Selkirk Rex Kittens: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

The short answer

If you want a Selkirk Rex kitten, buy from a breeder registered with a cat council who shows you both parents' PKD1 DNA results and can tell you what else they screen for, given the breed's Persian and British outcrosses. No council or club publishes a price, and in November 2026 we found no member breeder publishing one on its own website, so ask several. Ask about straight-coated Selkirks too: the registries record them, and the Cat Fanciers' Association says they can have the same personality. If papers do not matter, check the longhaired cats and kittens in rescue near you, where a fee of a few hundred dollars includes desexing and vaccination. Rescue fees were read 12 November 2026 and are a reference, not a quote.

A curly-coated Selkirk Rex kitten with a round face and loose ringlets in its fur resting on a grey knitted blanket — A Selkirk Rex kitten. The adult curls can take up to two years to come in fully.

Should you adopt or buy a Selkirk Rex?

It depends on whether the curls are the point. If you want a papered, curly-coated kitten with known parents, a council-registered breeder is the honest route, and you should expect to ask for a price and probably wait. If what you want is a calm, sturdy, affectionate cat, rescue is worth checking first: numbers change daily, and the fee covers desexing, microchipping and vaccination.

A registered breeder. No published prices that we could find, so you will be asking. The trap is a breeder who cannot show PKD results or explain what their outcross breeds mean for testing.
A straight-coated Selkirk from a breeder. The registries record these kittens, and the Cat Fanciers' Association says they can offer the same personality at a lower price. Worth asking about if the curl is not essential.
A rescue, shelter or council pound. A few hundred dollars, vet work done. A curly-coated rescue cat may be listed under another breed name, so read the description and ask.
An online ad. The highest risk. Scamwatch says a very cheap pet is likely a scam.

What do the registries say a Selkirk Rex is?

The CCCA, the ACF and ANCATS all recognise the Selkirk Rex in both coat lengths. Their own standards, read on 12 November 2026, agree on the essentials and differ on which breeds may be used as outcrosses.

Registry	Description	Allowable outcrosses
CCCA (Feb 2025)	Medium to large, heavy boning giving surprising weight; a sweet, alert and active personality; a dominant mutation giving every hair a gentle wave or curl. Withholds awards for no evidence of curl or an extreme nose break.	Persian or Exotic for kittens born before 1 January 2021; British Shorthair (end date removed June 2024). Straight-coated kittens from these matings registered as AOV Selkirk.
ACF (Nov 2025)	Medium to large, semi-cobby, substantial boning; double coat with curls most prominent on the neck, tail and belly. Withholds awards for a definite nose stop.	Persians, Exotics, British Shorthair or American Shorthair. Straight-coated kittens registered as Selkirk Rex AOV.
ANCATS	A dominant gene affecting the guard, down and awn hairs, giving loose individual curls; the Selkirk Longhair is part of the breed group.	Not stated on its breed profile

The ACF's separate DNA testing list (October 2025) describes Selkirks as interbred with British Shorthair, British Longhair, American Shorthair, and Persian and Exotic “till January 1, 2026”. Rules change, so ask your breeder's council which outcrosses it currently allows.

In the US, the Cat Fanciers' Association traces the breed to a curly-coated female from a Montana litter who was bred to a black Persian and produced three curly kittens out of six. It accepted the breed for registration in 1992 and for championship in 2000, and gives adult males 12 to 15 lb (about 5.4 to 6.8 kg), with females somewhat smaller.

How is the Selkirk curl inherited?

The curl is dominant, which makes the Selkirk different from the Devon and Cornish Rex. The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory says the variant is incompletely dominant: one copy gives a cat a wavy Selkirk coat, two copies give a tighter curl together with a slender body and long ears, and breeders favour cats with one copy for the sturdier body, smaller ears and looser curl. A cat with one copy passes the curl to half its kittens on average, which is why straight-coated kittens turn up in Selkirk litters.

A 2012 genetic study in the Journal of Heredity confirmed the incomplete dominance and found that cats with two copies tend to lose their coat as kittens, though they usually do not show bald skin later. The same study placed the Selkirk in the Persian breed family, closely related to the British Shorthair, Scottish Fold, Persian and Exotic, and found a genetically diverse base, which the authors said may be enough to support some limits on outcrossing.

The curls also take time. The ACF standard says kittens start to develop an adult curly coat at 8 to 10 months and the coat does not reach full development until about two years, and ANCATS gives the same two-year figure. The kitten you bring home at 12 weeks will look different as an adult.

Which health checks should a Selkirk Rex breeder do?

Most of the questions to ask come from the breeds the Selkirk is crossed with. The Australian Cat Federation's minimum testing list (October 2025) names the PKD1 DNA test for the Selkirk Rex and recommends testing for all diseases relevant to its outcross breeds. The 2012 study said that because the Selkirk is so closely related to the Persian family, heart disease (HCM), polycystic kidney disease and problems from a more than moderately flat face should be monitored in the breed.

