Breed Features

The LaPerm – A New Wave in Cats

 The Origins

The first (reported) LaPerm cat was discovered in the litter of a domestic cat during 1982 on a farm in Oregon, USA. The owner knew there was something different about one of these kittens – the kitten was bald, had large spaced out ears and what appeared to be blue tabby marked skin. It has been said that the owner thought this to be the ugliest kitten she had ever seen. However, by the age of 8 weeks a transformation had started to occur. The kitten began to grow soft, curly hair. By about three to four months of age, the kitten now known as ‘Curly’ had a full coat of curly hair and the transformation from ‘ugly duckling’ to ‘swan’ was complete. It took however another ten years (and the birth of several curlies) before the breed was recognised as new and a selective breeding program began.

In 2002 the LaPerm was imported into the UK and shortly afterwards the first litter of kittens was born. Since then the numbers (in the UK) have slowly risen to the current levels of over 300 – making the LaPerm still a rare but always welcome sight.

These natural origins of the LaPerm have given a solid foundation to a healthy breed with no known problems.

Characteristics

The LaPerm is a visually distinct cat with a lean athletic body and inviting curly fur which is unique and does not feel like the coat of any other breed. The breed is recognised in both shorthaired and longhaired varieties.

The shorthaired coat is wavy and stands away from the body with a tail like a bottle brush. The longhaired cat has a light bouncy coat which you can part by blowing on it. Ringlets can develop throughout the coat, especially on the neck, ruff and plumed tail. The ear furnishings are also curly and their ear muffs, or longer hair on the back of the ears, have been described as like angel’s wings. The coat feels very different to the other rex breeds; while stroking a Devon or Cornish Rex can be like stroking a piece of rippled silk, the LaPerm has a ‘textured’ coat which is more like stroking a good quality mohair teddy bear. All colours and patterns are possible and some beautiful combinations are being seen.

LaPerms are very outgoing with a friendly nature and develop strong bonds with their owners. They are extremely cuddly and loving and are never happier than when they find a cosy lap to snuggle in. They are also very playful and energetic retaining many kittenish qualities throughout their lives. They are also highly sociable with other cats as well as dogs.

 As an additional plus factor for the LaPerm is that many people who are allergic to cats have found they can live with a LaPerm. This is because there are different types of cat allergy so not every allergic person reacts in the same way. The curls in the LaPerm coat tend to hold shed hair in place and stop shedding which can help to keep allergens under control. Also they have a single coat so do not have the large volume of fur that some other breeds have.

The Special Gene

The LaPerm gene is dominant, although some LaPerms (known as heterozygous) can carry the gene for straight hair. This means that sometimes straight haired kittens, or LaPerm variants as they are called, do appear in litters. These cats are like LaPerms in every way apart from their silky flat coats.

 These variants are beautiful cats and although they cannot be shown they are useful in breeding programs and just like their curly siblings make great pets.

Maintenance

The LaPerm coat is very easy to maintain and shedding is light. All that is required to keep their coats in good order is a weekly groom with a revolving toothed comb which can move through the fur without pulling the curls straight.

Other Information

Breeders often use the initials BC, BB or BS in their kittens’ names; these stand for Born Curly, Born Bald and Born Straight. The number of kittens like Curly who are born bald and then develop a curly coat have become rarer as the breed has progressed.

To progress the breed outcrossing has been and still is an important and essential part of the breeding programs, ensuring that the breed maintains a large and healthy gene pool.

The GCCF (the governing body of the Cat Fancy in the United Kingdom) recognises the LaPerms and granted preliminary status to the LaPerm in 2005. Through the hard work of a group of breeders the breed will progress to provisional status in June 2008. All new breeds of cat are required to complete three stages of recognition in order to ensure that consistent breeding of health and type is maintained alongside an active breeding program to promote the well being of the breed.

Although a rare breed (with just over 300 in the country) a number of kittens and a few older cats (who have in many cases been used in expanding the gene pool) are currently available and several of the LaPerm breeders are actively showing throughout the UK. See the current GCCF registration document by clicking here.

The LaPerm Cat site: www.laperm.co.uk or visit Penni (our Webmaster's) site at: www.wakanda.co.uk.

All the cats on this page belong to Penni and the photographs were taken by: Anatoli Krassavine and Valentina Koulagina of  http://www.PhotoCat.co.uk/.

You can view other LaPerm pictures from this link http://www.photocat.co.uk/galleries/cats/cats-breeds/LaPerm/index.html