The short answer for a Selkirk Rex
A Selkirk Rex needs a carrier a size more generous than her outline suggests. Beneath the loose, tousled curls is one of the heaviest-boned of all cat breeds — a solid, muscular cat who can bottom out a flimsy shell and whose dense coat traps heat. Pick a rigid carrier with a smooth inner surface, strong ventilation and a weight rating comfortably above her actual weight.
The curly coat changes the details
A Selkirk Rex's curls — including curly whiskers — catch on rough textures. Raw mesh edges, exposed fasteners and deep-pile fleece bedding can snag, pull and flatten the coat into mats over a long journey, and the breed's coat is already prone to tangling where it rubs. Run your hand around the inside of any carrier you are considering: door frames, ventilation slots and seams should feel smooth. Line the floor with a flat, smooth-surfaced pad you can wash, because the Selkirk's coat carries more natural oil than most and will mark bedding over a week's boarding. A smooth interior also wipes clean of the loose curly hairs this breed sheds into every enclosed space.
Built for a heavier cat than she looks
A Selkirk Rex's plush outline hides real heft; larger individuals are substantially built, with heavy bone and dense muscle. Check three numbers before buying: the carrier's maximum load, the strength of the handle and base, and the size of the floor measured flat, not at the widest curve of the walls. She should be able to lie fully stretched and to sit upright without her head — and the tall curls on it — brushing the roof. If you carry her any distance, a carrier that can also be secured with a seat belt in the car spares your arm and keeps a heavy load from swinging.
Airflow for a well-insulated cat
A Selkirk Rex wears a three-layer curly coat that holds warmth efficiently, which is a liability in a hot car or a sunny waiting room. Choose ventilation on at least three sides, and be cautious with full fabric covers in warm weather — the privacy that calms some breeds can overheat this one. On summer journeys, travel in the cooler parts of the day where you can, never leave her in a parked car, and check her comfort at stops by looking for panting or restlessness rather than assuming the coat is coping.
Temperament helps — preparation still matters
The Selkirk Rex is famously patient and tolerant, sometimes described as a cat in sheep's clothing with a dog's willingness to go along with events. That easy nature means most Selkirks accept carrier training quickly: leave the carrier out as a napping spot, reward visits to it, and practise short lifts and drives. Do not let her good nature excuse a carrier that is too small — a tolerant cat will endure a cramped box quietly, and you will only learn it was wrong from the matted coat and stiffness afterwards.
Watch-outs after travel
After a longer trip in the carrier, give a Selkirk Rex a gentle comb-through once she has settled, paying attention to the belly and behind the ears where rubbed curls mat first; tease tangles apart with fingers rather than dragging a brush through. If she comes home with skin redness under the coat, repeated scratching, or bald patches where the carrier rubbed, mention it to your vet at her next visit — and sooner if she is distressed or off her food. For keeping her paperwork as organised as her coat, KinsLe's Pet Passport holds a Selkirk Rex's health records in one packet, ready for the groomer, the cattery or the clinic.