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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!
Thank you for your inquiry about possibly purchasing a Cornish Rex cat or kitten. We hope the enclosed information will help you make an informed decision about bringing one into your home. If you decide to obtain a Cornish Rex it will become a part of your family.
Contrary to the Rex’s delicate appearance, it is quite hardy. Cornish Rex Cats love to play, and they exhibit great agility and fantastic quickness. They have excellent appetites and grooming requirements are minimal.
They will charm you, con you, delight you, warm you, entertain you and often annoy you, but will ultimately enchant you, and endear themselves in your heart, even for years after they are gone. Their active, playful and affectionate nature make them ideal companions. You will find that being owned by a Cornish Rex (or several!) will be a lifetime committment.
PRICES AND COLORS: The kittens we elect not to show or breed are sold at the age of 4 months or older to select homes, as pets, or show quality for Premiership. We do not sell intact cats at this time. The price for a pet/premier Cornish Rex varies somewhat across the country. In our cattery, the cost for a kitten, all ready neutered or spayed, free of parasites, from a felv/fiv tested negative household,(not every cat tested), current with distemper and rabies vaccines varies. Show Quality kittens do not have to be shown, by you, but they will cost the show quality price. (if the kitten is show quality & shown, by you the purchaser, at your expense, receives the title of Grand Priemer, and a copy of the Grand Premier Certificate is sent to us, Roseric Cattery will send you a check to cover your showing expenses up to $150.00 as a thank you for Granding your cat.) If We, at Roseric Cattery are given the opportunity to show this cat at our expense, no money is refunded. Queens and toms who are being retired from the responsibilities of producing kittens, are sometimes available for a reduced reasonable price. They are spayed or neutered, health guaranteed, felv/fiv tested negative, up to date on all vaccines, including the rabies vaccine. Price varies depending on the age of the cat. You may wish to reserve a kitten or an adult. We require a $250.00 deposit for a kitten, and $150.00 for an adult. We don't take deposits on unborn kittens. When a kitten/cat is pictured on our web site, as available, please call or email us telling us about yourself, family, pets, current & past. We are interviewing you. We want the best homes for our cats & kittens and want to be sure you really know that this is the cat for you. We will then send you our contract via email, if you agree to all the terms, we will require it when you send a deposit, prior to visiting our home. Visits are by appointment only as this is our home, not a pet store. Once a deposit is received the kitten/cat you are interested in, is taken off the available list. If you elect not to take that cat or kitten chosen, you can choose from any that are available that do not have a deposit on them. If you choose to wait for a kitten from a future litter, your deposit will be held. If you change your mind entirely and elect not to purchase any of the available cats or kittens, your deposit will be forfeited. We do not sell our cats or kittens to persons who wish to become involved in breeding at this time.
We are
motivated to not contribute to a national problem by letting our cats enter into
the world of breeding animals for pet stores, research laboratories or other
such markets, where the products of uncontrolled breeding can create a public
nuisance. Stress can bring on viruses so isolation is a must. I have never had an adult injure a kitten. There can be a lot of hissing, spitting and sometimes slapping, but within two weeks all is calm. I put the newcomer in a cage or vari-kennel in the center of the room and let them sniff each other safely a few minutes at a time. Then the newcomer gets his/her own room, with food, water and litter pan. They can play footzie under the door. Cornish rex are self assured confident ALPHA cats and they will take charge if possible. After some hissing and squabbling, a reasonably permanent pecking order of some kind will be established with other cats already present, and harmony will be reestablished in a week or two. All parties involved will establish some agreeable arrangement with any dogs that may be present as long as the dog is not trying to harm them. Sometimes they even take the dog under their protective custody, clean his ears and polish off the little pieces of dog food that are stuck in the dog's muzzle hairs. Never let the newcomer eat out of the older pet's dishes. Always give the new cat a new dish and litter box if possible. The golden rule...1 extra litter box per # of cats..and one box per floor (expecially for kittens and senior citizens- Young adults, once they know where it is, can make it to the spot or spots chosen for the litterbox. A normal, healthy cat should be able to make it to a litter box, if you find surprises in inappropriate places, a trip to the vet may be necessary. Birds, tropical fish, hamsters, pet mice, and even rabbits, or snakes are another matter. You must be ready to creatively guard them from these highly intelligent, inquisitive little felines.CHOOSING YOUR KITTEN: Ideally, you should visit the cattery, which in our case, is our home, and personally meet the cats/kittens available for sale. Candidates for sale are usually 3 1/2 months or older. Kittens younger than 3 months of age, are littermate/adult cat oriented but are too busy to bother with pesky things like human beings and are still dependant on mom occasionally.
