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These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Last week, the Internet got conquered by a photo of an orange kitten with curly hair. The picture was shared with the following caption: “I’ve never seen a cat with curls until now.” Well, neither have most of us, but this is no trick – the curly hair on the kitty is the real deal, and here’s why.

The breed of the cat who became Insta-famous last week is most likely the Selkirk rex – and its origins can be traced to one peculiar rescue cat named Miss DePesto.

Miss DePesto was born in a Montana shelter in 1987. She had four siblings, each of which have straight coats, but the kitty stood out due to her unusually curly hair. She was adopted by Jeri Newman, a local Persian breeder.

She bred the cat with with a black Persian and they produced a litter of six babies, all of them with curly hair. Newman realized the curly hair was a dominant genetic trait – and this is how the Selkirk rex was born.

(h/t)

Last week, the pictures of this orange kitten with curly hair went viral

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: meanpIastic

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: meanpIastic

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: meanpIastic

People started sharing photos of cats with curly hair, usually known as Selkirk Rex

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Its origins can be traced to one peculiar rescue cat named Miss DePesto

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: shumsende

The curly kitty, who was born in a Montana shelter in 1987, had 4 siblings with straight hair

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: shumsende

She was adopted by a breeder who realized her curly fur was a dominant genetic feature

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: shumsende

The woman bred it with a black Persian and they produced a litter of six babies, all of them with curly hair

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

This is how Selkirk Rex was born – the breed named after a woman’s stepfather

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: Ingrid Matschke

She added ‘Rex’ to indicate that the adorable coat was curly, a feature that so many cat lovers fell in love with

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Image credits: ignataliya

Positive reactions from the Internet:

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Negative reactions from the Internet:

These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

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What do you think ?

POST

Brigitte 7 years ago

Very cute but I completely agree with the "negative" reactions from the Internet. Breeding a rescue cat??? Oh the irony.

39points

Sandra-Nadia Lajoie-Swartz 7 years ago

Because it was in 1987... Things have changed.

16points

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cassiushumanmother 7 years ago

i agree Brigitte! It's a shame, not just for the fact of breeding rescueds cats, but BREEDING????i'm an ethologist/biological speciaslist and it is very dangerous to do such things. Curls here are here because of a disease, and people reproduce the disease and want to keep it because of just some CUTE HAIRS and MONEYYYYYYY! The people who are breeding that should get a lawsuit and i'm not even american.This is very dangerous! Mary Shelley: they should read her (Frankenstein), it was a century ago...they are monsters (not the cats, the people)

2points

Lorraine Shelton 7 years ago

Exactly. Focus on the millions of strays. Only 300 Selkirk kittens are born in the US every year. People don't own them instead of a rescue cat, they own them in addition to a rescue cat, in my experience.

0points

Andy Atwell 7 years ago

And I thought was just the result of a sneaky poodle...

23points

Cathy b 7 years ago

😂😂

2points

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Melissa Nunya 7 years ago

They are cute. But I can't get behind the breeding. Adopt, don't shop.

16points

floof lover 7 years ago

My family recently purchased a german shepherd puppy so that when she is older, I will have a "scary" looking dog to take with me when I run at night. They do have a lot of health issues as a breed, and as such, my parents wanted to be able to trace the family lineage to see their hip health, temperaments, etc. We wanted a young dog so that we can socialize it properly, as GSDs MUST be socialized heavily, as they are naturally slightly aggressive and so we have to train it out of them.

0points

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POST

Brigitte 7 years ago

Very cute but I completely agree with the "negative" reactions from the Internet. Breeding a rescue cat??? Oh the irony.

39points

Sandra-Nadia Lajoie-Swartz 7 years ago

Because it was in 1987... Things have changed.

16points

Load More Replies...

cassiushumanmother 7 years ago

2points

Lorraine Shelton 7 years ago

0points

Andy Atwell 7 years ago

And I thought was just the result of a sneaky poodle...

23points

Cathy b 7 years ago

😂😂

2points

Load More Replies...

Melissa Nunya 7 years ago

They are cute. But I can't get behind the breeding. Adopt, don't shop.

16points

floof lover 7 years ago

0points

Load More Replies...

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These Curly Cats Who All Descended From One Shelter Kitty Are Taking Internet By Storm

Last week, the pictures of this orange kitten with curly hair went viral

People started sharing photos of cats with curly hair, usually known as Selkirk Rex

Its origins can be traced to one peculiar rescue cat named Miss DePesto

The curly kitty, who was born in a Montana shelter in 1987, had 4 siblings with straight hair

She was adopted by a breeder who realized her curly fur was a dominant genetic feature

The woman bred it with a black Persian and they produced a litter of six babies, all of them with curly hair

This is how Selkirk Rex was born – the breed named after a woman’s stepfather

She added ‘Rex’ to indicate that the adorable coat was curly, a feature that so many cat lovers fell in love with

Positive reactions from the Internet:

Negative reactions from the Internet:

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