History

The LaPerm is a Rex breed that originated in America in the 1980's. A kitten called 'Curly' was born in Oregon as a working cat on a farm. She seemed to be the result of a spontaneous mutation. She was a short-haired tabby born with a sparse coat that grew soft and wavy. Her offspring all had curly coats due to the dominant rex gene and eventually both long and short-haired cats were produced. The owner realised she had something unusual happening and with the help of the USA Cat Fancy Association the LaPerm breed was developed.

The name of the breed comes from the farms local association with Native American tribes from the area - the Wishram people - who followed a tradition of adopting French names. A breeding program was developed with the help of geneticists and the LaPerm Society of America was formed in 1997. The breed now has breeding programs spread throughout the world - however the breed is still relatively rare.

Description

The LaPerm is not a striking cat in appearance except for its unusual coat. It has a muscular foreign-type body with longish legs and neck. The head is a modified wedge with rounded edges and a straight but broad nose. The ears are flared and the eyes are almond shaped and very expressive. The tail is medium in length but long and tapering.

Size

Medium build - 6-12 lbs (3 - 5.5 kgs) 

Coat

The LaPerm's most striking feature is the coat. It is soft, wavy, curly and even extending to ringlets in the long-haired variety. It can resemble a shaggy perm hence the name! The long and short-haired variety can vary in length and fullness depending on the maturity of the cat and the season. The longhairs can have a full ruff on the neck once mature and both varieties have a ‘saddle' of shorter hair over the shoulder area and curly ear hair. The tightest curls are on the underside of the cat and at the base of the ears. The tail hair stands out like a bottle brush!

The coat feels textured and many have described it as like stroking velvet. The shorthairs have more texture to the coat than the longhairs. All colors and patterns are permissible by breed standards although tabbies, reds and tortoiseshell are the most common. The coat is light and single (no undercoat) and is easily groomed by regular combing. Some kittens may be born hairless but most have short wavy hair at birth. For the first six months of a LaPerm's life it is a guessing game as to what sort of coat it has as the coat may grow, revert to baldness, and then grow back in!  

Temperament

LaPerms have a great temperament. Gentle and affectionate, they seek human contact and love to be cuddled and held. They are intelligent and inquisitive and like to know what is going on around them. Being a farm cat they are excellent hunters so you need to protect local wildlife from them. This instinct to hunt will be easily diverted by providing toys and games. They are generally very adaptable cats that are not overly demanding but will become vocal if needing attention. 

Health

This is a healthy and robust breed that just requires a weekly comb to keep the coat in top condition.  

Possible Genetic Disorders

No known genetic disorders. 

Best Suited

To those wanting companionship with an independent and extroverted cat. Best kept indoors due to their propensity to hunt. Being adaptable they will be a good breed to socialise with other pets and children. 

Not Suited

To those wanting an independent outdoor type cat.