Last Updated 13/07/2010.
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Selkirk Rex
Standard Of Points for Selkirk Rex (79L 79S)
General Type Standard
The Selkirk Rex is the result of a dominant gene that causes each hair (guard, down and awn) to have a gentle wave or curl giving the coat a soft feel. This is a medium to large cat with heavy boning that gives the cat surprising weight and an impression of power. Females may be less massive than males but not dainty in appearance. The coat occurs in both long and short haired versions. The curliness of the coat is variable due to age, gender, climate, time of year and hormones particularly in the female
.Kittens are curly at birth, may lose their curl, and develop
a curly coat again at about 8-10 months of age. The coat continues to develop
until about 2 years of age, so kittens and young adults should be judged mainly
on head and body type. The Selkirk Rex has an alert and active personality with
a sweet and endearing disposition, and should be in perfect physical condition.
Courtlycats Count Basie. Cream Longhair. UK's First import Stud Selkirk
Owned by, and photo by kind permission of, Janet & John Brett (Witchwillow)
Head
Round, broad and
full-cheeked with round underlying bone structure. The head should be set on a
short thick neck. Forehead rounded, with a slightly curved top of head. The
muzzle is of medium width with well-padded whisker pads giving a rectangular
impression, and is clearly visible beyond the cheeks when viewed in profile. The
whiskers are curly or broken.
Nose
The nose should be
short, broad and straight with a downward slant. In profile the nose can appear
to have a convex curve. The nose break is neither too pronounced or too shallow.
Chin
Firm and well developed. The bite must be level, the tip of the chin should
line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane.
Ears
Medium sized, broad at the base and may be tufted at the tips, set well
apart on the broad head. Should fit into (without distorting) the rounded
contour of the head. Internal furnishings, if present, are curly.
Eyes
Large, round and well-opened. Set wide apart with no tendency to Oriental
shape nor squint. All eye colours allowed.
Body
Cobby type with a level back and may have a slight rise to the heavy
hindquarters. The muscular torso is more rectangular than square, but not long.
The body is equally broad across the shoulders and the rump, medium to large but
not rangy.
Legs
and paws
Legs are of medium length and substantially boned. Paws are round and firm.
Tail
Thick, medium length, thicker at the base with a rounded tip.
Coat
The coat is thick and dense, with no bare or sparsely covered areas on the
body. The coat stands out from the body and should not appear flat or
close-lying. It is a random, unstructured coat arranged in loose individual
curls giving an overall soft and plush feel. Ideally the entire coat should show
the effect of the rex gene, but curliness may be most evident on the neck, belly
and tail. Allowance may be made for less curl on kittens and younger adults
especially females.
Longhair: The coat is semi-long, the tail curls are plumy and stand out away from the tail. The ruff hairs are longer and frame the face.
USA GR CH LaPurrfect El Zorro
the Great. Black Longhair (Imp).
Owned by, and photo by kind permission of,
Janet & John Brett (Witchwillow)
Shorthair: The coat is a fairly uniform length over entire body. The ruff and tail fur being a similar length to the rest of the coat, with tail curls that are plush and lie compactly round the tail.
Blue Shorthair Selkirk Rex Male, Trueblu
Daringpositively.
Bred by, and photo by kind permission of, Lisa Peterson,
owned by Zoe Amarilli
Colour
Colour and pattern are irrelevant and carry no points therefore a cat should
not be penalised if
apparently wrongly registered.
Scale of Points
HEAD 35
Skull 15
Muzzle 5
Ears 5
Eyes 5
Nose 5
BODY 30
Torso 10
Legs/feet 10
Tail 10
COAT 35
Density 15
Curl 10
Texture 10
TOTAL 100
Withhold all awards for:
1. No evidence of curl
Withhold certificates, or first prizes in kitten open classes, for:
1. Flat face, snub nose or sleek, Oriental appearance
2. Lack of substantial boning
3. Lack of curls on either the neck, belly or tail. (nb Allowance may be made
for less curl on kittens and young adults, especially females)
4. Uneven bite
5. Any other defects as listed in the Preface to this SOP booklet
Faults:
1. Lack of rectangular muzzle
2. Excessively weak chin
3. Tendency to Oriental eye shape.
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Breeding Policy for Selkirk Rex (79L 79S)
Introduction
This document is seen as a way of ensuring breeders observe what is considered ‘best practice’ in their involvement with the Selkirk Rex and particularly in their Selkirk Rex breeding programmes.
