The Selkirk Rex cat breed got its start with a kitten that was born in Montana in 1987. This curly haired kitten had a rescued mother of unknown origin, and ultimately found a home with a cat breeder named Jeri Newman. Newman named the cat Miss DePesto after a character played by actress Allyce Beasley.
When Miss DePesto reached adulthood, she was bred with a black Persian male named PhotoFinish of Deekay. The resulting litter contained three straight haired kittens and three curly haired kittens, showing that an autosomally dominant gene was responsible for the curly coat.
Once established, the breed was named after Newman’s stepfather, Selkirk. Over time, breeders out crossed with American Shorthairs, Himalayans, Persians, British Shorthairs, and exotic Shorthairs. At present, only The International Cat Association (TICA) accepts the American Shorthair as an acceptable outcross.
TICA was first to recognize the Selkirk Rex cat breed, granting acceptance in 1992. The American Cat Fanciers Association granted its recognition in 1998, and the Cat Fanciers Association followed suit in 2000. Today, the Selkirk Rex is accepted by cat registries worldwide.