The
Rex coat:
The Cornish Rex and
the Devon Rex cats are good potential choices for people who are allergic
to cats. This is because both breeds carry a recessive mutated gene that
changes their coat type and length. Both breeds don't shed hair like normal
breeds of cat, although the amount of hair loss varies between different
individual cats.
In a typical cats body
coat there are three main types of hair, which are the guard hairs, awn
hairs and down hairs.
The guard hairs and
the awn hairs are together called the topcoat.
The guard hairs form
the protective topcoat. They are the longest and the thickest of the body
hairs and serve to protect the under fur from outside elements, keeping
it dry and warm.
The awn hairs form
the middle coat they also help insulate and protect the body from the elements.
The down hairs are
the closest to the skin. Their job is to keep the cat warm and to conserve
their body temperature.
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The
Cornish Rex Coat:
The Cornish Rex coat
is made up almost entirely of down hairs, there are awn hairs but they
are greatly reduced in length and type. The Cornish Rex doesn't shed as
much as normal breeds of cats either but variations in the breed shed can
shed more or less.
The coat of the Cornish
Rex feels so soft because of their lack of the guard hairs.
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The
Devon Rex Coat:
The Devon Rex coat
has all three types of body hairs, guard hairs, awn hairs and down hairs.
All these hairs are reduced to the quality of the down hairs by the Devon
Rex gene. The coat of the Devon Rex doesn't feel as soft to touch of that
of the Cornish Rex because of their guard hairs. Kittens go through a few
moulting stages up to adult hood and may look a little bare from time to
time. The Devon Rex is prone to have bare areas especially around the neck,
chest and stomach, in adult cats it is as a fault.
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| Allergies: |
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Allergic people are
encouraged to visit an only Rex household/breeder to determine their own
tolerance for the breed.
While no cat can be
truly hypoallergenic the Cornish Rex and the Devon Rex cats can lower the
risk of an allergic reactions.
The Cornish Rex and
the Devon Rex cat sheds the least, so they deposit less allergen laced
hair around the house.
Many people who are
allergic to cats can tolerate a Rex.
Some people can also
have a reaction to the Rex coat. The very short hair does not hold dust,
dander and saliva as well as a normal coat does. Whether or not a reaction
occurs depends a great deal on the type and severity of the allergy. Some
allergies are from the coat( hair) some others are from the saliva of the
cat.
To
Lesson These Reactions:
Keep your bedroom
a cat free area:
Bath your cat regularly:
having another person bath the cat can prevent a mild reaction.
Wipe your cat with
a wet cloth every few days to remove saliva and dead hair out of the coat:
Try to reduce other
allergens in the environment as they may have an additive effect:
Keep your Rex's skin
healthy by feeding high quality natural foods:
Wash your hands immediately
after petting your cat, toys and bedding, and do not rub your eyes:
Vacuum up allergens
with a high-grade vacuum cleaner twice weekly:
See your physician
and discuss possible immunotherapy or medications:
By adopting some good
management strategies you can lower the risk of an allergy reaction:
I recommend
that a person with an allergy problem spend some time visiting an only
Rex household and handling a Rex before deciding to try to live with one.
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| Diet: |
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Fresh meat, Roo, Beef,
Lamb, Veal, diced or minced but always fed raw is a natural diet for your
Rex. You can also feed tin foods. Adult cats need two meals a day..
A healthy adults cats
teeth are white and clean. The gums are firm and pink. Encourage you Rex
to chew chopped up meat, chicken wings or chicken necks to assist in the
prevention of plaque. There are many dry foods on the market now that you
can buy to help keep your Rex's teeth and gums healthy.
Please
Note:
Dry food should NEVER
be a total diet for your Rex.
Fresh raw meat and
tin food should be part of your cats every day diet.
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Grooming
and Health Care:
Grooming can be a
pleasant experience for both of you if Rex. Rex's will come to expect and
even enjoy grooming sessions with you. A regular grooming program is also
good for a cat's health. Grooming removes dead hair that can form hair
balls in a cat's stomach, gets rid of dead skin and dander, stimulates
the skin , tones muscles, and encourages blood circulation. A simple session
of hand grooming when your Rex comes and sits on your lap will do the trick.
Bathing is hardly
ever required unless your Rex got into something she/he wasn't supposed
to! The coat can be damaged by too frequent bathing or too harsh a shampoo,
so be very careful in what you choose to use.
Some Rex's have excessive
earwax. It is a good idea to clean the outer ear of your Rex at least once
a week with a damp tissue or cotton ball.
Don't panic if you
notice that your Rex has something that looks like blackheads on the top
of its tail. That's exactly what they are, and this condition is called
"stud tail." Male and females Rex's get this, especially those with a thinner
coat. A medicated wipe can fix this problem. This in a common condition
in uncastrated males. The male cat, under the influence of the male sex
hormone testosterone, produces an oily secretion from glands at the base
of the tail. This can result in an unsightly, greasy patch of hair, or
hair loss in the gland area at the base of the tail. This is particularly
noticeable in light coloured cats. This usually doesn't concern the cat
unless the area becomes infected and irritated.
Stud Tail
Treatment
For Stud Tail:
Wash the area with
a medicated shampoo, a baby shampoo or a mild soap to degrease the area
and eliminate the stain. This may need to be repeated daily especially
in the breeding season. If infection occurs, your vet may advise
the use of antibiotics. Another option is to use Almond oil. A few
breeders have used Almond oil with great results.
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Vaccinations:
Vaccinations prevent
some of the most common feline diseases. While no vaccination is one hundred
percent effective, vaccinations have saved countless feline lives. Make
vaccinations part of your Rex's basic health care. Make sure your kitten
has had all three vaccinations before they are a year old. Vaccination
boosters are recommend once a year.
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Desexing
your pet:
As part of your Rex's
routine health care, get your kitten desexed by 5 months of age if the
breeder hasn't already done him/her. Preventing unwanted pregnancies is
the most important reason to desex, but there are great behavioural and
physical advantages as well. Desexing means a cat will not display
the restlessness, yowling, spraying and other sexual behaviours of intact
cats. Undesexed females have a seven times greater risk of mammary cancer
than desexed females. Desexing of females also eliminates uterine infections
and the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. Desexed males have a lower
risk of certain types of cancers as well. One of biggest desexing benefits
in males is the reduction of the hormone levels that prompt spraying around
the home but females that are not desexed do this as well.
If you decided to own
a lighter coloured Rex, be careful of the Sun. As lighter coloured cats
don't feel the sun like darker coloured cats do so they tend to spend more
time in the sun. Put sun block 30+ cream on the nose and ears of your light
coloured Rex to prevent skin cancers. Rex cats are drawn to the sun even
if kept inside.
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If
you decide never to let your Rex outside he/she won't miss what they don't
know about.
If you
do let your Rex outside get a good cat insurance policy.
A
safe cat is an inside cat!
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