Selkirk Rex, unlike most other breeds, owe their origin in 1987 to one cat – Miss DePesto. Inbreeding was carried out to establish if this was a new, or already established gene. It was found that Miss DePesto was a new mutation of a complete dominant nature unlike the Devon and Cornish Rex which are both produced by a recessive gene. The Selkirk Rex may be homozygous (have two Rex genes) or heterozygous (have one Rex gene) and may be long or shorthaired. To produce Rex coated kittens at least one parent must be a Selkirk Rex. Straight coated Selkirk Rex Variants do not carry the Rex gene but are useful for breeding because the best exhibition Selkirk Rex are heterozygous. The ideal mating is Selkirk Rex x Selkirk Rex Variant. In order to encourage ‘best practice’, Selkirk Rex from two Selkirk Rex parents are placed on the Supplementary, rather then the Full Register.
Two blood types have been
confirmed in Selkirk Rex - type A and type B. Type A is dominant over type B.
This means a cat with type B blood is homozygous for B. Type A cats can be
either homozygous for A or heterozygous (carrying the B gene). Cats with type B
blood have strong antibodies against type A red blood cells. These anti-A
antibodies can cause two serious problems: Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (fading
kitten syndrome) and transfusion reactions.
Aims
It is vital regular selective outcrossing be introduced and maintained to increase the gene pool and maintain stamina and health. This is ‘best for the breed’ in its ongoing development.
Guidelines
Breeders and owners of Selkirk Rex and Selkirk Rex Variants are recommended to blood type test all their cats but more especially all breeding stock. Blood type A kittens resulting from a mating between a type A stud and a type B queen may die within the first few days of life if allowed to suckle their mother’s colostrum. It is also important to know that cats with the relatively rare type B blood can die if given a transfusion of the more common type A blood.
PKD has been confirmed in Selkirk Rex. Breeders are advised to buy only from PKD tested stock and to breed only with cats, including ALL outcrosses, which have been screened PKD clear under a recognised scheme (the FAB/PKD scheme in the UK. It is advisable when importing a cat, to insist on a DNA test.
All cats used for
outcrossing should be thoroughly researched, of sound temperament and free from
any hereditary defects.
Breeders should ensure, to the best of their knowledge, that any Selkirk Rex
from which they breed are of sound temperament, free from any hereditary
defects, (including those listed in the GCCF Standard of Points), and conform as
closely as possible to the Standard of Points (excluding the coat description
where variants are concerned).
Selkirk Rex are not compatible with either Cornish Rex, Devon Rex or LaPerms. Such matings are therefore highly undesirable. The product of such matings will be registered on the Reference Register as “no recognised breed” and cannot be considered to be variants. They cannot be used in any Rex breeding programme and should be placed on the non-active register. It is considered to be in the best interest of the Selkirk Rex breed to keep it entirely separate from other incompatible Rex mutations.
Under no circumstances should any cat with Sphynx ancestry be introduced into the Selkirk Rex breed. Selection for hairlessness contradicts the coat quality requirements for Rex cats. The product of any matings between Sphynx and Selkirk Rex will be registered on the Reference Register as “no recognised breed”. They cannot be considered to be variants nor be used in any Selkirk Rex breeding programme and should be placed on the non-active register.
Breeders shall ensure that any Selkirk Rex or Selkirk Rex Variants from which they breed, shall be registered with the GCCF in accordance with the Rules in force at the time. It is recommended that the progeny from any matings that are not required for Selkirk Rex breeding, should be placed on the Non-Active Register to avoid the introduction of the Selkirk Rex gene into other varieties of pedigree cats.
Breeds approved for use in outcrossing are: British Shorthair (including longhaired Variants), Persian and Exotic (including Variants). All other breeds are listed as non-approved. In addition, for cats bred outside the UK, American Shorthair was an approved outcross until 31.12.97 when it was discontinued.
All other breeds are listed as non-approved.
Breeders will be
encouraged to take advantage of any relevant official scheme, which may be
devised by the Selkirk Rex BAC to test the soundness of the Selkirk Rex breed.
Note: It is recommended where the colour of a cat is in question a DNA test,
(where such a test exists), be arranged.
Registration Policy for Selkirk Rex (79L 79S)
Breeds approved for use in outcrossing are: British Shorthair (including
longhaired Variants), Persian, Exotic (including Variants). Straight coated
Selkirk Rex Variants are also allowed for breeding. In addition, American
Shorthairs are permitted in the pedigrees of imported cats and their progeny.
All other breeds are listed non-approved.
