Devon Rex cat

Devon Rex cat weight and nutrition

The ideal weight for a male Devon Rex cat is 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg) and for a female Devon Rex cat is 5 - 8 lbs (2.0 - 3.5 kg). For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.1 - Devon Rex cat daily food intake

In order to maintain the fit build of the Devon Rex cat, as well as the active nature, its nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat, as well as Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. Although cat food companies have not yet developed special food formulas for Devon Rex, you might want to try meals specially designed for active cats or even better formulas for Siamese cats.

Devon Rex kittens care

When you introduce a Devon Rex kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.

Devon Rex kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.

Talk to your kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.

Devon Rex kittens need warmth. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop.

During the first month of their life, kittens should be breastfeeding. That is why you shouldn't take them away from their mother before they are one month old.

When the devon rex kittens are one month old, they can start eating kitten food. I prefer dry kitten food, because it helps develop stronger gum and teeth. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten food that comes in small kibbles and encourages devon rex kittens to crunch.

For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:

Table 1.2 - Devon Rex kittens daily food intake

Devon Rex cat grooming

The Devon rex cat does not moult heavily and its coat is easy to care for. A weekly going over with a baby brush is usually sufficient, while a firm stroking with the hand from head to tail will emphasize the waves of the coat. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Brushing will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that live in the small intestine of cats. They will cause severe diarrhea, poor or extreme appetite, avitaminosis, lethargy, coughing and abdominal distention to your cat.

To find out more, check our tapeworm treatment guide.

Hairballs

When a cat grooms itself by licking its own fur, it will swallow some of its own hair. Most of the hair passes all the way through the digestive tract with no problems. But if some hair stays in the stomach, it can form a hair ball.

Find our more in our hair ball treatment guide.

Fleas

Even clean cats can pick up fleas, especially during the summer months. They get fleas through the contact with infested pets or through the contact with fleas in the environment (e.g. from an infected bedding).

Find our more in our flea treatment guide.

Devon Rex cat care

Devon Rex cat ears require a great deal of hygiene as they are prone to serious infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.

Their teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.

A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. The Devon Rex cat is very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.

Never give a cat any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.

Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, since they do not show up on an X-ray.

Devon Rex cat health and lifespan

The Devon Rex cat usually lives up to 9 - 13 years of age. There are no breed-related health problems. Because of their poor coat, they might suffer from easy loss of body heat. Other health problems that a Devon Rex cat might confront are various heart issues and hip dysplasia.

Devon Rex cat history

In 1959, Ms. Beryl Cox of Devonshire England found that a stray cat in her care had given birth to a rather odd looking curly-haired male kitten. The sire thought to be a curly-haired tomcat seen in the area. Delighted with the kitten's elfin features and wavy curls, she named him Kirlee, the founding father of the unique and wonderful breed of cats known today as the Devon Rex cat.

Ms. Cox having seen pictures of the Cornish Rex cat, assumed that Kirlee was related to that breed. She contacted Mr Stirling-Webb, a Cornish Rex breeder, and allowed him to use Kirlee in a breeding program with Cornish queens.

Much to their surprise, the whole offspring had straight coats. Repeated attempts to mate Kirlee to Cornish Rex queens continued to produce straight haired offsprings. The conclusion was that Kirlee's genotype was different to that of the Cornish Rex. The two recessive genes were named: Gene 1 (Cornish Rex) and Gene 2 (Devon Rex).

When Kirlee was bred with one of the straight coated kittens born from himself and a Cornish Rex, three kittens were born two of them with straight coats and one with curly coat later "qualified" as Devon Rex. However it was only in 1967 that the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognized Devon Rex cat as a separate breed.

In 1979 the Devon Rex cat was accepted for championship status in the Cat Fanciers Association.

Devon Rex cat personality

The Devon Rex cat personality has been aptly described as a cross between a cat, a dog and a monkey. They are highly active, alert, mischievous and playful. Powerful jumpers, they love climbing to high places and will go to great lengths to get to the highest spot in a room. They are also extremely agile cats with an inquisitive nature and will explore every corner of their homes.

Besides being a very busy breed, Devons are very affectionate and people-oriented. They thrive on human companionship and love to be close to their owners. Most Devon Rex cats have one central person to whom they devote their love. They will follow him from room to room, showing their love and loyalty.They will sit on his lap, snuggle up with him in bed or even ride on his shoulder.

Devon rex cats, finally are very intelligent creatures and easy to take care off.

Devon Rex cat breed standards

According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Devon Rex cat has a short wedge shaped head with a forehead lying back to flat skull when viewed in profile. The forehead is round and cheekbones are prominent with full cheeks.

The nose is very short, while the combination with the rounded forehead gives the impression of a stop. The muzzle is short, bearing a strong chin and "whisker break". The whiskers and the eyebrows are crinkled, rather coarse and of medium length.

The typical Devon Rex cat ears are very large, wide at the base and tapering to rounded tips. They are well covered with fine hair and in some cases hair growing from a crease behind the ears to form ear muffs. They are set low on the head.

The eyes are also large oval in shape. They are set well apart, sloping towards the outer edges of the ears. Though there are no restrictions regarding the color, this should definitely be bright, pure and clear.

The Devon Rex cat neck is long and slender, leading to a medium length body. The body's structure is hard and muscular, however slender. The chest is broad, and the legs are long and slender. The length of the hind legs is emphasized, while the front legs are set on the body so as to give a slightly bandy look. The paws on the other hand are small and round.

The tail is long, fine and tapering, while well covered with short hair. The coat, finally is very short and fine, soft in touch and wavy and/or curly, with or without guard hairs. All color varieties and patterns are permitted, including those with white.

The commonest faults that can disqualify a cat from being registered as a Devon Rex cat are the following:

Faults

Head: narrow, long oriental typed or broad British type
Ears: small and/ or high set ears
Body: cobby body or lack of firm muscle
Tail: short and/ or bare or bushy tail
Coat: straight hair and/ or shaggy coat. Any amount of bare patches is only permitted in kittens.

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