History:
Tails of curly coated cats circulated throughout the west of England for many years, but it wasn't until 21 July 1950, that the first curly coated kitten was officially documented. 
In an old farmhouse on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, a farm cat named Serena gave birth to five kittens.  One of these kittens was a red male that had an unusual curly coat.  The owner named this kitten Kallibunker, pictured above.  Realising the significance of this natural genetic mutation, the owner bred Kallibunker back to his mother Serena.  The mating produced two curly coated kittens.  A second backcross produced more curly coated kittens, and the foundation of the Cornish Rex breed was established.  Originally the Cornish Rex was called the English Rex, until another form of Rex cat was discovered in nearby Devonshire in 1960. 

Appearance:
A small to medium sized cat with an alien like appearance, their soft, wavy, rippled coat lies close to their body, even their short whiskers and eyebrows are curly.  Once you see the coat it is never forgotten.  It is not just the curly coat of the Cornish Rex that sets them apart from other breeds.  They also have a distinct head and body type.  The ears are set high on a fine boned egg-shaped head, with high cheekbones, a high-bridged Roman nose and a strong chin.  Their eyes are large and oval.  The body is slender and muscular, and they are heavier than they look when lifted up.  The body of the Cornish Rex has been compared to a Whippet dog, because of their arched back, barrel chest and well developed hips and hind legs.  Their tail is long, fine and tapering.  They are capable of amazing speeds, quick starts and turns.  They are able to leap from floor to shoulder in one bound. 

Personality:
Terms that have been used to describe the Cornish Rex include, playful, extrovert, intelligent, inquisitive, affectionate, intense, spirited, sweet-tempered, gentle and very talkative.  The Cornish Rex can be quite cheeky with their strong wills and desire for great speed.  They have a dog like personality, and will follow their owner from room to room.  They love to play fetch with their favourite toy.  They also use their paws to pick up objects and throw them around and then catch them again.

Related Breeds:
The Cornish Rex is closely related to the German Rex.  They both share the same gene for curly coats.  The Devon Rex despite its close geographical proximity to the Cornish Rex has a different curly coated gene.

Colour forms:
All combinations of colours and patterns are acceptable in the Cornish Rex breed.