Cornish Rex Breed Information

The Cornish Rex is a highly active cat always on the move; they will often happily play on their own if no one is able to play with them. You won’t often hear the Cornish Rex but you will know if they want your attention!

Adoring people, the Cornish Rex should happily sit on your lap when they have finished playing. If they are left alone for too long they may become destructive due to boredom. Don’t be surprised if you often find them in high up places as they love to jump to the highest point in the room.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their cat develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Cornish Rex are prone to include:

• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) - a condition where cysts, present in the kidneys from birth, gradually increase in size until the kidney cannot function normally, resulting in kidney failure. A genetic test is available for this disease.
• Progressive retinal atrophy - a genetic eye problem which causes progressive blindness, tests are available to check for the disease.

We’d recommend discussing the medical history of your potential kitten’s parents and grandparents, and think very carefully before taking on a cat with any of the health conditions listed above evident in the family line.

Coat care:

Their hair is usually fragile and can break easily even with gentle brushing, so care should be taken when grooming. Often stroking them with your hand is sufficient to keep their coat in good condition.

Estimated cost over lifetime:

These costs are based on essential items such as:

• A bed, litter and tray
• Grooming items
• Food and bowl
• Preventive treatment such as flea, worming, vaccinations and neutering
• Toys
• Cat carrier
• Pet insurance

This does not include initial purchase cost, non-essential items (such as holiday care) or potential veterinary treatment of which an excess needs to be paid before your pet may be covered by pet insurance.

Insure your Cornish Rex Cat with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like Cornish Rexs that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your Cornish Rex Cat with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your cat please visit our kitten and cat section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a cat from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your cat from.

Not sure if the Cornish Rex is the right pet for you?