{{short description|Breed of cat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Catbreed | name = Devon Rex | image = Devon Rex Cassini.jpeg | imagecaption = | country = {{ENG}} | gccfstd = https://gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DevonRex.SOP_.Template.pdf | cfastd = https://cfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/devon-rex-standard.pdf | acfastd = https://www.acfacat.com/Breed%20Standards/DEVON%20REX.pdf | ccastd = https://www.cca-afc.com/documents/BreedStandards/DEVON_REX_20201105_184933.pdf | acfstd = https://www.acf.asn.au/notices/notices/standards/Group%20Three/DevonRex-2023.pdf | fifestd = https://fifeweb.org/app/uploads/2023/10/DRX.pdf | ticastd = https://tica.org/phocadownload/dr.pdf }}
The '''Devon Rex''' is a tall-eared, short-haired breed of cat that emerged in England during the late 1950s. The breed is known for its atypical appearance, with an oddly shaped head, large eyes, and the short and wavy coat.
==History== {{see also|Cornish Rex}} ===Origin=== Beryl Cox came across a novel curly-coated kitten in Buckfastleigh, Devon in 1960 whom she decided to name ''Kirlee''. Originally, Cox believed the cat's gene to be related to the Cornish Rex which led to her breeding Kirlee with Cornish Rexes. However, when the queen gave birth the kittens all had straight coats, which led to the discovery that Kirlee had a different mutation than Cornish Rexes. Following this Cox began a breeding program to try and preserve Kirlee's unique mutation.<ref name="SprucePets">{{cite web |last1=Puisis |first1=Erica |title=Devon Rex |url=https://www.thesprucepets.com/devon-rex-cat-breed-profile-4693660 |website=The Spruce Pets |access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref>
==Appearance== The Devon Rex is a very short haired breed with a medium build and a unique head type which gives the breed a 'pixie-like' appearance. The head is short with a broad wedge and the brow curving to a flat skull. The eyes are large, set wide, and oval-shaped. Devon Rexes may have any eye colour. The ears are large and set wide apart with rounded tips. The coat is short, dense, soft, and curls inwards, giving it a waved or rippled effect. Some areas of the body such as the neck may lack enough fur for the wave/ripple effect. The whiskers and eyebrows are crinkled and twisted. Devon Rexes may come in any colour.<ref>{{cite web |title=Devon Rex Standard |url=https://www.gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DevonRex.SOP_.Template.pdf |website=Governing Council of the Cat Fancy |access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref>
==Health== Hereditary myopathy is found in some Devon Rexes. It is caused by a genetic variant known as COLQ and it appears anytime from 3 to 23 weeks of age.<ref name= "hereditary">{{cite journal |last1=Malik |first1=R. |last2=Mepstead |first2=K. |last3=Yang |first3=F. |last4=Harper |first4=C. |title=Hereditary myopathy of Devon rex cats |journal=Journal of Small Animal Practice |date=November 1993 |volume=34 |issue=11 |pages=539–545 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-5827.1993.tb03544.x |url=http://felinegenetics.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hereditary-myopathy-of-Devon-rex-cats.pdf/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-5827.1993.tb03544.x |access-date=26 October 2022 |url-access=subscription }}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Typically, there is a chance that the myopathy in the cats might stabilize, however, most of the time, the condition worsens and the Devon rex cats die from laryngospasm, after obstructing their larynx with food.<ref name="hereditary"/><ref name="dystrophy">{{cite journal |last1=Martin |first1=Paul |last2=Shelton |first2=Diane |last3=Dickinson |first3=Peter |title=Muscular dystrophy associated with alpha-dystroglycan deficiency in Sphynx and Devon Rex cats |journal=Neuromuscular Disorders |date=December 2008 |volume=18 |issue=12 |pages=942–952 |doi=10.1016/j.nmd.2008.08.002 |pmid=18990577 |pmc=2646259 |url=https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC2646259&blobtype=pdf |access-date=26 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gandolfi |first1=Barbara |last2=Grahn |first2=Robert |last3=Creighton |first3=Erica |title=COLQ variant associated with Devon Rex and Sphynx feline hereditary myopathy |journal=Animal Genetics |date=16 September 2015 |volume=46 |issue=6 |pages=711–715 |doi=10.1111/age.12350 |pmid=26374066 |pmc=4637250 }}</ref>
The Devon Rex was found to be predisposed to feline atopic dermatitis in a retrospective study of cases of the disease.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Ravens | first1=Philippa A. | last2=Xu | first2=Bei J. | last3=Vogelnest | first3=Linda J. | title=Feline atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 45 cases (2001–2012) | journal=Veterinary Dermatology | volume=25 | issue=2 | date=2014 | issn=0959-4493 | doi=10.1111/vde.12109 | page=95}}</ref>
The Devon Rex is predisposed to congenital hypotrichosis and Malassezia dermatitis.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Hnilica | first1=Keith A. | last2=Patterson | first2=Adam P. | title=Small Animal Dermatology | publisher=Saunders | publication-place=St. Louis (Miss.) | date=2016-09-19 | isbn=978-0-323-37651-8 | page=}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery widths="200px" heights="200px"> Image:Saucer-eyed Devon Rex.jpg|A black Devon Rex. Image:BlueDevonRex.jpg|A "blue smoke" Devon Rex with unusually large ears. Image:Si rex.jpg|Devon Rex cats with Siamese (colourpoint) colourings are known as Si Rex.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Image:Devonrex cat.jpg|A cream Devon Rex with curly, soft coat typical to this breed Image:Devon_Rex_female_2.jpg|A Devon Rex with white spotting on a chocolate coat Image:Devon_Rex_male.jpg|An orange Devon Rex Image:Devon Rex Tortoiseshell.jpg|A tortoiseshell Devon Rex File:Devon rex kitten.jpg|A devon rex kitten in Australia walking on a leash </gallery>
==See also== {{Portal|Cats}} * Cornish Rex * German Rex * LaPerm * Selkirk Rex * Sphynx cat
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Wiktionary inline}} * {{Commons category inline|Devon Rex}}
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Category:Cat breeds Category:Cat breeds originating in England Category:Rex cat breeds Category:Science and technology in Devon