The Cornish Rex's signature ultra-thin, guard-hair-free coat isn't just low-maintenance styling — it leaves the cat with little real insulation or sun protection, so these cats chill and sunburn far more easily than a normal-coated cat and often need sweaters or strictly indoor, temperature-controlled living.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
There is no CHIC program for cats. These are the DNA and screening tests that the testing laboratories and cat health bodies name for the Cornish Rex. A breeder who tests will show the certificates; a DNA result of "clear" for one variant is not a guarantee against the disease.
- Burmese Hypokalaemia (WNK4) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for episodic low-potassium muscle weakness
- PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for late-onset progressive retinal atrophy / blindness
- PKD1 DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (low prevalence)
When to spay or neuter: by five months, whatever the breed. That is the one answer the AVMA, the feline practitioners and AAHA all give, and the spay and neuter page has why, and the two weeks after.
Sources: langfordvets.co.uk · vgl.ucdavis.edu · vgl.ucdavis.edu. Checked September 2026. Check a breeder has the questions.
Adopt a Cornish Rex near you
Shelters and rescues list Cornish Rexs and Cornish Rex mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
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Living with a Cornish Rex
This is an extremely people-oriented, high-energy cat that wants to be touching you — hence the 'Velcro kitty' nickname — and needs warmth, not just company: cold rooms and outdoor access are genuinely bad for a cat with essentially no coat. Grooming is minimal since there's barely any hair to brush, but ears need regular cleaning and the skin benefits from a warm bath every week or two.
Health you should know about
- No guard hairs in the coat — real sunburn and cold-sensitivity risk; many owners keep these cats strictly indoors in a warm home and use cat sweaters in cold weather.
- Higher rate of Type B blood in the breed — a Type B queen bred to a Type A tom risks neonatal isoerythrolysis, where nursing kittens' immune systems attack their own red blood cells, so responsible breeders blood-type before mating.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and deafness in some lines are documented breed concerns by vet-reviewed sources — notably, this conflicts with CFA's own breed page, which states the Cornish Rex has 'no inherited health issues.'
Read the full Cat Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a cat needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Cornish Rex? British dog and cat names, 89 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.