Check	Why	Source
PKD1 DNA test	Polycystic kidney disease, inherited as a dominant trait; UC Davis lists the Selkirk Rex among breeds to test	ACF; UC Davis VGL
Tests for the outcross breeds	The ACF recommends testing for diseases relevant to the British, Persian, Exotic and American Shorthair lines in the pedigree	ACF
Heart scan	HCM; there is no Selkirk DNA test for it	Filler et al. 2012; CFA
Blood type	The CFA says blood type incompatibility can occur, and the ACF says AB blood groups should be monitored in all breeds	CFA; ACF
Face shape	Both Australian standards penalise an extreme or definite nose stop; the 2012 study flagged problems from a more than moderately flat face	CCCA; ACF

A buying checklist, not veterinary advice. Read 12 November 2026.

For balance: the Cat Fanciers' Association says Selkirks are known for good health and for no breed-specific health concerns, and that breeders typically screen for PKD, hip dysplasia and HCM because of the outcross breeds. The 2012 study notes that curly coats in cats have been linked with occasional patchy baldness, seborrhoeic dermatitis and excess yeast on the skin, but no other direct harm. Ask your vet to check the skin at the first visit.

What does a Selkirk Rex kitten cost in Australia?

We could not find a published price. No Australian cat council or club publishes a Selkirk Rex price, and Cats Victoria (GCCFV) says kitten pricing is up to individual breeders. In November 2026 we looked for Selkirk Rex catteries on council breeder lists and read their own websites. None that we found published a price there: some list no kittens and no price, and others have no website beyond social media. The only price we found was in a listing-site ad, and we never quote those.

Route	Reference figure	Read
Member breeders	No price published on their own websites; ask each breeder	12 Nov 2026
Cat councils and clubs	No Selkirk Rex price published	12 Nov 2026
RSPCA NSW	$270 kitten under 6 months; $220 cat over 6 months	12 Nov 2026
Cat Protection Society of NSW	$150 per cat or kitten; $250 for two	12 Nov 2026

Reference figures only, not quotes. Rescues set and change their own fees, so check with them; rescue fees usually include desexing, microchipping and vaccination. Fees in other states are in our guide to kittens for sale in Australia.

When you ask breeders, ask what the price includes, whether a straight-coated kitten is available, and whether there is a health guarantee. Cats Victoria says a kitten should be 10 weeks of age or older, vaccinated, desexed and microchipped before it comes to you.

See longhaired cats and kittens listed near you

Numbers change daily, so check the live listings. Each listing links to the rescue, where you apply directly.

Longhairs in Sydney →Longhairs in Melbourne →Longhairs in Brisbane →Longhairs in Perth →Longhairs in Adelaide →

What is a Selkirk Rex like, and how much grooming does it need?

The Cat Fanciers' Association describes Selkirks as more interactive than active: focused on their people, keen on a warm lap, able to chase a toy through the house but most comfortable with four feet on the floor. It says they are not particularly vocal but will “talk” back if you start a conversation, and that they do well with children and other animals as long as children handle them gently.

Grooming is lighter than the coat suggests. The CFA says Selkirks do not mat easily, that fluffing the curls with your fingers keeps the coat looking its best, and that a good combing once or twice a month removes dead hair; a hair pick helps separate clumps of curls on longhairs. The whiskers are curly and fragile and tend to break off, though the CFA says Selkirks seem to manage fine without them.

Is a curly coat better for allergies?

No. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) says that as all cats have sebaceous glands, all cat breeds can cause allergies, and that up to half of people who are allergic to animals do not react straight away. If anyone at home has a cat allergy or asthma, talk to a doctor first. Our guide to hypoallergenic cats in Australia covers the evidence.

Good fit: a home that wants a sturdy, affectionate, people-focused cat and enjoys an unusual coat.
Think twice: anyone choosing the breed for allergies, or expecting adult curls on a young kitten.

Not sure what kind of cat suits you? Try the what cat breed am I quiz.

How do you check a Selkirk Rex breeder?

Confirm the registration yourself. Ask which council the breeder belongs to: ANCATS, a member body of the Australian Cat Federation, a member council of the CCCA, or another body. Then check with that council directly.
Ask about the pedigree. Which outcross breeds are in the last few generations, and which tests the breeder runs because of them.
See the PKD1 results for both parents, and ask about heart scans and blood types.
Check your state's number. NSW, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT set rules for kitten ads. The state-by-state table is in our kittens for sale guide.
Meet the kitten with its mother, in person or on a live video call, and ask whether the kitten has one or two copies of the curl if the breeder has tested.

What do Selkirk Rex kitten scams look like?

Scamwatch says scammers set up fake websites to sell popular breeds, and fake social media and marketplace profiles for pets that do not exist. Its advice: view the pet in person or on a video call with the breeder, verify the breeder is legitimate and accredited, and compare prices, because a very cheap pet is likely a scam. It also warns about being asked to pay by money order, pre-loaded card, or to several different PayIDs or accounts.

