German Rex

The story of curly-coated cats begins not in Cornwall and not in Devon but in Berlin — in a hospital garden, in 1951, with a curly-coated cat named Lämmchen. The German Rex predates the Cornish Rex (1950, though formally recognized later) and the Devon Rex (1960) as a distinct named and recognized breed — making it the first formally documented Rex cat in the world. Its arrival in the cat fancy was shaped by postwar Germany’s specific historical circumstances, its development was driven by the dedication of a handful of European breeders, and its subsequent overshadowing by the more aggressively promoted Cornish and Devon Rex is one of the cat fancy’s quieter injustices. The German Rex is the original. It is also, by any measure, a genuinely excellent cat: active, affectionate, intelligent, and wrapped in a coat that is as tactilely distinctive as the Devon’s or the Cornish’s but with its own specific character. Meeting one, it is difficult to understand how it was ever overlooked.

1. History and Origins: Lämmchen of Berlin

The German Rex has a specific origin, a specific place, and a named foundation cat whose story deserves more recognition than it receives.

Inge Hormann and Lämmchen

In 1951, a nurse named Inge Hormann noticed a curly-coated cat living on the grounds of the Hufeland Hospital in Berlin-Buch. The cat — whose curly coat was immediately distinctive — was named Lämmchen, meaning “little lamb,” for the lamb-like quality of her short, wavy fur. Hormann recognized the coat as unusual and began feeding and caring for Lämmchen, eventually bringing her indoors and beginning a careful documentation of her offspring.

Lämmchen’s kittens showed that the curly coat was heritable — the Rex gene was being passed to descendants. This documentation established Lämmchen as a genuine foundation for a new heritable type.

Dr. Rose Scheuer-Karpin

The formal development of the German Rex as a breed is primarily the work of Dr. Rose Scheuer-Karpin, a Berlin physician and cat enthusiast who obtained Lämmchen in 1957 and began systematic breeding. Scheuer-Karpin worked to establish the breed standard and to bring the German Rex to the attention of the international cat fancy.

The breed was presented at cat shows and attracted attention in Germany and across Europe. FIFe recognized the German Rex in 1982.

Relationship to the Cornish Rex

When genetic testing became available, it was determined that the German Rex and the Cornish Rex carry the same recessive gene mutation (rexoid gene rex1) — meaning that crossing the two breeds produces curly-coated offspring, confirming their genetic identity. This discovery complicated the German Rex’s claim to distinct breed status: if the genes are the same, are they the same breed?

The FIFe and most European cat fancy organizations maintain the German Rex as a distinct breed based on its independent discovery history, its different geographic origin, and its established breed identity — even though the genetics are shared with the Cornish Rex.

Current Status

The German Rex is recognized by FIFe and several European cat organizations but is not recognized by TICA or CFA. It remains relatively rare even in Germany and is essentially unknown in North America.

2. Appearance: The Original Rex Coat

The German Rex coat is the original Rex coat — the curly, wavy, plush texture that all Rex-type cats share, expressed in the German Rex’s own characteristic way.

The Rex Coat

The coat is short, soft, and wavy to curly — closer to the Cornish Rex’s tight, velvety curl than to the Devon Rex’s more pixie-like, loosely waved coat. The German Rex coat has been described as plush, slightly resilient, and with a wave pattern that is soft rather than tight-sprung. The whiskers are also curled, as in other Rex breeds.

The coat lacks the protective outer layer of guard hairs found in most domestic cats — only the softer, wavy awn hairs and down hairs are present. This gives the coat its distinctive softness and its characteristic lack of the slightly rough outer texture of a normal domestic coat.

The coat comes in all colors and patterns.

Body

The body is medium-sized, moderately muscled, and well-proportioned — neither cobby nor elongated, reflecting a more moderate cat type than either the Cornish Rex’s extreme slenderness or the Devon Rex’s pixie-like build. The legs are medium-length, the tail is long and tapering, and the overall impression is of a capable, athletic domestic cat with a distinctively soft coat.

Males weigh 8 to 12 pounds; females 6 to 9 pounds.

Head and Eyes

The head is a rounded wedge with a moderately developed muzzle, prominent cheekbones, and large, oval eyes that can be any color. The ears are large and upright, with a slightly rounded tip and typically minimal ear furnishings.

3. Personality: Postwar German Warmth

The German Rex’s personality reflects the warmth and active engagement associated with Rex-type cats generally — an engaging, curious, people-focused temperament.

Highly Affectionate

The German Rex is a warmly affectionate cat. It bonds with its household, seeks out proximity and physical contact, and provides the consistent, engaged companionship that Rex cats are generally known for. The soft, plush coat makes physical contact with a German Rex a particularly tactile experience — owners consistently reach to stroke the coat again before they consciously decide to do so.

Active and Playful

German Rex cats are energetic and maintain their kitten-like playfulness well into adulthood. They engage with interactive toys and games with genuine enthusiasm, run and jump with athletic confidence, and benefit from daily stimulation that matches their energy level.

Intelligent and Curious

The German Rex is a sharp, observant cat. It learns quickly, monitors its environment with genuine attention, and engages with its people’s activities with the curious interest of an animal that finds the world consistently interesting.

Social and People-Oriented

The German Rex does not like being left alone for extended periods. It thrives on human company and, in its absence, on the company of other social cats. It is broadly social — comfortable with visitors, children, and other animals — and integrates into multi-pet households with easy flexibility.

Vocal

The German Rex is moderately vocal — expressive without being relentless, communicative without being demanding.

4. Care and Maintenance

Grooming

The Rex coat requires minimal brushing — weekly gentle handling or bare-hand stroking is typically sufficient to maintain the coat. Aggressive brushing can disturb the wave pattern or damage the delicate awn hairs. The coat sheds less than standard domestic cats.

Periodic bathing — every four to six weeks — maintains coat cleanliness and removes accumulated skin oils that can build up more visibly in a Rex coat than in longer, guard-hair-protected coats.

Warmth

The absence of guard hairs means the German Rex is less cold-tolerant than fully coated breeds. Indoor living with access to warm sleeping spots is recommended.

Dental Care

Rex breeds can be prone to dental issues. Regular veterinary dental monitoring and preventive dental care is recommended.

5. Health and Lifespan

The German Rex has a lifespan of 9 to 14 years. It is generally healthy but carries some of the constitutional considerations common to Rex breeds.

Cold Sensitivity

The lack of a protective guard coat means the German Rex is more vulnerable to cold and to skin sun damage than coated breeds. Indoor management and protection from extreme temperatures is important.

HCM

Cardiac monitoring is recommended as in most breeds.

Skin Health

Regular bathing prevents oil buildup that can cause skin irritation in Rex-type coats.

6. Is a German Rex Right for You?

Ideal for:

• Rex cat enthusiasts who want the original with its own distinct history
• Active, engaged households where the German Rex’s energy and sociability are met
• Those who appreciate cat fancy history and the breeds that pioneered it
• People who want a distinctly European breed with genuine historical significance

Less ideal for:

• Very cold households without supplementary heating
• Those who want a sedate, low-energy companion
• People in North America where finding a reputable breeder requires significant research

Conclusion

The German Rex was first. Lämmchen was curled before any Devon or Cornish cat was named, documented, or presented to a cat show judge. The breed that grew from her is warm, active, intelligent, and wrapped in the original Rex coat — the coat that started a whole family of curly-coated cats. That it is not the most famous Rex, not the most available Rex, and not the one most people point to when they describe the Rex type is a quirk of cat fancy marketing rather than a reflection of quality. The German Rex is the original. It remains, quietly and entirely, excellent.