A routine wellness check for a Selkirk Rex is a standard head-to-tail examination with extra attention where the breed's famous curls change the picture: skin hidden under a dense, plush coat, ears that gather wax, and whiskers and fur that can mask early changes. The breed's ancestry also brings heart and kidney conditions into the family tree, so the stethoscope and, for adults, baseline blood work carry real weight. Arrive with notes on scratching, coat condition between grooms, appetite, drinking, and litter box habits, and tell the vet how the curls have felt lately — looser, drier, oilier — because owners of a Selkirk Rex handle that coat daily and notice shifts a quick exam can miss.
Coat and skin under the Selkirk Rex curls
The coat examination defines a Selkirk Rex wellness visit. The vet parts the curls in several places — neck, flanks, belly, and behind the ears — looking at the skin itself for oiliness, flakes, redness, or small bumps the thick fur conceals. Curly whiskers and the coat around the chin are checked too, since curly-coated cats can develop greasy patches and skin irritation in folds and high-friction areas. Mention any increase in scratching, head rubbing, dandruff through the curls, or a coat that mats faster than it used to. The vet will also feel for lumps beneath the fur, which the plush coat hides well, and check between the toes and along the tail. Agreeing a bathing and grooming rhythm at the visit helps keep that skin readable year-round.
Ears, eyes, and teeth on a curly-coated cat
A Selkirk Rex's ears deserve a deliberate look at every wellness check. Curly fur grows inside the ear opening in this breed, and wax tends to collect rather than clear, so the vet inspects both canals for build-up, redness, or odour and may discuss whether the wax pattern is changing over time. The eyes are checked for clarity and discharge, the nose for clear breathing, and then the mouth: teeth and gums are examined for tartar, gum soreness, and any tooth that looks worn or painful. Dental disease builds quietly in cats that keep eating, so tell the vet about dropped kibble, one-sided chewing, or new bad breath. Claws are trimmed or checked, and the vet will feel the jaw and neck glands as part of the same head review.
Heart, kidneys, weight, and baseline testing
A Selkirk Rex check should include unhurried heart listening, because heart muscle disease appears in the breed's background lines and an early murmur is only caught by a stethoscope given time. The vet also palpates the abdomen, feeling the kidneys and bladder, flexes the joints of this solidly built cat, and weighs it — the Selkirk's heavy bone and dense coat make visual weight judgement unreliable, so condition is scored by hands on ribs. For an adult or senior Selkirk Rex, a blood panel covering kidney and liver values, blood sugar, and thyroid, plus a urine sample, creates the baseline that makes later changes obvious; kidney conditions in the breed's ancestry make that urine result especially worth filing. Vaccinations and parasite prevention are reviewed to match the cat's actual lifestyle.
Watching a Selkirk Rex at home between visits
Between check-ups, a Selkirk Rex owner is the early-warning system for skin and ear changes. Run your fingers through the curls weekly down to the skin, glance into the ears when the cat is relaxed, and note scratching, new grease or flaking, head shaking, or a smell from the ears. Track appetite, water intake, and litter clumps in broad strokes, and book promptly if the cat stops eating, strains in the box, breathes fast at rest, or develops bald or sore patches. Keeping those dated home notes and every exam report together in KinsLe's Pet Passport means a new vet can read your Selkirk Rex's skin, ear, and heart history as one continuous record.