Cats That Look Like Devon Rex: 3 Curly Cousins Compared

People search "cats similar to Devon Rex" for one of two reasons. They adopted a small, curly, big-eared cat and want to know what it is. Or they love the Devon look and are shopping for a similar breed with a different twist. Either way, the comparison set is small: Cornish Rex, Sphynx, and Selkirk Rex. All three share the unusual-coat appeal. Each differs in a way you can see and feel.

The Devon Rex Baseline

Before comparing, pin down the Devon Rex itself. Small, 6 to 9 lbs, with a slender but surprisingly muscular frame. Large, bat-like ears set wide and low, broad at the base with rounded tips. A short wedge head with prominent cheekbones, the face people call pixie. The coat is short, soft, and wavy, with a distinct marcel wave most visible on the back and sides. Eyes are large, wide-set ovals in gold, green, or blue-green. Personality is pure elf: mischievous, people-oriented, and an excellent jumper who invents games all day. A cat matching most of those points is in the comparison set below. A cat missing the wave or the ears probably is not.

Cornish Rex: The Tighter Wave

The Cornish Rex is the look-alike people mix up with the Devon most often. Both carry a rex mutation, but the genes are different, and you can see it. The Cornish wave is tighter and more uniform, covering the entire body in soft ripples with no guard hairs at all. The Devon wave is looser, patchier, and most obvious on the back. Heads diverge too: the Cornish has a longer, egg-shaped head with high-set ears, while the Devon's head is a shorter wedge with low, wide-set bat ears. Both are slender, active, and intensely people-oriented. For the full breakdown, see our Cornish Rex vs Devon Rex comparison.

Sphynx: The Hairless Cousin

The Sphynx looks like a hairless Devon, and the resemblance is real: they share the wedge head, prominent cheekbones, oversized ears, and a warm, suede-like feel. But the Sphynx is covered only in fine peach-fuzz down, while the Devon keeps a true wavy coat. Sphynx skin wrinkles at the forehead, shoulders, and ear bases, and its lemon-shaped eyes sit at a curious slant. At 6 to 12 lbs it runs heavier than the Devon. Personality overlaps strongly: both are energetic, dog-like, and glued to their people. If your cat has visible waves, it is a Devon. If the skin is bare and warm like chamois leather, it is a Sphynx. See our Devon Rex vs Sphynx comparison for the detail.

Selkirk Rex: The Plush One

The Selkirk Rex is the third rex-coat breed, and it is the easiest to tell apart. Its curls are loose, dense, and plush, more like sheepskin than waves, and the body is heavy-boned and muscular at 6 to 16 lbs, with a round head and full cheeks. The Devon is svelte, fine-boned, and wedge-faced. Temperament splits too: the Selkirk is the most laid-back of the rex breeds, calm and patient, while the Devon is a perpetual motion machine. If the curly cat is big, round, and mellow, think Selkirk. Small, angular, and mischievous, think Devon. Our Devon Rex vs Selkirk Rex comparison covers the rest.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Breed	Size	Coat	Ears	Face	Personality
Devon Rex	6-9 lbs	Short, soft, loose marcel wave	Large, low-set, bat-like	Short wedge, pixie cheeks	Mischievous, jumper, people-oriented
Cornish Rex	6-10 lbs	Tight, uniform wave, no guard hairs	Large, high-set	Egg-shaped, longer than wide	Active, trainable, velcro cat
Sphynx	6-12 lbs	Hairless, peach-fuzz down	Oversized, wide-set	Wedge, wrinkled skin	Energetic, dog-like, loves laps
Selkirk Rex	6-16 lbs	Dense, plush, loose curls	Medium, rounded	Round, full cheeks	Calm, patient, tolerant

Still Not Sure?

Tight ripples over the whole body point to the Cornish Rex. Bare, warm, wrinkled skin points to the Sphynx. Big, round, and sheepskin-curly points to the Selkirk Rex.

FAQ

What cat breed looks most like a Devon Rex?

The Cornish Rex. Both carry a rex curl mutation, have slender athletic bodies, and are intensely people-oriented. The fastest tell is the wave: the Cornish ripple is tight and uniform over the whole body, while the Devon wave is looser and patchiest along the back.

Is a Devon Rex the same as a Cornish Rex?

No. They are separate breeds with different curl genes. The Cornish has an egg-shaped head with high-set ears and a tight, uniform wave. The Devon has a short wedge head with low, wide-set bat ears and a softer, broken wave.

Do Devon Rex cats shed?

Very little. The short, fine, wavy coat sheds far less than a normal coat, which is why Devons often suit mild allergy sufferers. They are not allergen-free, though: all cats produce Fel d 1, and the Sphynx sheds nothing yet still triggers some people.