The Selkirk Rex, adorably nicknamed the poodle cat, has been recognized as its own breed 25 years after the original mother, Miss Depesto, paved the way for nine generations of curly-haired cuteness.

According to Yahoo! News, a Calico shelter cat in Montana gave birth in 1987 to a litter of five kittens, and one of them was the "ugly duckling" that caught the eye of Persian cat breeder Jeri Newman.

Due to its curly fur, Newman named the kitten Miss DePesto after a character from the show "Moonlighting." The name Selkirk, in fact, is in honor of Newman's step-father, making this cat breed the only one named after a person.

"They look like they've had a permanent," says veterinarian Dr. Karen Halligan on "Cats 101."

"Women pay a lot of money to get a look like a Selkirk Rex!"

The unique look is reportedly due to a gene mutation, which spontaneously began with Miss Depesto all those years ago. Because the curly trait is caused by a dominant gene, Selkirks can be cross-bred with other cats and retain the exotic look.

In total, there are four types of curly-haired feline breeds, including the Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, and the German Rex cats. But what separates the Selkirks is its ability to have long-haired fur as well as short, and it can come in any color!

The only cause for concern is that the Selkirk Rex shed a great deal, and might require frequent bathing and brushing to prevent its tri-layered coat from matting.

But for lovers of cats and curly, puffy thick fur, we all have one Miss Depesto to thank for a generation of Selkirk Rex.

For a quick debrief on the breed, watch the video below: