Origin of the Poodle Cats
Poodle Cat or as they also call them in Germany Pudlekatze was originally raised by Rosemarie Wolf, a German Scottish Fold breeder. The first cat of this breed was born in 1987 (somewhere you will find in 1994) in Stanberg, Germany. Rosemary has mated by crossing Devon Rexes and Scottish Fold.
According to another story where the year 1987 coincidences, a litter was born and only one out of five was distinctively thicker with curlier hair. This kitten was given to a professional Persian cat breeder who mated it with one of her cats and Selkirk Rex (which is a Poodle Cat scientific name) was born. Anyhow, the beauties are officially recognized as a separate breed by scientists. The breeders are sure of that for more than 20 years.
It is fair to mention the third and last of all the theories about the appearance of this breed. The story says that every Poodle cat which is wherever on the globe is traced back to a cat named “Miss Depesto” born in Montana in 1987.
These Poodle Cats are sometimes confused with Rex Cats like the previously mentioned Rex Cats, such as Devon Rex Cat and Cornish Rex Cat. That is why there are different explanations about the origin of the Poodle Cats. We will stick to the last-mentioned story and describe a real and officially accepted Poodle Cat and say that it has curly normal length hair, and is not prone to going bald.
Scientists are separating this breed according to already-made genetic analysis that completes the frame of the Poodle Cat breed in every detail.
This describes the Poodle Cat as a cat breed that occurred after a curly-haired female cat was mated with a Persian cat and the litter consists of five kittens, some with curly and some with straight hair. Only one of those five kittens looked so interesting that a Persian cat breeder Jeryi Newman was impressed by its appearance and adopted the kitten. He named it Miss Depesto, after a character from the TV show “Moonlighting”. He bred this cat with his Persian cats and created the breed of Poodle Cats.
Out of what has been so far acknowledged by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Miss Depesto’s DNA has got a spontaneous modification which resulted in curly hair. That is the most distinguishing sign of the Poodle Cats. Their scientific analysis has shown that after nine generations of breeding, this modification or mutation appears to be autosomal dominant.
A lot of research has been done and after combining through the DNA analysis it has been concluded that this one dominant trait is always present. This led to the Selkirk Rex being a breed of its own.
This mutation is responsible for their unique curly coat that makes Poodle Cats enchanting and beautiful.
Physical Characteristics and Appearance of the Poodle Cats
Poodle Cat is very curly which is how it got the name. They also have a very large body. Full coat and a large body are the two characteristics that separate them from other Rex breeds. Poodle Cats have curly whiskers at the end and that makes it very interesting. Poodle cats have round heads with large rounded eyes. Their ears are medium in size. These cats have distinctive muzzles, whose length is almost half of their width.
If a Poodle cat has an extreme break like the Persian cat, it can be a problem, because if taken to a show it can be disqualified.
Poodle cats can appear in every color and that is acceptable. This breed can also show an albinism. The most frequent colors are sepia, mink varieties, cinnamon, silver smoke, and chocolate or lilac shades.
Temperament and Care of the Poodle Cats
Poodle Cats have a great personality. They can make an ideal housemate for a feline lover. They are adjustable and very fast become friends with all family members.The temperament of the Poodle cat is a combination of the breeds mixed to get them, so they are similar to British Shorthair, their cuddly nature is from the Persian cat, and the playfulness is taken from the Exotic Shorthair.
Poodle Cats do not shed as much as the other cat breeds. They have curly hair as a result of a genetic mutation and thus, half of their fur is missing and they do not have as much hair as the other cats, so shading is half as normal in cats.
The Poodle Cats need to be frequently bathed since they may show a tendency of excessive greasiness of the coat.
Health Issues with the Poodle Cat
So far there are not any health-connected issues of the Poodle cats. It is very important to take care of their face structure and clean their face so you will prevent kinking of the tear ducts. If it is not taken care of it may result in tears running down their face or muzzle which can be a cause of dermatitis.
Like other curly hair pets, Poodle Cats’ ears have to be cleaned regularly. In this breed ear wax can be produced more than in other animals and it may cause an infection with further consequences.
All the other health problems may occur as a result of the genetic constitution of the used outcrossed breeds. Polycystic Kidney Disease or Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a health issue as well. All the experienced breeders are fully aware of these problems and they are doing regular checks at the vets to prevent any health issues from appearing. This is also the best way to reduce problems with breeding.
In the UK all the Selkirk Rex, the Poodle Cats who are registered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy for breeding must be genetically tested for Polycystic Kidney Disease.
