Cornish Rex Cat Breed Information
Small, slender cat with an extremely soft curly coat made entirely of down hair (no guard hairs). Highly active, dog-like in temperament, and one of the most social pedigree breeds.
A highly affectionate, highly trainable, great with young children cat. On the practical side: minimal drool and low shedding. The trade-off is high grooming needs.
About the Cornish Rex.
The Cornish Rex is a small, slender, curly-coated cat with an extremely soft coat made entirely of down hair. There are no guard hairs at all, which gives the breed its distinctive crushed-velvet feel and tight curls. The breed traces to a single mutant kitten named Kallibunker born on a Cornish farm in 1950.
Personality and behaviour
Cornish Rex are intensely social, openly affectionate and dog-like. They greet visitors at the door, ride on shoulders, sleep under blankets, and watch every household activity. The breed is highly trainable, with fetch, recall and harness walking all routine.
The surprise for new owners is the energy. The breed is small but moves at the pace of a Bengal.
Care and grooming
The fragile down coat does not need brushing. Weekly stroking with a soft cloth removes the small amount of shed and freshens the coat. A bath every four to six weeks manages the skin oils that the thin coat does not absorb.
The breed is more sensitive to sun and cold than most cats given the thin coat. Indoor-only living, sun-safe windows, and warm sleeping spots are standard.
Indoor vs outdoor in New Zealand
Indoor or catio. The breed is small, valuable, and not weather-protected. Sun risk is real in upper North Island summers.
Where to find a Cornish Rex in New Zealand
The NZCF and Catz Inc breeder directories list NZ-registered Cornish Rex breeders (NZCF Cornish Rex, Catz Inc Cornish Rex). Expect a four to seven month waitlist, NZD 1,200 to 2,800. Ask whether parents have been screened for HCM and lines avoided for hypotrichosis.
Insurance and lifetime cost
The Cornish Rex claim profile is dominated by skin conditions and HCM in middle to late life. Lifetime cost is mid-range for a pedigree cat at $250 to $400 a month all-in.
The Cornish Rex, by the numbers.
Each trait scored 1 to 5 on the AKC scale. The verdict synthesises the data; the panels below show the strengths, group averages, and the full trait table.
Top strengths
Family Life
avg 4.3Affectionate with Family
Good with Young Children
Good with Other Pets
Physical
avg 2.5Shedding
Grooming Frequency
Social
avg 3.5Openness to Strangers
Playfulness
Adaptability
Independence
Personality
avg 4.0Trainability
Energy Level
Vocal Level
Prey Drive
Mental Stimulation Needs
Living with a Cornish Rex.
A 24-hour breakdown of how this breed's day typically goes, scaled to its energy, mental-stimulation, and grooming needs.
What a Cornish Rex costs to own.
An indicative NZ lifetime cost: purchase, setup, then food, vet, insurance, grooming and other annual outgoings. Adjust the inputs to see how your choices change the total.
A Cornish Rex costs about
$179per month
$41
$6
$30,159
Adjust the inputs:
Where the monthly cost goes
Food
$30 / mo
$355/yr · breed-appropriate dry & wet food
Insurance
$30 / mo
$358/yr · lifetime cover protects against breed-specific claims
Vet (avg)
$54 / mo
$650/yr · routine checks plus breed-specific risk
Grooming
$40 / mo
$480/yr · brushes, shampoo, professional clips
Other
$25 / mo
$300/yr · toys, treats, dental, boarding
Indicative NZ averages calculated from breed weight, grooming need and screened-condition count. One-off costs (purchase $2,000 + setup $300) are factored into the lifetime total but not the monthly figure.
How does the Cornish Rex compare?
This breed
Cornish Rex
$30,159
13-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$2,300
- Food (lifetime)$4,615
- Vet (lifetime)$8,450
- Insurance (lifetime)$4,654
- Grooming (lifetime)$6,240
- Other (lifetime)$3,900
Reference
Average NZ cat
$23,600
14-year lifetime cost
- Purchase + setup$500
- Food (lifetime)$7,000
- Vet (lifetime)$5,600
- Insurance (lifetime)$5,600
- Grooming (lifetime)$1,400
- Other (lifetime)$3,500
A Cornish Rex costs about $6,559 more over a lifetime than the average nz cat, mostly highergrooming and highervet.
What to ask the breeder.
Reputable NZ cat breeders test for these conditions and share results. The bigger health drivers for the breed appear in the Common group.
Common
1 conditionDental disease
A common condition in the Cornish Rex. Ask the breeder about screening.
Occasional
4 conditionsHypotrichosis (progressive baldness)
Some lines produce kittens with progressive hair loss.
Skin yeast infections
Greasy skin and missing guard hairs predispose to Malassezia. Weekly baths help.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Reported in the breed. Annual cardiac screening sensible.
Patellar luxation
An occasional condition in the Cornish Rex. Worth asking about.
The Cornish Rex in NZ.
- Popularity: A consistent Catz Inc and NZCF breed in NZ, smaller in numbers than Devon Rex but with active breeders.
- Typical price: NZ$1200–2800 from registered breeders or rescues
- Rescue availability: rare
- NZ climate fit: Sun-sensitive in upper North Island summers; provide UV-filtered windows. Cold-sensitive in Otago and Southland winters.
- Living space: Apartments and houses both suit. The breed is small and indoor-only.
Who the Cornish Rex is for.
Suits
- Households home most of the day
- Mildly allergic households (the down coat sheds very little)
- Owners wanting an interactive, dog-like cat
Less suited to
- Long-hours-out single-cat households
- Cold homes (the thin coat means the breed feels cold sooner than most)
- Outdoor-roaming setups
Common questions.
How is the Cornish Rex different from a Devon Rex?
Is a Cornish Rex hypoallergenic?
Will a Cornish Rex tolerate cold?
If the Cornish Rex appeals, also consider.
Breeds with a similar profile that might suit your household.
Devon Rex
Small, large-eared, curly-coated cat with a mischievous and dog-like personality. The Devon Rex's curly coat comes from a spontaneous gene mutation in a Devonshire stray in 1959. Sociable, attention-seeking, and a poor fit for households where the cat is alone all day.
Selkirk Rex
The most patient and laid-back of the curly-coated cat breeds. Unlike the Cornish Rex and Devon Rex, the Selkirk Rex has all three normal coat layers, just curly, and a calm Persian-style temperament rather than a vocal active one.
Sphynx
The hairless cat. Warm, social, attention-seeking, vocal, and one of the most demanding breeds on this site. The Sphynx requires weekly bathing, sun-safe living, climate management, and a household that is home most of the day.
Siamese
Slender, blue-eyed colourpoint cat from Thailand. Among the most vocal and people-bonded breeds in the world. Smart, demanding, and a poor fit for households where the cat is alone all day.
Last reviewed:
Sources for this pageInformation only. Breed traits and health notes on this page are aggregated from public registry and breed-authority sources. Individual animals vary; this page is general information, not veterinary, behavioural, or insurance advice. Always consult a registered NZ vet or breeder for guidance specific to your situation.