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Myskanco Cornish Rex
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Cats are Wonderful Friends Gentle eyes that see so much, Author Unknown
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Marmaduke of Daz-Zling, first registered Cornish Rex in the USA.
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Cornish Rex are a natural breed which evolved
from a natural mutation. The history behind the Cornish has always
fascinated me, maybe this is why I started breeding these wonderful cats.
On the 21st July 1950, Nina Ennismore's
tortioshell Queen Serena, gave birth to a litter of 5 kittens. Amongst
these kittens, was an unusual red tabby wavy coated male, his 4 siblings were
all straight coated. He was given the name Kallibunker, and was the founding father of all Cornish Rex.
Nina Ennismore, interested in this mutant (Kallibunker), contacted A C Jude, a well
known British geneticist. On the advice of Jude, Nina Ennismore back crossed
Kallibunker to his mother. This mating produced a litter containing, one
straight coated kitten and two curly coated kittens. A second mating between the
two again produced curly coated kitten.
Sadly Kallibunker died soon after this, but his son Poldhu having been purchased by Mr Stirling-Webb in 1958, was
kept as a stud. There was a certain amount of controversy over Poldhu (photo
left), as he is reported to have been a blue-cream and white male, and tortoiseshell male cats are usually
sterile. Poldhu was later mated to his mother, grandmother and other relatives
and rex kittens were born. It has been suggested, that Poldhu was in fact a blue
tabby and white.
One of the resulting female kittens, 'Lamorna Cove' (a solid
blue, photo below) was mated back to Poldhu and then exported pregnant to America, with her
was her red rex-coated half-brother 'Pendennis Castle'. In American she gave
birth to four Rex coated kittens and she is believed to have founded the Rex
breed in the USA. |
Kallibunker - original cornish rex mutant.
Natural Mutated Breed: Later, genetics experiments proved that the Cornish and Devon Rex Genes, were 2 different genetics strains. Unfortunately, this was after matings had been undertaken between the 2 breeds, and the straight coated variants, used to establish both breeds. In the early days, the Domestic Shorthair and British Shorthair (ancestors Domestic Shorthair), were the most common of the breeds used for outcrosses. For both the Cornish and Devon Rex breeds. The term Rex was used, because of the similarity, of coat quality to the Rex Rabbit. The Cornish, Devon and German Rex, are the original 3 Rex. Today, a second wave of Rex's have appeared on the scene. These include the LaPerm and Selkirk Rex, both of which have been approved for promotion to prelimary status, by the GCCF Executive Committee, and once this has been ratified, both breeds should be included in assessment classes for new Rex's. Before leaving England with her red tabby brother (Pendennis Castle) for America in 1957, LaMorna Cove (blue and white) was bred back to her father Poldu, and later LaMorna Cove gave birth to four Cornish Rex kittens. These kittens were the first Cornish Rex born in America.
American Cornish Rex:
Diamond Lil of Fan-T-C (owner Peggy Galvin), and Marmaduke of Dazz-ling
(owner Helen and Walter Weiss, became the foundation for the American Cornish Rex.
Although apparently healthy, Pendennis Castle never sired any kittens.
All Graphics, backgrounds Carole Gwyther
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