
2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39
Unlike some breeds such as the British, in which the long and short haired varieties have differentiated enough over time to be classified as different breeds by various feline associations, that of the Selkirk Rex it has a variant inside Shorthair it's a Longhair. Let's see here what exactly are the differences between them.

This breed is distinguished from the others called Rex (Devon and Cornish) for the specific qualities of its coat, which is genetically different from theirs. Selkirks are also hairier and theirs curly mantle it has characteristics that make it repeatedly compare to that of a sheep. This is why they are often called "Sheep cats".

In general we can say that the hair of this cat can be of 3 different types:
- Curly and medium-long (Longhair);
- Curly and medium-sized (Shorthair);
- Smooth (Straighthair, genetic variant not allowed at shows).
When they are still kittens it can be difficult to determine with certainty whether they will develop a long or short coat, and even whether or not they belong to the smooth coat genetic variant. It will be whiskers (curly or smooth) to provide an important clue in this sense.

Later however they develop a rather distinctive look: the coat of the Shorthair is soft, of medium length and has curls all over the body, even if some specimens may have less than others. In the Longhair, on the other hand, the semi-long hair is collected in larger and more showy curls, with further prominent locks around the neck and on the tail.
In any case these are cats from soft and dense fur included in the breed standard in every existing coloring and pattern, including the colorpoint.

As for the treatment that these animals need, it is easy to understand how each variant has different needs: the Longhair in addition to losing a greater amount of hair requires more attention, with more frequent brushing to remove any knots and prevent them in the future.
The Shorthair requires one grooming slightly less frequent, but still accurate. It should also be remembered that brushing these cats too often will inevitably end up removing their precious curls.
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