Devon Rex Cat Breed Information

The Devon Rex is a small curly-coated cat with very large ears, large eyes, and a strongly people-bonded personality. The look is often called “pixie-like” or “alien”, with a triangular head and a slender body. The breed is one of the most dog-like cats on this site: trainable, demonstrative, fetch-driven, and miserable when alone.

The curly coat is the breed signature, produced by a recessive mutation that emerged in a single stray Devonshire tom in 1959. Coat colour and pattern are unrestricted; any cat colour can show up in the breed.

Personality and behaviour

Devon Rex are mischievous, interactive, and constantly underfoot. They greet visitors at the door, ride on shoulders, sleep under blankets, and watch every household activity. The breed has a classic dog-like fetch drive that many owners exploit for daily exercise.

They are highly trainable and intelligent. Clicker work, recall, harness walking and trick training are routine. The breed is openly social, often described as half-cat, half-dog, half-monkey.

They tolerate other pets well and are happier in multi-pet households. A bored Devon Rex finds its own entertainment, often by raiding food, opening doors and chewing things it shouldn’t.

The surprise for new owners is the breed’s heat-seeking habit. Devon Rex love warm laps, blankets and sun spots, and will physically burrow under bedding for warmth.

Care and grooming

The curly coat looks high-maintenance but is in fact one of the easier coats. Brushing damages the curl, so use a soft rubber mitt or a damp cloth weekly to remove the small amount of shed and freshen the coat. Bathing every four to six weeks manages the skin oils that the thin coat does not absorb.

The bigger care item is ear cleaning. The large ears produce more wax than typical cat ears and are prone to Malassezia yeast infections. Weekly ear checks and gentle cleaning prevent recurring problems.

Skin care matters too. The thin coat offers limited protection against scratches, sunburn and cold. Indoor-only living, sun-safe windows, and warm sleeping spots are standard.

Indoor vs outdoor in New Zealand

Indoor or catio. Devon Rex are small, attention-seeking, valuable, and not street-aware. The thin coat offers little protection against sun, cold, scratches or weather. Prey drive is moderate, so the standard NZ wildlife and SPCA NZ containment case applies, but the bigger arguments here are personal safety and theft. NZ Devon Rex breeders consistently advise indoor or catio living.

Where to find a Devon Rex in New Zealand

The NZCF and Catz Inc breeder directories list NZ-registered Devon Rex breeders (NZCF Devon Rex breeders, Catz Inc Devon Rex). Expect a three to six month waitlist for kittens, NZD 1,200 to 2,800. Ask whether parents have been screened for HCM and DNA-tested for Devon Rex myopathy (where lines have a history). Confirm the breeder avoids hypotrichosis-affected lines.

Devon Rex-specific rescues are rare in NZ. Adults appear occasionally at SPCA NZ and all-breed cat rescues, often surrendered after a household lifestyle change reduces the time available for an attention-demanding breed. Adoption is around NZD 200 to 400.

Insurance and lifetime cost

The Devon Rex claim profile is dominated by HCM in middle to late life, occasional skin and ear conditions, and dental disease. Reputable breeders screen for HCM and avoid lines affected by myopathy and hypotrichosis. Ask insurers about cover for skin conditions specifically (some policies treat chronic dermatology as routine grooming and exclude it). Lifetime cost is mid-range to high for a pedigree cat at $300 to $450 a month all-in covering food, weekly skin and ear care, parasite control and pet insurance.