The Hairless & Rex group covers Sphynx (no coat), Devon Rex and Cornish Rex (very short curly down), Selkirk Rex and LaPerm (longer curly coats). These breeds arose from spontaneous coat mutations and tend to be unusually playful, mischievous and people-focused.
The Cornish Rex was discovered in a Cornwall barn in 1950, the Devon Rex in 1960, the Sphynx in Toronto in 1966, and the Selkirk Rex in a Montana shelter in 1987. Each breed traces to a single founding mutation that breeders then deliberately fixed.
The hairless cat. Sphynx have no real coat — just a fine peach-fuzz over wrinkled skin — and feel like warm suede when held. They are extroverted, intensely affectionate and demand human company. Care is high: weekly bathing for skin oils, ear cleaning, sweaters in cold rooms, and HCM screening are non-negotiable.
The pixie cat. Devon Rex have an elf-like face with huge low-set ears, big eyes and a soft wavy coat that feels like crushed velvet. They are mischievous, agile climbers who treat ceiling-height as natural terrain. Health watchouts include hereditary myopathy and HCM.
A slim greyhound-like cat with a marcel-waved curly coat. Cornish Rex are athletic, affectionate and warm to the touch — they have only the soft 'down' undercoat without guard hairs. They're high-energy, social and need warm indoor environments. Generally healthier than Devon Rex.
A 'cat in sheep's clothing' — Selkirk Rex have a thick plush curly coat that gives them a teddy-bear appearance. Calm and patient, more like the British Shorthair (a foundation breed) than the high-energy Cornish or Devon Rex. Both shorthair and longhair varieties exist.
A spontaneous curly-coat mutation from an Oregon barn. LaPerm coats range from soft loose ringlets (longhair) to tight wavy curls (shorthair), often with a unique 'tousled' look. They are gentle, affectionate and particularly people-oriented. Generally one of the healthiest pedigreed breeds.
No breed is fully hypoallergenic — the Fel d 1 allergen is in saliva and skin oils, not coat. However Sphynx and Rex breeds shed less hair into the environment, so many mild allergy sufferers tolerate them better.
Without a coat to absorb skin oils, those oils build up on the skin and stain bedding. Most Sphynx need a weekly warm bath with mild cat shampoo, plus regular ear cleaning.
Indoor-only — yes, in any climate. They lose body heat fast though, so provide heated beds, sweaters in cold rooms and avoid letting them outside in cool weather.