Animalia Life

The Breed History
The La Perm coat is due to a curly haired mutation originating in Oregon in 1982. The name was reported given because the breeder thought the curly hair resembled a perm in human hair. The original female kitten was born bald and gradually developed a curly coat by 4 months of age. Subsequent kittens were born bald or with a slightly curly coat, though starting at two weeks of age and for another few months molting occurred in some kittens so that partial alopecia resulted. This rex mutation is an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. TICA accepted the cat in 2003. The CFA registry accepted it in championship class in 2008. CFA allows outcrossing to Domestic Shorthair and Domestic Longhair cats-outcrossing ended January 2010.

Physical Characteristics
Weight: males 7-10 lb (3-4.5 kg), females 5-7 lb (2-3 kg); males tend to be larger
Coat: This coat mutation is unique since it provides good insulation. Both longhaired and shorthaired varieties exist. Even the furnishings at the ear base are somewhat curled. Curls are strongest under the neck and on the ventral body wall. Curlier coats are preferred, and in longer coats, ringlets or waves can be present. Short coats are usually wavy; generally not as curled as much as in the longer-coated cats. The tail is covered by a tapered plume in the longhairs and is more a bottle-brush, though still wavy in shorthairs. The longhair coat is actually more of a medium length. Both sexes may have a ruff. Unique coat texture is described as light and airy, and soft. Kittens are born with variable coat cover and at about 14 days old, may start to go variably alopecic. All coats are shorter over the shoulders, and some cats never re-grow a full density coat, though most recover the full coat by four to five months of age. As the cat matures, the curls get tighter in longhairs. All colors are accepted, including colorpoint. Coat is double, with the undercoat being dense, and the outer hairs curly and soft in texture. When stroked, it feels springy; hair texture is variable between cats. Eyebrow and whisker pad hairs are curly. Seasons may affect coat density and length.
Eyes: Eyes are large, and not necessarily coat related in color.
Points of Conformation: The La Perm is a semi-foreign cat in type, though they are still presumed to be of Domestic Shorthair cat in origin. Neck is fine, body is medium; they possess a medium-sized rounded modified wedge head that is carried quite erect. The ears are medium sized with well-developed furnishings, ideally including lynx tipping in longhairs. The tail is tapering, and is long. They have compact rounded feet.
Grooming: The La Perm has minimal grooming needs and low shedding tendency, though regular bathing and brushing is suggested. Towel drying should be carried out rather than blow drying.

Recognized Behavior Issues and Traits
Reported breed characteristics include: Very active, playful, and curious. Need close human contact, bond strongly, generally quiet voiced. Excellent hunters, and many will train to leash. Some may be lap cats and seem to adjust well to any family's activity level.

Normal Breed Variations
None reported in the literature

Drug Sensitivities
None reported in the literature

Inherited Diseases
None reported in the literature

Disease Predispositions
None reported in the literature

Genetic Tests
None commercially available

Miscellaneous
- Breed name synonyms: Dalles La Perm, Curly-coated cat, Poodle Cat. Common nickname: Alpaca cat
- Registries: CFA (Miscellaneous Category), TICA (1995 as Dalles La Perm, now two divisions-LaPerm, and LaPerm Shorthair), GCCF, NZCF
- Breed resources: The Rex Cat Club (GCCF-U.K.): http://www.rexcatclub.com/
The La Perm Society of America: http://www.lapermcats.com/