Cat Breeds

German Rex is a cat breeds of domestic cat. They are a medium sized cat, breed with slender legs of a medium length. The head is round with well developed cheeks and large, open, ears. The eyes are of medium size in colors related to the coat color. The coat is silky and short, with a tendency to curl. The whiskers also curl, though less strongly than in the Cornish Rex and they may be nearly straight. All colors of coat, including white, are allowed. The body development is heavier than the Cornish Rex - more like the European Shorthairs. A German Rex cat is very friendly and quickly makes contact with its owner. It is lively, playful and intelligent. It is the master of all acrobatic tricks, which it repeats again and again with huge enjoyment. Its temperament is much the same as a Cornish Rex.

German Rex breeding was in the doldrums in the mid-70's, but there is now a group of keen breeders in Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Russia, Denmark and Holland that are re-establishing the breed.

Breeders crossed the American Shorthair with the Persian in the United States around 1960. Thus were born shorthaired Persians, called Exotic Shorthairs and recognized by the C.F.A in 1966. During the breeding program, crosses were also made with the Russian Blue and the Burmese. Since 1987, the only allowable outcross cat breed is the Persian. The F.I.Fe. recognized the Exotic Shorthair in 1986. They have nearly the same body as the Persian, but a thick, dense short coat. They appeal to people who like the personality of a Persian but do not want the hassle of grooming a long-haired cat. They are also known as "The Lazy Man's Persian."

The Exotic Shorthair has a compact, rounded, powerfully-built body with a short, thick "linebacker" neck. Its large round eyes, short snub nose, sweet facial expression, and small ears give it a highly neotenic appearance that some people may consider cute.

Head: Round, massive. Very broad skull. Rounded forehead. Round, full cheeks. Short, broad, round muzzle. Short, broad nose with pronounced stop. Strong chin. Broad, powerful jaws.

Ears: Small, rounded at the tip, not too open at the base. Widely spaced and well-furnished with hair on the inside.

Eyes: Large, round, well-spaced. Pure, deep color corresponding to that of the coat (gold to copper in most varieties; green in the chinchilla and the golden; blue in the white and the colorpoint).

Neck: Short and thick.

Body: Medium in size, cobby, low to the ground. Broad chest. Massive shoulders. Large-boned, powerful muscles. Weight: 3,5 - 6 kilogram.

Paw: Short, straight, and large. Round, large paws. Tufts of hair between the toes are desirable.

Tail: Short, thick, carried low. Rounded tip.

Coat: Shorthaired but slightly longer than that of other shorthaired breeds. Dense, fluffy, erect hair. All Persian colors are recognized.

The Exotic Shorthair has a gentle and calm personality reminiscent of the Persian, but it is livelier than his longhaired ancestor. Curious and playful, it is friendly to other cats and dogs. It rarely meows. It doesn’t like being left alone, and needs the presence of its owner (or of voices or smells reminiscent of its master-such as a radio kept on). They tend to show more affection and loyalty than most breeds and make excellent lap cats. Their calm and steady nature makes them ideal apartment cats for city dwellers. Nonetheless, Exotics retain some of the energetic spark of their American Shorthair forebears and they are often capable mouse hunters.