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Lambkin vs Selkirk Rex
The Lambkin is a Selkirk Rex and Munchkin cross, with the same curls on a small, short-legged body and a welfare debate. The Selkirk is larger.
Verdict
The Lambkin is a Munchkin crossed with the Selkirk Rex, so the curly coat is shared and the legs are the difference. The Selkirk Rex is a sturdy medium cat with males around 12 to 15 lb, a CFA breed since 2000, Uncommon, and top-rated with children. The Lambkin is small, Very rare, and its dwarfism brings a welfare debate and joint and spine problems. Both are calm and affectionate. Choose the Selkirk Rex for the curls on a normal-legged body, and the Lambkin only after weighing the debate and finding a breeder who documents health.
Choose the Lambkin if
- You want a small, short-legged, gentle cat with a dense curly coat.
- You understand the welfare debate over dwarfism.
- You have found a breeder who documents health.
- You accept a Very rare breed with no formal standard.
Choose the Selkirk Rex if
- You want a calm, cuddly cat for a family with children.
- You want a cat that can jump to high places.
- You want a breed with a CFA standard and an easier search.
- You will ask about kidney disease, heart disease and hip dysplasia.
Where they are alike
Both have plush, curly coats that need regular combing and shed moderately. Both are calm, sociable cats that rate well with other pets and suit a small to medium home.
Side by side
| Lambkin | Selkirk Rex | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | United States | Montana, United States |
| Size | Small | Medium |
| Typical weight | About 5-9 lb (2.3-4.1 kg); no formal standard | Males about 12-15 lb (5.4-6.8 kg); females are somewhat smaller |
| Lifespan | — | 12-15 years |
| Coat length | Short | Medium |
| Coat | Dense, plush, curly coat from the Selkirk Rex gene, in short or longer form | Plush, curly coat with loose random curls, in short and long varieties |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Not recognised by the CFA | Championship breed since 2000 |
| How common | Very rare | Uncommon |
| Affection | 4 | 4 |
| Energy | 3 | 3 |
| Playfulness | 4 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 2 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 3 | 3 |
| Shedding | 3 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 4 |
| Happy alone | 3 | 2 |
| Trainability | 3 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 4 | 4 |
| Suits | Someone who understands the welfare debate, has found a breeder who documents the health of their cats, and wants a small, gentle curly-coated companion. | A family or a household that wants a calm, cuddly cat with an unusual coat and does not mind regular combing. |
| Less suited to | A home that wants a cat with no inherited skeletal risk, or one that can jump to high places. | Anyone who wants an energetic, athletic cat, or who expects a rex coat to mean low shedding. |
| Registries that recognise it | — |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026