur. The diet includes meat, dairy products, offal (except liver), vegetables and vitamin complexes. The menu includes sea fish once a week.

Specialized food for the delicate stomach of the Devon Rex is chosen only from premium class.

A responsible owner must monitor the feeding of his cat - this breed is prone to overeating, which can lead to real obesity and health problems. No one will take a pot-bellied Devon Rex to an exhibition either.

Devon Rex cat health

Having a beautiful Devon Rex in your home, you need to be prepared for some diseases.

It happens that they have hip dysplasia, a dislocated patella, and sometimes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and muscle dysfunction are inherited. But there is no need to panic; all these diseases are detected very rarely.

The overall health of Devon Rex cats allows them to resist a number of feline diseases, especially with the good help of regular vaccinations. Vaccination helps in many cases.

The lifespan of a Devon Rex depends not only on genetic inheritance and immunity, but also on care. On average, this breed lives 15-17 years.

Cats' fur is not as thick as that of the British or Norwegian forest beauties, but, nevertheless, the animal's body temperature is quite high. You can use astrakhan cats as a hand warmer.

Sometimes rexics go bald: this should not be considered a manifestation of the disease. Such shedding may be due to genetic lines, since the breed is young and Sphynxes were also used for breeding.

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Cats should be castrated or sterilized at the age of 8-10 months.

If offspring are planned, the blood type of the animals is determined. It is necessary to monitor the cat's cycle - estrus occurs between 5-6 months and from then on occurs three times a year. But the first mating of a Devon Rex is carried out no earlier than 1-1.5 years.

If the mating is successful, then pregnancy occurs immediately. During this period, the cat relentlessly follows the person, demanding attention and care.

The birth takes place without problems and kittens with straight hair are born.

Character

In character, these cats are surprisingly reminiscent of dogs in their best qualities - they are just as devoted to their owners, they also wag their tails and follow their household everywhere, and they are just as playful.

If you work a lot and are not at home often, it is better to choose another breed, because representatives of this breed become so attached to “their” person that if he is absent for a long time, they become very sad and can become depressed. They are very morally dependent on people, they like to sleep near the neck or chin so they can see the face, look into the eyes, and kiss.

These elves are able to follow simple commands and are easy to train. If you take a baby, you can teach him to fetch things in a short time, and with age he will become capable of much more.

Cats get along well with children, love to play and run with them, and constantly come up with new entertainment. Even as adults, they are active and full of energy; there is no time for boredom with them - they will always keep you company and help you take your mind off the dullness of everyday life and everyday problems.

Buy a Devon Rex kitten

It is not possible to buy a purebred Devon Rex kitten on markets like Avito or Yula. Most likely, they sell mixed breeds or defective animals, which threatens the buyer with various problems in the future.

The cost of a baby elf depends on its class (show, breed, pet), purity of blood lines, nursery and care for young cats during the period after their birth and up to the age of 12 weeks.

When buying a cat from a cattery, people receive complete information about its parents and entire pedigree, the line’s participation in exhibitions and their results. It is worth considering offers only from reliable breeders, with a comprehensive and high-quality approach to animal breeding.

Together with the pet Devon Rex, a person receives a metric with complete information about the pet and the vaccinations given to it. Good breeders are willing to share advice on raising babies, provide links to useful sites and articles, keep in touch and advise the family on any issue.

The price for Devon Rex kittens with curly hair is 10,000-30,000 rubles.

What to name a Devon Rex

The Devon Rex cat breed is so original that I would like to give its little representative a special name. Among all the names for boys and girls, there is sure to be one that will appeal to both the curious baby and his adoptive parents.

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Nicknames for purebred cats are selected taking into account their appearance, color, demonstrated character traits and euphony. It is well known that cats respond best to names that contain hissing sounds. But the list of the best nicknames for the Devon Rex also includes suitable names, both with and without hissing sounds. Naming a kitten is not a difficult task, but you need to remember that it will run around the apartment with this nickname.

Conclusions about the breed

The beautiful Devon Rex cat is immediately memorable for its appearance.

What answer can be given to the question, what kind of creature is the Devon Rex?

• a strikingly beautiful creature with a luxurious fur coat;
• piercing huge eyes on a trusting and curious face;
• good cat health and a small number of diseases;

• some difficulties with knitting, which is better left to specialists rather than amateurs;
• The playfulness of such an intelligent creature goes well with sociability.

Rexies are loved all over the world, and today this breed is becoming increasingly popular.

Pros and cons of the breed

Reviews from Devon Rex owners are mostly positive. They often mention the unusual appearance and wonderful character of cats of this breed. Negative reviews about Devon Rex mainly concern the animals’ overly active temperament and their inability to remain alone for a long time.

ProsCons

Devon Rexes are unusual cats with an extraordinary appearance and an easy-going nature. Representatives of the breed do not require complex care or special conditions. All this, in addition to unnoticeable shedding, makes Devon Rex ideal pets for families with children and for single people.