Laperm | Cat Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

It is difficult to resist the charm of LaPerm cats. Their distinctive feature is a curly, wavy coat that you just want to stroke. These cats adore attention, they are very attached to the owner, while they are very delicate and affectionate. They train well, love to play with children, so they always become desirable pets.

LaPerm is one of the long-haired cat breeds, distinguished by its amazingly beautiful curly hair, reminiscent of a sheep’s coat. Curly cats began their march around the world only at the end of the 20th century, but they have already won the recognition and love of many breeders and owners.

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Laperm cat photos

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Physical characteristics

LaPerms are medium-sized cats, weighing between 3 and 5 pounds in females and between 4 and 6 pounds in males, with males also being slightly larger. Its body is strong and fibrous, with a marked musculature that hides its coat. Its strong hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones. The tail is wide at the base and a little thinner at the tip and has thick, long hair.

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Distinctive features

  • A cat’s head has a wedge-shaped triangular shape. Its contours are rounded. Whiskers are round with long, straight whiskers.
  • The muzzle of cats is wide, there is a strong chin.
  • The ears smoothly continue the triangular head. They are medium in size. Long-haired cats should have tassels on their ears.
  • LaPerm has large and often large eyes. They are almond-shaped and pronounced. They are slightly inclined towards the outer edge. Eye color: green, yellow, red, blue. Eye color does not always match coat color.
  • The physique of the cats is normal, the sizes are standard. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the forelimbs. This is noticeable when walking, as the hips are higher than the shoulders.
  • The tail is of medium size. It goes in proportion with the whole body and tapers slightly at the tip.
  • LaPerms can be born with no hair at all. But up to 4-5 months it grows.

Colors

The breed standard allows any color or combination of colors. We list only some of the main ones:

  • Black (pads and nose are black);
  • White (pads and nose are pink);
  • Chocolate (pads and nose are pink);
  • Red (pads and nose are pink);
  • Ivory color (pads and nose are pink);
  • Brown (pads and nose are tan or pink).

It is possible to list the colors and possible color options for the laperm for a very long time. So, in the official standard, experts indicated more than 30 of their types. But tortoiseshell and tabby are hereditary for this breed.

Character and behavior

LaPerm cats have inventive, lively minds and a great sense of humor, which is a great combination. With this pet you will definitely not lose the taste for life – it is simply impossible. He likes to prank, quickly learning to open bedroom and closet doors, and getting into a bag is especially interesting. Especially if it smells of food or if it’s a backpack in which you forgot a sandwich that you didn’t eat at work.

However, the cheerful disposition and playfulness of the LaPerm cat is devoid of mischief or aggression. On the contrary, these pets are very kind and affectionate, they are not vindictive and love their family. Well suited for children, due to playfulness, cheerful nature and lack of aggression. However, the child must always understand that in front of him is a living being, and not a stuffed animal.

The LaPerm cat loves games, moreover, he is able to play both independently and with his master. It is an inventive pet that does not get bored and does not let others get bored. Their friendliness and positive attitude are shown with everyone – with children, with friends who have come to visit, and with other animals. Among other things, the LaPerm breed perfectly adapts to various environmental conditions and situations, including travel.

Health

All LaPerms have normal health. However, this breed has some nuances. First of all, they include:

  • Cutaneous hypersensitivity. This may be accompanied by regular dermatitis and lichen.
  • Towards.
  • Cystitis.

When fleas appear, cats may have an allergic reaction, which goes away on its own after eliminating the parasites.

Life expectancy

If you properly monitor the health and nutrition of the cat, the LaPerm cat can live 12 to 15 years.

Care

LaPerm cats have long, curly coats that fall out and require constant grooming. You should brush your pet at least once a week and provide regular bathing – this can be done once a month.

Also, be sure to trim the nails twice a month, brush the teeth, preferably daily, and make sure that deposits and dirt do not accumulate in your cat’s ears. During these manipulations, as well as in the presence of a balanced and high-quality diet, the health and appearance of the animal will be in order.

You should not bathe your LaPerm cat too often. First of all, excessive water procedures remove the natural fatty layer of the skin, which leads to dandruff, discomfort and deterioration of the coat. Second, moisturizing the hair often affects frizz and can straighten out beautiful curls. If the animal is dirty, you can buy it back, but it is worth using exclusively special shampoos for cats, taking into account the type of wool.

History of the breed

The LaPerm is a relatively young cat breed that appeared in 1982 with the birth of an uncommon kitten. The kid was bald and dark spots were clearly distinguishable on his body. Also, all the other kittens in the litter looked perfectly normal. When the kitten grew up, its coat began to form, and here the breeders had a surprise. The coat was curly, curly, although the parents of the baby in this regard are quite normal – long villi of a standard texture.

The girl was named Kerli, and her owner, breeder Linda Nicole, decided to experiment with such an interesting gene. Subsequently, Kerli was crossed with Manx and Siamese cats, however, the gene turned out to be dominant, and the kittens turned out to be as curly as her. By the way, LaPerm babies are very often born bald, like the first cat, the “progenitor” of Curley.

Over time, the basic standards of the new breed were developed, and it was possible to achieve its official recognition in the International Cat Association. However, this did not happen until 2002. Today, domestic short-haired and long-haired cats of the LaPerm breed are allowed in the breeding program.