Cornish Rex | breed profile

Appearance and Personality

With big ears and eyes, they are a unique looking cat that can come in any cat colour or pattern including colour points. They are an average sized cat and have a life expectancy of 10-13 years.

Cornish Rex are athletic and sociable. They don’t tend to be very vocal and get along well with people and other pets if introduced early.  Because of their athletic nature, it is necessary to provide them with plenty of toys and cat trees for them to climb on and scratch. Because they tend to enjoy companionship, they can become lonely if left alone for long periods of time. They may therefore be better suited to a household where someone is home to keep them company, or perhaps adopting two could be a way to ensure they have suitable company if you are out a lot. They are well suited to apartment living if they are given plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Keeping your Cornish Rex cat indoors or in a cat friendly enclosure helps keep them safe from roads, other cats, snakes as well as helps to keep wildlife safe from your cat.

The coat is very soft and wavy as it has no guard hairs and it doesn’t shed. They don’t need a lot of grooming, but a gentle brushing once or twice a week helps keep the skin and coat healthy. The hairs are delicate however, being gentle is key. Keeping up with yearlong parasite control will help keep your Cornish Rex tick and flea free.

Common Health Concerns

The five most common reasons for a Cornish Rex to visit the vet (excluding routine care visits) according to PetSure data from 2016 to 2020 included urinary tract problems (including urinary tract infections), diabetes, and pancreatitis.  

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

With a curious and active nature, traumatic accidents were ranked as the top reason for a Cornish Rex to visit the vet from 2016 to 2020. It may be possible to lower the risk of your Cornish Rex from having a traumatic accident by keeping them indoors or in a cat safe enclosure.

For the same five-year period (2016-2020), the top five highest single vet treatments (or highest pet insurance claims) for Cornish Rex cats from PetSure data were:

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

Most popular Cornish Rex names (PetSure data, 2016-2020)

Most popular names:

1. Luna
2. Charlie
3. Bella
4. Coco
5. Archie
6. Frankie
7. Ruby
8. Max
9. Daisy
10. Buddy

Most popular female names:

1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Coco
4. Daisy
5. Ruby
6. Molly
7. Lola
8. Nala
9. Rosie
10. Millie

Most popular male names:

1. Charlie
2. Archie
3. Max
4. Buddy
5. Milo
6. Ollie
7. Teddy
8. Alfie
9. Leo
10. Winston

Did you know?

Although they look similar, the Devon Rex is not actually related to the Cornish Rex and attempts to breed them together result in kittens with straight fur.

References

1. Cattime.com, Cornish Rex accessed 09/03/2021, available at: https://cfa.org/cornish-rex/
2. The Cat Fanciers Association, The Cornish Rex, accessed 09/03/2021, available at: https://cfa.org/cornish-rex/