“Hypoallergenic” promises. ASCIA says all cat breeds can cause allergies.
“Registered” with no council named, or a membership you cannot confirm.
No visit and no live video call with the kitten and its mother.
Copied photos. Run a reverse image search on the kitten photos.

If you have already paid, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch.

Where to find a Selkirk-type cat to adopt

Numbers change daily, so watch the live listings and set an alert. A curly or plush-coated cat may be listed under another breed name, so check the rex breed pages as well as the longhaired and kitten pages, and read each description.

Long-haired cats in the big cities

Kittens near you

Related breed pages

Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the other curly-coated breeds we list, with adopt-or-buy guides for the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex.
British Shorthair and Persian, the Selkirk's outcross families.

Before you apply, the adoption readiness check takes five minutes, and our guide to adopting a cat in Australia walks through the process.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Selkirk Rex kitten in Australia?▼

We could not find a published price. No Australian cat council or club publishes one, and in November 2026 no member breeder we checked published a Selkirk Rex price on its own website. We do not quote prices that appear only on listing sites, so ask registered breeders directly. A rescue cat costs the normal rescue fee, for example $220 for an adult cat at RSPCA NSW (read 12 November 2026; fees change, so check with them; a reference, not a quote).

What makes the Selkirk Rex coat curly?▼

A dominant gene. The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory says the variant is incompletely dominant: one copy gives a wavy coat, and two copies give a tighter curl along with a slender body and long ears. Breeders generally prefer cats with one copy for the sturdy body and loose curls. The CCCA standard says the mutation affects every type of hair (guard, down and awn).

Is the Selkirk Rex recognised in Australia?▼

Yes. The Coordinating Cat Council of Australia publishes a Selkirk Rex Shorthair and Longhair standard (February 2025), the Australian Cat Federation publishes a Selkirk Rex standard for both coat lengths (amended November 2025), and ANCATS lists the Selkirk Rex with the longhair as part of the breed group. In the US, the Cat Fanciers' Association accepted it for registration in 1992.

What is a straight-coated Selkirk Rex?▼

A kitten from a Selkirk litter that did not inherit the curl. Because the curl gene is dominant and breeders outcross to other breeds, some kittens have straight coats. The CCCA registers straight-coated kittens from outcross matings as AOV Selkirk, and the ACF registers straight-coated kittens as Selkirk Rex AOV. The Cat Fanciers' Association suggests a straight-coated Selkirk if cost is a concern, saying it can have the same personality.

What health tests should a Selkirk Rex breeder do?▼

The Australian Cat Federation's minimum testing list for the Selkirk Rex (October 2025) names the PKD1 DNA test for polycystic kidney disease, and recommends testing for all diseases relevant to the breeds Selkirks are crossed with, which include the British Shorthair and Longhair, Persian and Exotic. A 2012 genetics study said heart disease (HCM), PKD and problems from a more than moderately flat face should be monitored in the breed. Ask about heart scans and blood types too.

Are Selkirk Rex cats healthy?▼

The Cat Fanciers' Association says the breed is known for good health and no breed-specific health concerns, but that breeders typically screen for conditions found in the outcross breeds, such as PKD, hip dysplasia and HCM, and test blood types before breeding. A 2012 study found the breed has a genetically diverse base. Individual health depends on the parents, so the test results matter more than the breed's reputation.

How much grooming does a Selkirk Rex need?▼

Less than its coat suggests. The Cat Fanciers' Association says Selkirks do not mat easily, that fluffing the curls with your fingers keeps the coat looking its best, and that a good combing once or twice a month removes dead hair. A hair pick helps separate clumps of curls on longhairs. The whiskers are curly and fragile and tend to break.

When does a Selkirk Rex kitten get its curls?▼

Gradually. The ACF standard says the coat will not reach full development until about two years, and that kittens start to develop an adult curly coat at 8 to 10 months, which is why show kittens are judged mainly on head and body. ANCATS also says the coat can take up to two years to develop. A Selkirk kitten's coat at 12 weeks is not the coat it will have as an adult.

Are Selkirk Rex cats hypoallergenic?▼

No cat breed is. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) says that as all cats have sebaceous glands, all cat breeds can cause allergies. A curly coat does not change that. If someone at home is allergic, talk to a doctor first and test the individual cat over long, repeated visits.

What is a Selkirk Rex like to live with?▼

The Cat Fanciers' Association describes Selkirks as more interactive than active: focused on their people, fond of a warm lap, not particularly vocal but responsive when spoken to, and good with children and other animals when children handle them gently. The CCCA standard describes a sweet, alert and active personality. Every cat is an individual, so ask the breeder or foster carer about a particular cat.

Where can I see Selkirk-type and curly-coated cats for adoption?▼

LocalPetFinder lists cats from the rescues, shelters and council pounds we aggregate, refreshed regularly. Numbers change daily, so open the long-haired cat and kitten pages for your city, check the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex breed pages for other curly coats, and set an alert. Each listing links to the rescue, where you apply directly.

Sources

Keep reading

Another curly coat