This is a naturally curly cat that originated from a curly female housecat. This cat was given to Persian breeder, Jeri Newman, who bred her to one of her Persians. This mating produced three curly kittens out of six, proving that the curl mutation was dominant. Since the gene is dominant, curly kittens can be born in the same litter with straight-haired kittens.

Selkirks are a very loving, comical & tolerant cat. Most like to snuggle up beside you, or nuzzle your face. All of ours seem to like our dogs considerably, & will sleep beside them. They are very people oriented & love to follow you around to see what you are up to. Yet they are very laid back as well.

Selkirks are a medium to large boned cat, similar to a British Shorthair in confirmation. The head & eyes are round. The curl is very plush & is a soft curl on the shorthair, & more of a longer, dramatic curl on the longhair. A mature cat will have the best coat. A kitten's curl may fluctuate greatly until they are mature. The most curl is on the tummy, flanks & around the neck, with some curl on the back. Selkirk whiskers also curl up toward their faces & will break because they are brittle, but will grow back in. The whiskers are sometimes the only way to tell a kitten is curly at birth.

The Selkirk is a healthy & sturdy cat. As far as care, it's good to brush or comb them regularly, especially the longhair Selkirks. Brushing or combing will relax the cat's curl, but you can spritz them with water & scrunch their coat backwards to make the curl pop back up. A monthly bath with a cat shampoo is a great way to get out any excess hair or dirt build-up. Just let them air dry to get maximum curl.