Emma & the Gang

The furry editors behind every story. They don't get a byline, but they should.

Every writer needs a muse — or four. Meet the cats who keep my chair warm, my keyboard occupied, and my word count lower than I'd like it to be.

The Breed Behind the Chaos

I'm completely, hopelessly in love
with the Devon Rex

Those Ears

Enormous. Satellite-dish wide. Set low on the head like they're picking up signals from another dimension. The Devon Rex ear is not subtle — and neither is the cat attached to it.

The Curls

A Devon Rex coat is soft, wavy, and utterly unlike anything else in the cat world.

Part Cat, Part Monkey

They climb everything. They are natural jumpers — and their favorite landing spot is your shoulder. Devon Rex cats will leap up, drape themselves across your neck, and ride around the house like it's the most normal thing in the world. Because for them, it is. Devon Rex cats are not lap cats — they are life partners.

The Purr Effect

Science agrees: cat purrs vibrate at 25–50 Hz — a frequency shown to promote bone healing, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and ease anxiety. In other words, Emma and the gang aren't just adorable. They're medicinal. My doctor has yet to write me a prescription for a fifth, but I'm working on it.

Born in Cornwall

The Devon Rex is a relatively young breed, born from a single curly-coated kitten named Kirlee, discovered in Devon, England in 1960. A chance genetic mutation gave him those impossibly wavy curls and oversized ears — and the world has never been the same. Every Devon Rex alive today traces their lineage back to that one extraordinary little cat.

They Have Opinions

Devon Rex cats are vocal — and they are not shy about it. They chirp, trill, chatter, and occasionally produce sounds that have no business coming out of a cat. Think tiny squeaks, rolling mrrrps, and the occasional full-volume announcement delivered for no discernible reason. They often walk around the house talking to themselves.

The Personality

Mischievous, playful, and wildly social — Devon Rex cats are often called "dog-like" because they greet you at the door, learn tricks, and genuinely want to be wherever you are. They are curious about everything and completely incapable of being boring. If you want a cat who will sit quietly in the corner and ignore you, a Devon Rex is not your cat. If you want a cat who'll play fetch better than your dog, a Devon Rex might just be your cat. Emma brings me her brown ball each morning. I throw it and she brings it back. When she's had enough, Max often brings me his mouse, and the game continues.

"I didn't plan to become a Devon Rex person. It just happened. I met Emma and that was all it took. She was my first potato chip, and like real potato chips, I couldn't stop at one. In a blink, there were four of them. Kay says she loves them, but 'enough is enough.' Emma's put her paw down. 'No more, Mom!'"

— K. A. Moll, on the matter of Devon Rexes

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