The first thing one notices when looking at a Devon Rex is its huge, bat-wing ears ~ the Rex's most prominent feature. A small cheeky face, a slightly turned-up nose and huge slanted eyes all contribute to the "pixie" look of the cat. And with a certain intelligent-but-naughty aura, the Devon Rex gives a definite impression of impishness!
Another striking feature of the Devon Rex is its coat. Devons have a short, rippling coat, which is either fairly loose with a slight wave in the fur, or tight with a definite kink. The coat is extremely soft, being mainly "down" fur, although there are a few guard hairs which break the smoothness (these guard hairs are also softer than those found in other cats).
The coat needs little care by the owners, hand grooming (stroking with the hand or a damp wash cloth), nail trimming, ear cleaning and, possibly, an occasional bath are generally all that is necessary. They have minimal shedding and don't leave hair balls behind. Devons have small bodies, but don't be fooled by the fragile look ~ they are very muscular and agile, and can jump onto whatever may look as if it needs exploring!
They are also very intelligent and naturally curious, investigating anything that looks new, interesting, or unfamiliar.
Although they are small, they are also surprisingly heavy, with the adult females weighing about six or seven pounds, and some males nine pounds or more. Some Devons sport a characteristic *pouchy* tummy which is not an indication of being overweight. Many breeders have practiced a careful outcross program to the American Shorthair and/or British Shorthair in order to provide an expanded and strong gene pool. Today, forty years after their mutant origin, Devon Rex remain remarkably faithful to their original conformation, head type, coat and disposition.
Devons are very loyal to their owners and follow them around, often "talking" with little chirruping noises. They love to be petted and to lie on their owners' shoulders while studying the world, murmuring excitedly to all moving creatures!
Devons are far from lazy and are always on one mission or another, whether it's to show their owners how much they love them, to investigate the pots in the cupboard, or simply to raid the kitchen for any likely looking tidbits! Some Devons enjoy watching their owners bathe. They seem to be fascinated by humans spending so much time in the water, and as usual hate to be left out of the action!
Generally, both the male and female Devons are good parents. Both take an active interest in raising their kittens. A litter usually consists of about four kittens, each weighing about three ounces at birth. Kittens tend to be very impatient to get on with life, and their eyes open while they are very young - usually by the age of 4 or 5 days. By the time they are between 3 and 4 weeks old they are running around exploring everywhere!
Mothers are firm but gentle with their babies, teaching them to clean and look after themselves at a very early age. Kittens are generally fearless and are fascinated by everything!
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