The short answer for a Selkirk Rex Longhair
A Selkirk Rex Longhair usually lives well into its teens, and many indoor Selkirk Rex Longhairs reach the later part of that range. This is the long-coated version of a breed defined by soft, unstructured curls — coat, whiskers, and even the hair inside the ears curl — paired with a solid, well-muscled body and an unusually tolerant temperament. Expect a long-lived, cuddly companion whose coat care and weight are the two things you will manage most across those years.
What is different about how a Selkirk ages
A Selkirk Rex Longhair is built more heavily than the other rex breeds, with a rounder head and a stockier frame under its plush curls. In a Selkirk Rex Longhair, that solid build is healthy at a higher weight than a slight cat's, which makes hands-on body checks essential: the curls hide the waistline completely, so feel for ribs beneath the coat rather than trusting how round the cat looks. A Selkirk that looks adorably plump may simply be curly — or may genuinely be carrying extra weight.
The coat itself changes across a Selkirk Rex Longhair's life. Kittens may lose their early curls and regrow them, and the adult longhair coat is densest in winter. Loose curled hair sheds into the coat and can mat, particularly behind the ears and in the armpits of a longhaired Selkirk, so gentle regular combing with fingers or a wide comb keeps the coat healthy without pulling the curls straight.
Asking the right questions about a Selkirk kitten or adult
Ask a breeder what health screening their Selkirk Rex cats receive and how long cats from their lines have lived, because the breed was founded relatively recently and responsible breeders track their outcomes carefully. For a Selkirk Rex Longhair kitten, ask whether both parents carry the curl and what coat the kitten is expected to keep.
When adopting an adult Selkirk Rex Longhair, ask about its grooming routine in detail — how often it is combed, whether it tolerates bathing, and whether it has ever developed mats that needed professional removal. Also ask about its current diet and weight, since a change of home is the easiest moment to reset an overfeeding pattern. Collect the cat's vet records before or at the move so there is no gap in its history.
Care habits that support a long Selkirk life
Feed a Selkirk Rex Longhair measured meals and check its body condition by hand every few weeks, adjusting portions before a slow gain becomes a large one. Keep this patient, playful breed active with wand toys and climbing furniture; a Selkirk Rex Longhair enjoys company and gentle games well into its senior years, and regular movement protects its joints and weight. Comb the long curled coat weekly, checking skin underneath for irritation as you go.
Schedule routine vet visits across the Selkirk Rex Longhair's life and move to twice-yearly checks as it becomes a senior. In an older Selkirk Rex Longhair, increased drinking, a dropping weight under the curls, or new reluctance to be picked up all warrant a prompt vet appointment. Because the coat disguises body change in this breed, weighing the cat regularly is the most reliable early-warning habit an owner can keep.
Years of curls, carefully recorded
A Selkirk Rex Longhair's long life will involve many grooming routines, foods, and vet visits, and the details blur unless they are written down somewhere the whole household shares. If this cat ever moves to a new owner, KinsLe's Transferrable Profiles pass its profile on with its coat-care routine, weight history, and records included, so its curls and its care are understood from the first day in the new home.