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Cat Grooming Directory Team
Cat grooming expert and contributor to Cat Grooming Directory. Passionate about helping cat owners find the best grooming solutions for their feline friends.
Cat Grooming Directory Team
Cat grooming expert and contributor to Cat Grooming Directory. Passionate about helping cat owners find the best grooming solutions for their feline friends.
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Find GroomersIf you groom a Devon Rex like a normal cat, you'll end up with a cat that has bald patches, broken curls, and irritated skin. Most standard grooming advice is wrong for this breed.
The Devon Rex has one of the most unique coats in the cat world — short, wavy, and extremely fragile. Understanding why it's different is the key to keeping it healthy.
Most cats have three types of hair: guard hairs (long outer coat), awn hairs (middle layer), and down hairs (soft undercoat). Devon Rex cats are missing most of their guard hairs and awn hairs. Their coat is primarily down hair — the softest, finest, most fragile layer.
That's why it feels like velvet or suede. It's also why:
Everything you've read about weekly brushing with a slicker brush, undercoat rakes, and detangling combs? Forget all of it for a Devon Rex. Those tools are designed for coats that can handle mechanical stress. The Devon Rex coat cannot.
Even a "gentle" slicker brush can pull out and break Devon Rex fur. The down hairs are too fine and too fragile for standard grooming tools.
The best grooming tool for a Devon Rex is a warm, damp washcloth. Seriously.
Wipe your Devon Rex down once or twice a week with a warm, slightly damp cloth. This:
Work gently in the direction of hair growth. Don't rub vigorously — you're wiping, not scrubbing.
If you want to use a brush, make it a very soft natural bristle brush — the kind you'd use on a baby. Use light, short strokes. Once a week maximum. If you notice any fur coming out on the brush beyond the lightest wisps, you're brushing too hard or too often.
Wide-tooth combs, fine-tooth combs, flea combs — none of these are appropriate for a Devon Rex. The teeth catch and pull the fragile down hairs.
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Devon Rex cats produce more ear wax than most breeds. Those large, bat-like ears collect debris quickly and the wax production is noticeably heavier than average.
Clean ears weekly using a vet-approved ear cleaning solution and cotton balls. Don't skip this — Devon Rex ear wax builds up fast and can lead to infections if left unchecked.
If the wax is dark, thick, or smells bad, see your vet. Routine cleaning should produce light brown wax with no odor.
Devon Rex cats do need occasional baths — every 4-6 weeks — because their minimal coat doesn't absorb skin oils effectively. Without bathing, they develop an oily film on the skin, especially along the back and tail.
Important considerations:
Some Devon Rex owners use a blow dryer on the lowest warm setting, held at a distance. Others prefer to let them air dry in a warm room. Either works — just don't let them get cold.
This isn't just a bathing concern. Devon Rex cats have minimal insulation and feel the cold more than other cats. During grooming:
Professional grooming is helpful for Devon Rex cats when:
The key: find a groomer who has experience with Devon Rex or similar fragile-coated breeds. A groomer who treats them like a regular short-haired cat will over-groom them.
Looking for a groomer who understands delicate coats? Search the Cat Grooming Directory to find professionals near you.