DEVON REX AND SPHYNX CATS

The Devon’s body is slender, medium length and fine boned,  is carried high on long slim legs. But don’t let that fool you – under that curly coat are strong, hard muscles. The hind legs are somewhat longer than the front.  

The sternum is visible and protrudes rather more than in other breeds, giving the cat a distinctive bow legged appearance to the front legs, as you can see here with Beag as she gazes through the wondow.

The head shape of the Devon is also unique; the head is a modified wedge shape with a flat skull, a short, well-developed muzzle, pronounced cheekbones, and prominent whisker pads with a whisker break. The ears are amazingly large, wide at the base, rounded at the tips, and set low on the head rather than upright. The oval eyes are large, wide set and slope toward outer edges of ears.  The head when viewed from the front should give an appearance of 3 distinct breaks, the muzzle, the cheeks and the ears.  Viewed from the side there should be an obvious nose break and a strong chin with no undershot nor overbite to the teeth. 

The Devon’s wavy coat, of course, is the most well known feature.  It should be short on the back, sides, upper legs and tail, and very short on the head, ears, neck, paws, chest and abdomen.  There are often areas where the coat is finer (or non existent) particularlly on the abdomen and chest.  Whilst not considered a fault in kittens, baldness is in adults which are being shown and are a withholding fault for those trying to achieve a Championship status.  The coat often takes up to 3 years to develop into its full glory, my Grand Champion Nobilero Cable Seadreamer was almost 7 before he achieved his best quality coat.

Kirlee carried the longhair gene and Persians were used as outcrosses in the early development of the breed so it is no wonder that we often see Devons with too much coat.  This can vary from the appearance of having wooly breeches and a plumed tail to looking like a new breed of Rex with long hair.

Due to the outcrossing programme undertaken by many breeders, almost every colour is available in the Devon Rex from White to Black Self, Tabbies in all types, pointed, bi-colours and just about everything inbetween.

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