About Us

The Full Story

People often ask me, “How did you get involved with Cornish Rexes?”

It all started with a dad who loved his daughter.

My husband, has been allergic to cats for as long as he can remember. Naturally, he was blessed with a daughter who absolutely adored them. For years, I took our daughter Chloe to the kitten adoption events at our local PetSmart almost every Saturday. The wonderful woman who ran the rescue program got to know us well and eventually suggested we look into cat breeds that might be more compatible with E's allergies.

As we researched, we discovered the Rex breeds. Their unique coats are often better tolerated by people with allergies, so we began learning about both Devon Rexes and Cornish Rexes. After looking into both breeds, E was particularly drawn to the Cornish Rex. He had even contacted a breeder back East, though nothing had come of it yet.

Then one day, one of my husband's favorite patients came into his office with a Cornish Rex tattoo on his arm. E immediately recognized it and asked if it was a Cornish Rex and whether he knew much about the breed. The patient, Lou, laughed and replied that he was quite familiar with them. As it turned out, Lou and his wife Karen had been breeding Cornish Rexes for nearly 30 years—right there in our own backyard!

Lou and Karen graciously invited us to their home to see whether E could tolerate being around the breed. The kids, especially Chloe, fell in love immediately. The cats were elegant and beautiful, but also incredibly sweet, affectionate, and playful. We visited Lou and Karen several more times, and with every visit it became clearer that we had found something special—not just a breed we loved, but a friendship that would change our lives.

Then we got Maja.

Maja had always gravitated toward Chloe during our visits, and we felt she would be the perfect first cat for our family. The moment she came home, it was as though she had always belonged with us. We completely fell in love with her sweet and spirited personality.

A few months later, Karen reached out and asked whether we would consider taking another cat. She had originally been intended for their breeding program, but life had other plans. When Karen told us it was Sallie, we didn't hesitate. We enthusiastically said yes. Sallie fit into our family just as perfectly as Maja had, and we felt incredibly fortunate.

By then, not only had Chloe found her dream cats, but we had also developed a wonderful friendship with Karen and Lou.

Then summer arrived.

Karen called and told us they had a litter of kittens. She had picked out a red female kitten that she thought would be perfect for us. Then she asked a question that changed everything: Would we be interested in joining their breeding program?

At first, I was hesitant. We had gone from having no cats at all to considering breeding them in less than a year. Karen pulled me aside and asked if I thought I could do it. She knew much of the day-to-day responsibility would fall to me because E had such a demanding schedule.

After a lot of thought, I agreed.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

What began as a search for an allergy-friendly pet became a passion for preserving and promoting the Cornish Rex breed, a journey that has brought our family immeasurable joy and lifelong friendships.

Michelle Grover