How Much Does a Selkirk Rex Cost? (2026 Full Cost Breakdown)

The Selkirk Rex is a sturdy, heavy-boned cat of 3.5–7 kg, one of the larger breeds in this group, so food is toward the top at US$105–165 a year. Routine veterinary care sits at the US$425–635 baseline, and first-year setup runs US$370–1,190 for desexing, vaccinations, microchipping and gear. Counting the purchase price, the first year totals US$2,348–5,089 all in.

Unlike the sleek rex breeds, the Selkirk Rex has a thick, plush, curly coat that mats and tangles, so it needs regular grooming at the med tier of US$300–450 a year. That grooming line, plus the heavier feeding, is what pushes its annual figure of US$1,178–1,899 above most cats here. Insurance sits in the middle: with British and Persian ancestry the breed carries documented risk of polycystic kidney disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, so adult cover is about US$348–649 a year, a kitten US$278–519, and a senior cat US$881–1,391.

Over a 12–16 year life the recurring costs reach roughly US$15,306–33,574, with the grooming, food and senior-premium loads all compounding over time. The documented heart risk stays outside that total as a one-off exposure: treating a cardiac condition can run US$1,100–5,000, separate from the annual and lifetime figures.

The annual figure comes from four lines: about US$105–165 of food, the US$425–635 routine vet baseline, US$300–450 of grooming and US$348–649 of adult insurance, together the US$1,178–1,899 annual band. The premium is the line that rises most as the cat ages, from a US$278–519 kitten band to a US$881–1,391 senior band. Buying the cat, the one-time setup and any emergency treatment sit outside this number, which keeps the recurring total comparable across breeds.