Oregon Rex

The Oregon Rex was a small domestic cat set apart by a soft, curly coat that came from a natural genetic mutation. It surfaced in the United States around the middle of the twentieth century and never grew beyond a small population. The breed no longer exists, and the few cats that carried the Oregon Rex mutation were in time folded into other rex lines.

In frame the Oregon Rex was fine-boned and light, with fur that settled into tight waves instead of the straight coat carried by most cats. Those who kept them spoke of cats that fixed on their people and stayed busy. They were affectionate towards their owners, playful long past kittenhood, and keen to follow whatever was happening in the home.

The breed is one of several rex mutations that arose on their own in different places. The Oregon Rex carried its own recessive curl gene, apart from the genes behind the Cornish Rex and Devon Rex, which helps explain why the line did not last once breeders put their effort into the more plentiful rex breeds.

Who the Oregon Rex suited

The Oregon Rex fitted homes that wanted a hands-on, attention-seeking cat. Its sociable streak meant it fared best with people who were around a good deal and happy to play. The thin coat gave little insulation, so the breed was better placed in a warm indoor home than in a cold setting.

The Oregon Rex goes back to a single curly-coated kitten born in the United States during the 1950s. As with other rex cats, the curl came from a chance genetic mutation rather than any planned crossing. That kitten and its offspring made up the whole of a small breeding population.

The mutation behind the Oregon Rex was recessive and stood apart from the better-known Cornish Rex and Devon Rex mutations. Test matings between Oregon Rex cats and those other rex breeds gave straight-coated kittens, which proved the Oregon curl was a gene of its own.

With so small a population, the breed leaned on a mere handful of breeders to carry on. Attention and resources went instead to the more settled rex breeds, and the Oregon Rex was never widely registered or spread about.

The separate Oregon Rex line is usually taken to have ended by the early 1970s, the last gene carriers crossed into other rex programmes. Today the breed lives on chiefly as a record of one of the independent rex mutations that cropped up over the twentieth century.

The Oregon Rex was a small, lightly made cat. Its hallmark was a short, soft coat that curled or waved close against the body, whiskers included, which were often crimped. The body was slender and the legs were fine, which lent the cat a delicate look overall.

The head was moderate in size with large ears set on a fine-boned frame. The coat carried little of the thick undercoat found in straight-haired cats, so both the curl and the cat's outline stood out plainly.

Coat and colours

The coat was the breed's most telling feature. It was thin and curled rather than straight, which left the cat soft and warm under the hand and put the body's shape on full show. Coat colour was not tied to any one pattern, so cats turned up in an assortment of colours. The sparse coat gave scant cover against the cold, so these cats needed warm surroundings.

The Oregon Rex was an affectionate, sociable cat that went looking for human company. Owners spoke of cats that trailed them about the home, took to being handled, and kept up their play well beyond kittenhood. The breed was inquisitive and sharp, taking an interest in household goings-on and quick to work out what earned it attention.

With the family the breed was warm and hands-on. With strangers it was friendly on the whole, in line with its sociable bent, though individual cats differed. Around other pets the Oregon Rex usually got on well once the other animals were calm and brought in slowly.

All that activity and attachment meant these cats did poorly when left alone for long stretches. They wanted company, whether human or another suitable animal, and gained from steady play and attention.

Looking after the Oregon Rex turned on its thin, curly coat and its need for company. The coat dropped little hair but was fragile, so grooming stayed light and gentle. Since the coat gave limited insulation, warmth and indoor living counted for more than with most cats.

Grooming

• Stroke or wipe the coat gently with a soft cloth or the hand to lift loose hair
• Steer clear of stiff brushes that might harm the fine, curly fur
• Check the ears often and clean them when needed, as large ears can gather wax
• Trim the claws every few weeks
• Keep up routine dental care to support overall health

Exercise

• Set up daily interactive play with wand toys or chase toys
• Provide climbing posts and perches to burn off the cat's energy and curiosity
• Rotate toys to hold a bright cat's interest
• Put aside regular time for handling and attention

Environment

The Oregon Rex was an indoor cat suited to warm, draught-free homes. Heated resting spots and soft bedding helped it stay comfortable, since its sparse coat held little body heat. A home with people about for much of the day matched the breed's sociable temperament.

As an obligate carnivore, the Oregon Rex needed a diet built around animal protein. A complete and balanced commercial cat food, or a vet-formulated alternative, met its core nutritional needs. Portion size hinged on the cat's weight, age and activity level, and fresh water was always on hand.

Treats and supplements

Treats are best held to a small share of daily kilojoules so the cat does not put on weight. A cat on a complete diet usually needs no supplements. Any addition, such as a supplement for skin or joints, should be talked over with a vet first.

The Oregon Rex generally lived 12 to 15 years with good care. Because the breed existed in very small numbers and is no longer kept as a line, detailed health data is thin. The steadiest practical concern was the thin coat, which left the cat sensitive to cold and exposure.

Beyond that the Oregon Rex had the same general health needs as other domestic cats, dental care, weight control and routine veterinary checks among them.

Preventive care

• Book annual veterinary checkups
• Keep vaccinations and parasite control up to date
• Keep up dental hygiene with brushing or vet cleanings
• Watch the weight and adjust food as needed
• Keep the cat warm and indoors to protect the skin and coat

The Oregon Rex was a bright, inquisitive cat that took well to gentle training. Its firm attachment to people gave it reason to join in, and its playful streak made games an apt way to teach. Short, upbeat sessions worked better than long or forced ones.

Basics

1. Settle reliable litter tray habits from kittenhood with a clean, easy-to-reach tray
2. Set out a scratching post and reward the cat for using it
3. Teach simple cues such as coming when called, using treats and a calm voice
4. Bring in a carrier early so travel and vet visits cause less stress
5. Steer energy into interactive toys to head off unwanted scratching or climbing

The curly coat of the Oregon Rex was ruled by a recessive gene, so a kitten had to inherit the gene from both parents to carry the curl. Cats holding one copy had straight coats but could still pass the trait on. That pattern, set against a very small founding population, made the breed hard to keep going.

Cats reach sexual maturity at several months of age, and females carry a litter for roughly two months. Litters of small domestic cats run to just a few kittens. Queens raise and nurse their young for several weeks before the kittens are weaned, and kittens are best left with the mother and littermates through early socialisation.

Because the recessive curl gene stood apart from the Cornish Rex and Devon Rex genes, crossing an Oregon Rex with those breeds gave straight-coated kittens. The narrow gene pool and the few breeders on hand meant the line could not be held, and the breed died out as a separate population.

Registering an Oregon Rex in South Africa

A gate left open for the gardener is all it takes for a homebody Oregon Rex to go missing. Her free United Pet Club profile keeps your details one scan away, wherever she turns up. Register your cat once, free, and the record outlasts every house move.

If a chip is already under her skin, finish the job by recording the number. Register the microchip on the free lifetime plan: any brand a South African vet implants is accepted, updating after a move between provinces costs nothing, and the record is searchable around the clock. Create your free account and cover cat and chip together.