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The curly-haired German Rex is a breed of cat from Germany that was created through a natural mutation. In the profile, you get information about the origin, nature, and keeping of the rare cats.
History and Origin of the German Rex
The German Rex is a young cat breed that resulted from a random mutation of an ordinary domestic cat. In 1951, the doctor Dr. Rose Scheuer-Karpin in the area around the Homeland Clinic in Berlin, a curly black cat that was clearly different from the others. She took the cat in and baptized it “Lammchen”. She started breeding with her cat and her house cat Blacki I. In the first breeding attempt, only smooth-haired young were born.
It was only when Lammchen was mated with her son “Fridolin” in 1957 that two curly and two smooth-haired young were born. The doctor had proven a recessive inheritance of the “curl gene” and was able to start breeding. Other offspring from her cats were exported to France and the United States. When Lämmchen died in 1967, there were still three curly offspring in the former GDR. So that the new breed did not die out, Beatrice and Jeannette devoted themselves to the preservation from the ground up and continued breeding with the tomcat Brutus. Since the German does not differ significantly from the slightly lighter Cornish Rex, it is not a separate breed in many countries. In Germany, too, cats are rarely found.
Essence and Character
The German Rex is generally considered to be an intelligent but headstrong and independent cat breed. The sociable cats are outgoing and people-friendly but can be sensitive and delicate. They don’t tolerate too much excitement and noise very well, but they don’t like being alone either. The cats love to cuddle with their humans and need a conspecific to play with. Responsible children are also great playmates for the lively cats. Other pets are usually not a problem for Rex cats.
The Appearance of the German Rex
The German Rex is a medium-sized cat with a strong, muscular body and slender legs. She corresponds in her stature to a European Shorthair. The medium-length tail ends in a slightly rounded tip. Slightly rounded ears with a broad base sit on the round head. The breed’s most distinctive feature is its soft, regularly wavy coat. Due to the lack of top hair, the plush undercoat looks velvety like a mole’s fur. All coat colors are allowed, but there must be no bald spots in the coat. The whiskers are slightly shorter than other cats and slightly curved.
Attitude and Care
Outdoor cat or indoor cat
Although this cat breed is well suited to be kept in an apartment, it would be very happy to have a balcony or an outdoor enclosure. A fenced garden is ideal for satisfying the cat’s urge to move. As with other Rex cats, you have to be careful with the German so that she doesn’t get hypothermic due to her thin fur. In winter or when the weather is bad, the sensitive cats should preferably stay in a warm apartment. Their calm temperament means that keeping them only as an apartment is not a problem, as long as they are offered enough variety.
How much employment does the German Rex need?
The most important thing for the sociable German Rex is contact with other dogs, for cleaning, playing, and cuddling each other. The cats are affectionate and people-related, which is why they are happy about any kind of attention. You can make the clever cats very happy with cat toys of all kinds. With a little practice, the cats also like to learn little tricks, such as retrieving. A large scratching post and comfortable resting places are just as important as enough activity.
Grooming and feeding
The short-haired, curly coat of the German Rex hardly sheds and is easy to care for. Regular brushing with a soft brush is sufficient and makes the cat very happy. This is how you care for the cat’s fur and at the same time strengthen your relationship with additional stroking. Because of their thin coat, the Rex cat, like the naked Sphynx cat, needs more energy to maintain its body heat. Because of this, they need more food than other breeds. However, make sure that you don’t feed them too much and that you provide them with all the important nutrients.
Acquisition of a German Rex
Before purchasing a cat breed as rare as the German Rex, you should do some research about the breed’s peculiarities. This is the only way you can be sure that you are really buying a representative of the breed. The first hurdle is the lack of breeders in Germany. There are some offers on the internet, but you should be careful that you get a reputable breeder. When buying one, you should make sure that your kitten looks healthy and doesn’t have any bald spots on its fur. You should also take a close look at the parents and siblings. You can get a purebred and healthy kitten from a reputable breeder for €700.