Published on 05/12/2008

The Cornish Rex is a cat breed that has no hair except for down. Most cats have three different types of hair in their coats.

Adopting Kittens: Cornish Rex Appearance and Personality

The Cornish Rex is a cat breed that has no hair except for down. Most cats have three different types of hair in their coats. Cornish Rex cats have only the undercoat and do not shed like other cats. However, this does not mean they are completely hypo-allergenic. Allergic reactions from cats are from glycol-protein produced in the sebaceous glands of the skin, saliva, and urine. People who have cat allergies are reacting to this protein in cat saliva and cat dander. People with only mild allergies may experience fewer or no symptoms with a Cornish Rex.

The following appearance description is offered to help you decide if the Cornish Rex is for you, your family and lifestyle.

Appearance Description

Head is comparatively small and egg-shaped
Muzzle narrows slightly to a rounded end
Ears are large and full from the base, erect and alert, set high on the head
Eyes are medium to large in size, oval in shape, and slanting slightly upward, color should be clear, intense, and appropriate to coat color
Cheekbones high and prominent
Strong chin, well developed
Small to medium in body size, males proportionately larger but never coarse, torso long and slender, back is naturally arched,
Rump is rounded, well muscled
Legs very long and slender, thighs well muscled
Paws dainty, slightly oval
There are five toes in front and four behind
Tail is long and slender, tapering toward the end and extremely flexible
Neck is long and slender
Bone is fine and delicate
Coat is short, extremely soft, silky, and completely free of guard hairs, relatively dense
Colors in solid, shaded, smoke, tabby, bicolor, parti-color and pointed patterns

The following personality description is offered to help you decide if the Cornish Rex is for you, your family and lifestyle.

Personality Description

Thinking cats with great appetites
Love to play
May suddenly have a burst of energy and race through the house, run up and down the stairs, dash from the scratching post back up the stairway again, and run from room to room
Antics make them well known as cats in clown suits
Activity level is high

Grooming Tips

Among the easiest cats to groom and maintain
Star early with bathing so they do not become stubborn about this

Follow the link in the resource box of this article to find pictures and more information about many different breeds of cats.

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit “Adopting Kittens” at http://smalldogs2.com/AdoptingKittens to find a complete online reference for choosing and caring for the perfect kitten, which matches you and your lifestyle. Learn about litter box training at http://smalldogs2.com/LitterBoxTraining

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.