# Rex cats? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 14, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938 "2005-08-14T05:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/1 "2005-08-14T05:57:27Z")
I’m intrigued by these weird curly-coated fiends, but all I can find is pro-rex propaganda. Does anybody here own or have contact with a Cornish or Devon rex? Are they hard to take care of? Are they so inbred they have weird medical problems (like Siamese and Persians)? Are they really as friendly as I’ve been told? Please. Tell me. I’m dying to know. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/2 "2005-08-14T13:22:05Z")
I used to work for an upscale NYC pet store (I had just moved to the city and really needed a job), and if I could have afforded it (and believe me, I tried), I’d have a Cornish Rex right now - he was a little yellow guy that I’d named Tony (to go along with Oscar and Emmy), and he was an absolute sweetheart. He was very cuddly, very friendly, and VERY loving. We had Cornish often, and Devon every so often, and I don’t recall any of them having major health issues. Tony had a cold once or twice, but it was also really frigid outside, and my cats, who didn’t go near the outside, also had little colds around the same time. Honestly, if I were ever to get a purebred cat (which we won’t, being very pro-shelter now), I would go for a Cornish after my experience with Tony. All of the Rexes we had were sweet as can be, but he was just especially sweet. E. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/3 "2005-08-14T16:38:41Z")
I don’t know much about them but I have heard they are a very good choice for people with cat allergies; people who can’t tolerate cat dander can have no allergy symptoms around the Rexes. Plus they are very cool looking. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/4 "2005-08-15T00:59:18Z")
I work with an animal rescue organization, and all my cats are adopted street kitties, but if I were to choose a purebred, I’d go for a Cornish Rex over any other breed. Their disposition is delightful, their fur is relatively low-maintenance, and they are one of the only breeds of cat to which I am not allergic. ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/5 "2005-08-15T01:24:12Z")
Does anyone have a pic to see what a Rex looks like? Thanks much. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/6 "2005-08-15T02:13:12Z")
> [@Updike](#): > > Does anyone have a pic to see what a Rex looks like? Thanks much. They are quite unusual-looking. Their fur is curly, and quite close to the body. Rex fur reminds me of a Persian lamb coat. [Here](http://images.google.com/images?q=rex+cat&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images) you’ll find a lot of images. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/7 "2005-08-15T02:17:04Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > [Here](http://images.google.com/images?q=rex+cat&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images) you’ll find a lot of images. [I’ve been staring at this for a few minutes and I can’t decide if it’s cute or not](http://faculty.uca.edu/~benw/biol1400/pictures/devonrex.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/8 "2005-08-15T02:18:37Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > [I’ve been staring at this for a few minutes and I can’t decide if it’s cute or not](http://faculty.uca.edu/~benw/biol1400/pictures/devonrex.jpg). Ya gotta admit it’s so ugly, it’s cute. E. ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/9 "2005-08-15T02:42:14Z")
Thanks for the link **pinkfreud** I gotta go with scary looking, though. It’s the ears, I think, makes 'em look like bats or something. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/10 "2005-08-15T02:52:22Z")
[Sphynx cats](http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&c2coff=1&q=sphynx+cat) are even weirder looking, but that much harder to get hold of. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/11 "2005-08-15T02:53:45Z")
Oh, and thanks for the info. I’ve already got a pair of 3/4 siamese siblings, but it never hurts to look around for one’s next pet. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/12 "2005-08-15T20:55:01Z")
Weird – my first reaction on seeing that picture was “Hey, cute kitten!” The big ears didn’t bother me. _scratches head_ ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rex-cats/316938/13 "2005-08-15T21:56:38Z")
My folks had a rex. Mom said it was a cornish but I’m certain it was a devon. Most people found his looks repulisive but warmed up as soon as they petted him. I think his metabolism compensated for his lack of a thick coat so he radiated heat like nobody’s business but always needed more so we often found him perched over the pilot light on the stove. Luckily my folks aren’t squeamish but my grandma would come unglued. he was an odd duck, far less visual than other cats, relying more on scent. The best way I can describe it is that he acted like a dog. A weird dog. Sadly he met his demise after having a stroke and falling in my mom’s koi pond.