A rex breed defined by its soft, springy curled coat and corkscrew whiskers, arising from a spontaneous mutation on an Oregon farm. Affectionate, gentle, and highly people-oriented.
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Welfare floor for a free-roam pet cat: a secure indoor home with one litter box per cat plus one extra (placed in different rooms), multiple scratching posts and a sturdy cat tree, food and water stations kept away from the litter, and 20–30 minutes of interactive wand/puzzle play every day. Outdoor access only via a fully-fenced catio or harness walks.
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Recommended
Multi-room home with vertical territory
≥ 2 floors / wide rooms, cat trees, catio access
A multi-cat-friendly household with several tall cat trees and wall-mounted perches, window seats with a view, separate feeding stations per cat to reduce resource guarding, and access to a screened catio or balcony for sun and air. Vertical territory matters as much as floor space for cats.
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Ideal
Indoor home + catio + enriched garden
House + outdoor catio + cat-proofed garden
Indoor home paired with a large outdoor catio (or a cat-proof-fenced garden), abundant environmental enrichment (climbing branches, foraging puzzles, water features), and group-compatible housing if multi-cat. This combines the safety of indoor-only living with the behavioural enrichment of supervised outdoor time.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Newborn
Newborn mammals are nursed on their mother's milk. Many are born helpless — blind, deaf, and sparsely furred (altricial, as in dogs, cats, and rodents) — while others stand and follow within hours (precocial, as in hoofed livestock).
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Juvenile
After weaning, juveniles grow quickly and become increasingly active, playful, and independent. Adult coat, proportions, and (in many species) the permanent teeth come in as they approach full size.
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Adult
Adults reach full body size and sexual maturity, with the species' mature coat and build. Sexual dimorphism — differences in size, mane, horns, or markings — is pronounced in some mammals and subtle in others.
Senior
Senior animals show aging signs such as graying fur, reduced activity, and a greater need for veterinary monitoring of joints, teeth, and organ function. Lifespan and the onset of old age vary widely by species and size.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Excellent apartment cat. Moderately active, curious, and clingy in the best sense — it likes to be near its people and on laps. Provide climbing perches, interactive toys, and daily play, but its needs are modest. Thrives on companionship and dislikes prolonged solitude.
Diet
A complete, balanced cat food appropriate to life stage covers all nutritional needs; no breed-specific dietary concerns. Feed measured portions and monitor condition. Provide fresh water at all times.
Behavior & temperament
Gentle, affectionate, inquisitive, and people-loving, often riding on shoulders and seeking laps. Intelligent and trainable, with a moderate, playful energy level. Generally excellent with children, other cats, and dogs, making it a strong family companion. Soft-voiced and not overly demanding.
Health
A generally healthy breed derived from a robust natural mutation, with good genetic diversity (allowed outcrosses). No widespread breed-specific genetic disorders are documented. The curly coat is the result of a dominant rex gene and is not associated with skin or health problems. Routine veterinary, dental, and parasite care is recommended.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Despite the curls, the coat is surprisingly low-maintenance and sheds relatively little — occasional gentle combing (avoid over-brushing, which can loosen the curl) keeps it tidy; many tolerate light bathing well. Coats range from wavy to ringlet curls and molting/recurling is normal, especially in kittens. Comes in shorthair and longhair; both curl. Gentle, reward-based handling suits this affectionate breed.
