The "sheepish" cat

PictureA Selkirk Rex a.k.a. Poodle Cat (Photo from Reuters)

THE world is truly one magical place, even for small creatures like cats. For how could one not marvel over the fact that two cats of different breeds can produce a new line that borrows some of the looks of an entirely different species!

A Poodle cat or Selkirk Rex is a special breed that came about after a black Persian cat and a certain cat named Miss Agnes DePesto gave birth to a litter of five with one that had curly hair due to a random mutation of fur gene that affected only her. Her breeder thought of using her distinct bloodline to further create a unique breed of cat now scientifically referred to as Selkirk Rex.

Selkirk Rex's curly hair extends to its whiskers which also curl at the ends. It is the fourth type of curly-haired cat but unlike the short-haired Cornish Rex, Devon Rex and German Rex cats, the poodle cats also come in long-haired varieties in a wide range of colors.

At first a poodle cat appears to be an unkempt cat, but its curly hair is exactly what makes it endearing. Experts assert that since the fur mutation was dominant, poodle cats can be bred with other cat breeds and still produce kittens with unique poodle-like fur.

Poodle cats, being relatively rare still, can fetch up to $1,000 a cat. – AJB

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