HYBRIDIZATION: Expanding the Feline (Devon Rex) Gene Pool

(Left: A Devon Rex/ ASH F1 Hybrid)

“Hybrids" are crosses between populations, breeds or cultivars of a single species. There are a number of hybrids between various felid species. The main goal is to broaden the feline gene pool. It is estimated that only one percent of cats in the world are pedigreed cats. Making the gene pool relatively small, this is one of the reason why some cat registries allows specific cat breeds to be crossbred with another pedigreed cat breed. Examples of this breed are the Devon Rex, Havana Brown, Exotic Shorthair, Balinese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Oriental Shorthair, Sphynx, Selkirk Rex etc. Most allowable outcrosses are either Siamese, American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Persian or Domestic Shorthair; since these breeds have a very diverse or establish gene pool. They also possess the necessary physical traits that helps establish other breeds.

Lets take the Devon Rex as an example. The principles of Devon hybridization are quite simple. Remember that the Devon Rex coat factor is a recessive gene. CFA allows Devon litter registrations on any Devon Rex crossed with either a registered British Shorthair or American Shorthair. The first generation, all registered as Devon Rex, produce normal coated cats carrying the recessive gene for curly coat. Any of these then taken back to a curly coated Devon will produce a litter of Devon half with curly coats and the other half will have the dominant normal coat, but will carry the recessive gene for curly coat. This ratio (1 to 1) of curly to normal coated kittens will continue with all subsequent breeding of hybrid to curly. Once a recessive curly coated Devon is produced, it will be pure for that trait and will never be able to produce a normal coat unless bred to a normal coated cat. All normal coated cats are registered as Devon without any restrictions or indication of coat type. Though these Devon Rex cats are not eligible for shows since they lack a curly coat, they provide a wonderful opportunity in a breeding program to strengthen and reinforce desirable traits while providing outcross strength and vigor.

Some Devon breeders have been reluctant to undertake a Devon hybridization program feeling they would forfeit type. If the outcross chosen has been carefully selected, this should not be a major obstacle. When choosing either an American Shorthair or a British Shorthair for a Devon breeding program, one does not select by either American or British standards of excellence, but rather those potential outcrosses should reflect desirable Devon characteristics. For example, either an American or British with finer boning than would be required in their respective breed standards, would make an excellent choice for a Devon program since the Devon standard requires a finer boned cat.

Last year the [CFA] Devon Rex breed council requested and was granted an extension of the Devon outcross programs. Litters will be registered to Devon outcross to British or American Shorthairs born before May 1, 2013 and therefore the last opportunity to incorporate new genes into the Devon Rex pool. Hopefully by then we will have had a chance to introduce those desirable characteristics we wish to add or to strengthen the gene pool.