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Chunky build, short muzzle, and a round head sounds like it could be pretty much any feline in the world. But there’s one distinct feature that makes Selkirk Rex cats absolute head-turners. And it’s their angelic curls.

Meet Tony, Manny, Sosa, and Elvira, four adorable fluff balls from Switzerland whose lush curls should be on a Pantene bottle. Also known as sheep cats, their unique-looking breed was named after the Selkirk Mountains in Montana, where the first was born in a litter at an animal shelter in 1987.

Today, these four teddy bears—I mean kittens—are melting everyone’s hearts on social media, where 111k Instagram followers get regular updates on their caturdays. Let’s take a look at these cutie pies right below and get your purrmometer ready!

More info: Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Making its first appearance in Montana in 1987, the Selkirk Rex cat breed is a relatively new breed, but has already gained a cult-like status with people adoring it for its beautiful wavy fur. The unusual fur is a result of a natural mutation found in a litter of kittens from a blue tortoiseshell cat and a white cat.

Interestingly, all Selkirk Rexes trace their lineage to Miss DePesto, the very first Selkirk Rex kitten who was named after her breeder, Jeri Newman’s, stepfather.

According to Pet Finder, Newman from the Noface Cattery in Livington, Montana was surprised to realize DePesto was carrying “the dominant curly-coat gene, but also the recessive gene for long hair.” It happened because both parents possessed at least one copy of the long hair gene to produce long-haired offspring.

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Back in 1990, the breed was presented to TICA’s board of directors and was accepted into the New Breed and Color class. Meanwhile, the CFA registered the breed in the miscellaneous class two years later. In 2000, Selkirk Rex achieved the CFA championship status and is now one of the most unique and most-loved cat breeds to have emerged in recent decades.

These days, most Selkirk Rexes are born with curls and some with straight hair. As they reach adulthood, their waves tend to become more prominent. Both short-haired or long-haired plush coats are super soft to the touch, hence the title “teddy bear.”

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#9

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Aria Whitaker
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will take the one on the far right...and the one on the far left...and the two in the middle. Thank you.

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Peter Nole
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cute but you should never hold a cat like this. It's very bad for their organs. I'm a vet.

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#24

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ebony1k124 touch
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The kitten version of Stewie. That adorable furball is not having it today.

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iblowsheep
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's the bet cat "I want to murder you" face I've seen in awhile

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