BRINGING YOUR KITTEN HOME: We do not let kittens leave home until they are 4 months of age or older, spayed or neutered and until all their initial vaccinations are complete. Your kitten should be litterbox trained and fed the same food as we feed. You will be given some of that same food and litter to get you started. Do go out and get more, asap. Should you feel the need to switch his diet or his litter, it will have to be done gradually, to avoid giving him an upset tummy or finding a surprise somewhere on the rug or near the litter pan. It is also best to get him the same type of litter pan he is used to. Then he will have no major adjustment to make about where to go to relieve himself. We will also supply a few toys that are familiar to him so he doesn't feel too homesick. His food and water bowls should not be easy to tip over, and they should be ceramic or stainless steel. Plastic dishes by their texture and because they can trap bacteria on the surface may cause your new kitten to develop little blackheads on his chin. You should purchase a medium sized airline approved carrier if you do not already own one. It will come in handy for trips with you, or to the Vet, and with a soft folded towel, or small receiving blanket inside, your kitten will eventually understand the arrangement and settle down whenever he is in it. It will become his eagerly sought refuge at the Veterinarian's office. It is essential for travel in an automobile. He will never be under the brake pedal when a panic stop is required, and he will not quietly slip out the door into a frightening world when someone exits the vehicle for some reason. If he gets out of the car by himself, you may never get him back safe and alive. Other purchases to consider are scratching posts, climbing trees with perches at multiple levels, etc. You may want to buy him a cute little bed, but chances are, he will sleep next to you in your bed if you permit. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND A PERIOD OF QUARANTINE TO ONE ROOM BY HIMSELF FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK. In this way, he learns where his litterbox is, and where he is fed and watered. If there are other cats or dogs in the home they can become partially acquainted by smelling or playing footsy under the door. Also, it is in this period of high stress that both the new kitten and your older cats might experience some sort of illness, when they first encounter the other one's normal "well" bacteria, incapable of causing significant illness, except in periods of high stress. It is also important to check through the house for any plants that may be toxic to cats. Most are harmless, but there are a few that can be fatal to your curious new baby. Then slowly, under supervision, let the cat/kitten explore another room. One room at a time, will insure a confident, non hiding, sociable addition to your family. TREATS: Cornish Rex will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. You'd think they were going to eat you out of house and home. They will be thrilled to attempt to stalk and kill an unguarded roast, steak or loaf of bread. You must creatively guard the pantry. It is best if you close your cat/kitten off in a separate room during preparation of meals. It is best if you are never tempted to give your kitten/cat a "treat". If you just cannot resist, be sure to maintain your common sense and feed him only very tiny amounts of things like cooked chicken, beef or turkey, vegetables,(they particularly like canned green beans) rice or bread, or peeled fruit such as cantaloupe or apple. Limit the amount of canned cat food given as they will then refuse dry food. Also, there are many types of food that are toxic to cats. Do not shorten his life by feeding him chocolate, milk products like ice cream and cheese, excess sugars, or salty snack items. Resist those begging, plea's of starvation. They will be better off. CORNISH REX AND CHILDREN: Many breeders are reluctant to let one of their kittens go to a home with small children. Cats do not accept rough handling and may bite or scratch a child who tries to capture and restrain him or mistakes the rules of cat/human interaction and he is dropped. These cats prefer interactive toys, where the human is manipulating one end of the toy and the cat is trying to catch or "kill" the other end.