Editing Devon Rex

{{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 |publisher=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}}</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 [[Atopic dermatitis|feline atopic dermatitis]] in a retrospective study of cases of the disease.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Ravens | first=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 [[hypotrichosis|congenital hypotrichosis]] and [[Malassezia|Malassezia dermatitis]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Hnilica | first=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==
* [[Cornish Rex]]
* [[German Rex]]
* [[LaPerm]]
* [[Selkirk Rex]]
* [[Sphynx cat]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary inline}}
* {{Commons category inline|Devon Rex}}

{{Cat nav}}

[[Category:Cat breeds]]
[[Category:Cat breeds originating in England]]
[[Category:Rex cat breeds]]
[[Category:Science and technology in Devon]]