History: The first Devon Rex cat was a stray tom living wild in an abandoned tin mine near Buckfastleigh in Devon England. It was hoped to breed from him but despite many attempts he always eluded capture.

Then, in 1960 he mated with a tortie-and-white female and she produced a litter of Devon Rex Kittens. This female had been befriended by a Miss Beryl Cox, who lived near the tin mine and who had been observing the strange-looking tom for some time.

The litter was born in a field at the end of her garden. After taking a close look Miss Cox was able to see that one of the kittens, a male, had the same curly coat as the wild tom. She took this kitten and reared it carefully in her home, naming him "Kirlee". Kirlee was to become the founding father of the Devon Rex Breed.

Coat: The coat of a Devon Rex is made up largely of down hair, with only a few guard hairs, so that what is visible is essentially the cats under-coat. The Devon Rex coat has two advantages, there are few molted hairs; and people with cat hair allergies are far less likely to suffer when they come into close contact with this breed.