(laser lights are great-but NEVER, NEVER, EVER, point it in the face of any animal, it can blind them.) Children cannot know this unless they are taught to properly respect the cat and his place in your family. Also, children cannot really appreciate how fast and how sneaky a cat can be. These cats can tell when you are about to go through a closed door, and they will try to get there before you do. If a child is going outside, and is not perfectly aware of where the cat is, you may have lost your cat forever. You must seriously decide if your child is ready to protect the cat from its own mistakes. And you must also be the one to make the purchasing decisions, as inevitably, you will be the one most responsible for the care of this cat/kitten. Also, we recommend that the kitten not be introduced to the child on a present receiving day. The Christmas present or Birthday present should be a picture of the new kitten that he or she can unwrap. The actual kitten should be introduced to the child on a less hectic day. BATHING / GROOMING: Rex cats don't need a bath as a rule as they are capable of cleaning themselves, However, if it should become necessary it can be done with much success and little stress. Most cats hate baths but this can be done by using a sprayer! Never put a cat into a tub of water or under running water. Give them something to grip onto such as a piece of window screen,towel or dish matt in the bottom of the sink. Use only shampoos formulated especially for cats and kittens. Never use dog products as most are too strong for cats. Use flea products that are specifically designed for cats and kittens!!!!! Do not wet the cat first..Mix the shampoo with water, maybe 2 parts water to 1 part shampoo, FIRST, add this mixture to a cleaned out dish detergent squirt bottle. Now you can easily get the shampoo where needed then rinse, using the sprayer or cup after cup of warm water. The soap will rinse out quickly if mixed properly. Towel dry your cat - never use a hair dryer as it will dry out and frizz the coat. 
Make sure the cat
is thoroughly dry before permitting it to run the house. When bathing
for a show, each cat's coat is different. You will need to experiment
to find the best time to bathe your cat. Be sure to allow enough time
for the oil to return to the coat if preparing him/her for a show.
CONCLUSION:
Cornish Rex cats have been likened to a perpetual toddler. You may wish
to kity-proof your home before a kitten/cat arrives. Cornish are not
deliberately destructive, but they do have a daily agenda.
In completing their daily rounds they may accidentally dislodge a
priceless heirloom urn or piece of crystal. If a small object is
valuable or irreplaceable, put it behind glass or put it away. Anything
on a table top
that is easily movable or will roll becomes a toy and will eventually
roll off the edge with a little help from your new friend. Before you
know it, there will be very few places that will be inaccessible to
him. Both these breeds are fond of heights, and can often be found
perched on top of refrigerators, tall wardrobes, room dividers, tv's,
transoms over doors or the mantel. If they possess the "parrot gene"
they may leap down unexpectedly from these dizzying heights onto the
shoulders of unsuspecting humans, whether they be family or just a
visitor or as most of my rex seem to do, they quickly learn to jump
right up into your arms from the floor. These talents can be quite a
shock, even when it's not the first time. We do offer one set of
specific precautions. Many cats are lost each year because of their
innate curiosity. THE CLOTHES DRYER, THE REFRIGERATOR, THE FREEZER AND
THE TRASH COMPACTOR are often opened. These places are a source of
great entertainment and mystery to your kitten/cat. He will be unable
to control the urge to check it out. ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOUR CAT IS
BEFORE YOU CLOSE THE DOOR ON ONE OF THESE CAT KILLING APPLIANCES!! We
are sure that once you have lived with one of these fascinating pets
you will be hooked for life--one can never be owned by too many Cornish
Rex. |
Guard and awn hairs are longer than down hairs and much more coarse,
and make up the top layers of the coat. Down hairs are shorter and very
soft, and make up the undercoat. The Cornish Rex coat is made up only
of down hairs, giving the coat its unique look and texture. It is not
harsh like a Poodle, nor woolly like the lamb. It is as soft to the
touch as silk, yet has the plushness of velvet, and is softer than any
other feline coat. 
