Surely you have seen a picture of a cat with curly hair and wondered if it was even possible. After all, it is much easier to find felines with short, straight hair. But know that yes: the cat with curly hair exists and this phenomenon is considered a spontaneous genetic mutation (that is, it happens randomly), called the rex mutation. However, throughout the evolution of felines, it has become a genetic mutation.more recurrent and characteristic in some breeds, see below:

1) LaPerm: the curly-haired cat who is playful and friendly!

The history of the LaPerm begins in 1982, in the United States. The breed arose from an unexpected mutation of a litter, in which some puppies were born without hair and acquired the curly coat during growth. From there, the guardians of these puppies, the couple Linda and Richard Koehl, decided to invest in the creation and standardization of the LaPerm. And it worked! Despite the dense curly coat, theLaPerm is a hypoallergenic cat.

2) Curly and smart cat: meet Devon Rex

Outside Devon Rex is known as "Poodle cat" because of the curly hair and intelligence that are similar to those of the canine breed. The exact origin of the Devon Rex is not certain, but the record of the first specimen dates back to the 1950s from a kitten named Kirlee: she was taken from the streets of the city of Devon, England, by Beryl Cox, who soon realized that the feline could be of the breedCornish Rex (also known for its curly coat), but genetic studies indicated that it was a new breed. Kirlee passed away in the early 1970s, and today all Devon Rex cats have a genetic link to her. In addition to "Poodle intelligence", the Devon Rex also has a lively temperament and can be trained, just like a dog.

3) The Selkirk Rex is descended from the Persian cat

Sweet personality and affectionate behavior are the most striking characteristics of the Selkirk Rex - besides, of course, the curly hair! This medium-sized breed is super recent and appeared in the United States in 1988, after crossing a curly-haired cat with a Persian cat. But it didn't take long for the Selkirk Rex to conquer North American cat owners who soon went after recognitionDespite the name, this feline has nothing to do with the Devon Rex or the Cornish Rex - the term "Rex" merely indicates the name of the genetic mutation that gave rise to the curly coat.

4) Cornish Rex is a curly-haired cat with an athletic physique

The Cornish Rex is an exotic cat that isn't very well known. Despite its curly coat, it doesn't look as fluffy as the others. It has an athletic, slender build, with long, thin legs and large, pointed ears. Even so, it's a small cat. Like most curly-haired breeds, the Cornish Rex came into existence at random. The first specimens were found inCornwall (or County Cornwall), a peninsula in southwest England, in 1950. At that time, Nina Ennismore, a breeder, noticed the breed and brought visibility to it. In addition to curly hair, the cat whiskers of this breed are slightly wavy. The Cornish Rex is super companionable and loves to exercise.

5) Curly and downy kitty? Skookum is his name!

When it comes to cats, curly hair is an "out of the curve" feature, as well as short paws. Only the Skookum shows that both aspects are possible! Known as the "Shirley Temple" of felines, the Skookum is the most recent curly-haired cat and was developed in the 1990s by Roy Galusha, in the United States. However, there is still not much information about the breed, as it stillis still developing, but it is already certain that despite his size, he is full of energy and loves to play. There are also indications that he is great with children!

In addition to the above breeds, there are other curly-haired cats out there, such as:

• Ural Rex
• Oregon Rex
• Tasman Manx
• German Rex
• Tennessee Rex

There are studies that indicate that a cat's color defines its personality (and it turns out that black-haired cats are the most affectionate!).