Full Register
Selkirk Rex with Full or Provisional recognition which have in their pedigrees
within the preceding three generations only Selkirk Rex, Selkirk Rex Variants,
British Shorthairs (including Variants), Persians or Exotics (including
Variants), with the exception that the progeny of Selkirk Rex x Selkirk Rex
matings shall be placed on the Supplementary Register. American
Shorthairs were an approved outcross until 31.12.97 and are permitted in the
pedigrees of imported cats and their progeny.
Supplementary Register
Selkirk Rex with Full or Provisional recognition which have in their pedigrees
within the preceding three generations only Selkirk Rex, Selkirk Rex Variants,
British Shorthairs (including Variants), Persians or Exotics (including
Variants). American Shorthairs were an approved outcross until 31.12.97 and are
permitted in the pedigrees of imported cats and their progeny. NB. The Selkirk
Rex progeny of Selkirk Rex x Selkirk Rex matings shall be placed on the
Supplementary Register.
Experimental Register
Selkirk Rex with Preliminary recognition which have in their pedigrees within
the preceding three generations only Selkirk Rex, Selkirk Rex Variants, British
Shorthairs (including Variants), Persians or Exotics (including Variants).
American Shorthairs were an approved outcross until 31.12.97 and are permitted
in the pedigrees of imported cats and their progeny.
Reference Register I
1. Selkirk Rex Variants (straight coated) with one or both parents Selkirk Rex,
and which have in their pedigrees within the preceding three generations only
Selkirk Rex, Selkirk Rex Variants, British Shorthairs (including Variants),
Persians or Exotics (including Variants), shall be registered on the Reference
Register with a Selkirk Rex Variant breed number. American Shorthairs were an
approved outcross until 31.12.97 and are permitted in the pedigrees of imported
cats and their progeny.
2. Selkirk Rex and Selkirk Rex Variants which have within the preceding three
generations any non-approved breeds, shall be registered on the Reference
Register as normal or rex coated of Selkirk type, with the exception of those
cats listed below (Reference Register II)
NB When kittens with one or both parents registered on the Reference Register
are, under this Registration Policy, eligible to be registered on the
Supplementary or Experimental Register it is recommended that the person
registering these kittens requests such registration and encloses documentary
evidence of the three generations required. If this is not done the kittens may
be registered on the Reference Register.
Reference Register II
1. Any cats of Selkirk Rex appearance, either Rex or normal coated, with
non-pedigree cats within the preceding three generations shall be registered as
“no recognised breed” with no progression.
2. Any cats of Selkirk Rex appearance, either Rex or normal coated, with Devon
Rex, Cornish Rex, LaPerm or Sphynx ancestry shall be registered as “no
recognised breed” with no progression.
PKD Screening Scheme
A. Active Register
Selkirk Rex and Selkirk Rex Variants may be registered on the Active Register,
at the breeder’s request, only if:
1. They have themselves been screened clear of PKD under a recognised scheme
where the test is taken independently on a uniquely identified cat (FAB/PKD
scheme in the UK). Official confirmation of the screening result is required.
2. They are from parents deemed clear because of the results from the screening
of cats (as in A.1) on every line of the pedigree in previous generations.
Pedigree line in this case refers to both parents, or all 4 grandparents, 8
great-grandparents, 16 great-great-grandparents and so on, or any combination of
the same inclusive of both the sire’s and dam’s ancestors.
B. Genetic Register
1. Selkirk Rex and Selkirk Rex Variants which are not eligible for registration
on the Active Register (because one or more lines of the pedigree have not been
screened clear) shall be registered on the Genetic Register, or on the
Non-Active Register if so requested by the breeder. Any such cats which are
already registered on the Active Register shall be moved to the Genetic
Register.
2. Selkirk Rex and Selkirk Rex Variants registered on the Genetic Register may
be moved to the Active Register when they have been screened clear of PKD under
a recognised scheme (FAB/PKD scheme in the UK). Official confirmation of the
screening result is required.
3. Offspring of cats registered on the Genetic Register may only be registered
on the Active Register if they have themselves been screened clear of PKD under
a recognised scheme (FAB/PKD scheme in the UK). Official confirmation of the
screening result is required. NB Cats registered on the Non-Active register may
not be transferred to the Active Register via the Genetic Register, except at
the request of the breeder and the current registered owner.
NOTE : Before the registration of any White Selkirk Rex or White Selkirk Rex
Variant, a certificate of freedom from deafness for the white parent(s) must be
supplied to the GCCF.