LaPerm

Federations: CFA, FIFe, TICA, WCF, ACF, GCCF

Coexistence is important that you have with your new friend. Before considering the acquisition of a cat of the breed "LaPerm" you know certain factors. You must take into account their character, their need for exercise, their interaction with other pets, their care and if you have small children, their level of tolerance towards them.

The LaPerm is a recent breed of cat that originated in The Dalles, a small town in Oregon (Northwestern United States) located near the hunting grounds of the Wishram Indians, a Chinook tribe.

In the spring of 1982, a farm cat named Speedy, property of Linda and Richard Koehl, gave birth to a litter of six kittens. They did not know that one of the kittens, a small, hairless female, with big ears and a big heart, would become a new breed.

after two months, this kitty started showing some curly hair, what caught the attention of Linda Koehl. At four months, the kitten that was now known as Curly he had beautiful soft curly fur. To the Koehl they were amused to see such a special cat, but they accepted it without question, and Curly lived an eventful life as a farm cat.

He was about to die when, being a young cat, decided to take a nap under the hood of the station wagon. Fortunately, right after starting the car, Linda Koehl heard the panicked screams of Curly and escaped with just a few cuts.

"LaPerm"

She grew up and gave birth to her first litter of five kittens, all males and with skin as smooth as their mother's. Intrigued, Linda Koehl did some research and concluded that it was some kind of mutation “Rex”, which causes some cats to have a curly coat similar to that of the rabbit Astrex. But, did not go through with this.

Curly had more litters, giving birth to new hairless kittens of both sexes. One day he disappeared and the Koehl they did not see her again.

His descendants stayed. In the following years, They lived freely and gave birth to a colony of curly-haired cats in the vicinity of the farm of the Koehl. Several visitors and neighbors convinced Linda Koehl that these cats were unique, so in 1992 decided to present four specimens at a cat show in Portland, Oregon.

To be able to register them, had to register them with a breed name, so he chose the name of LaPerm. The name of LaPerm refers to curly hair of these cats, reminiscent of the permanent fashion of the years 80, but also to tradition chinook to adopt French words by incorporating your article (for example, “Apple” It “lapom” in chinook).

These first LaPerm were enthusiastically received, and the judges told Linda Koehl that the breed was unknown and should be preserved. So, 10 years after the birth of Curly, the Koehl they began to breed LaPerms, an activity they weren't prepared for, since they had originally adopted cats to hunt pests, not for the love of the little feline. With the support of other breeders and professionals, among them Solveig Pflueger, a renowned feline geneticist, the couple was able to fulfill the dream of many professional breeders: create a new breed of cats.

The tests showed that the genetic mutation that caused the LaPerm was due to a different dominant gene than in other type cat breeds Rex (Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, etc.), that is to say, those of curly fur. The dominance of this gene is the main reason for the rapid proliferation of these new cats on the farm of the Koehl: only one parent needed to be a carrier for this mutation to potentially be passed on to kittens.

In 1997, the creation of a breed club (The LaPerm Society of America) contributed to its recognition by the main feline associations. The first to definitely do so was the International Cat Association (TICA) in 2003, followed by Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) in 2008. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and Fédération Internationale Féline (FiFé) they recognized her in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

Although today it is present on all continents, the LaPerm still a rare feline breed. in your country of origin, It is in the last positions of the ranking of breeds by number of annual registrations in the CFA. In Britain he was quite successful when he arrived in 2002, with more than a hundred cats registered each year with the GCCF up to 2008, when there was a clear decline. In the second decade of the 21st century, this figure was more like twenty per year. In France, it's even weirder, with solo 20 LaPerm registered in the Official Book of Feline Origins (LOOF) between 2003 and 2018.

The LaPerm it is a cat of size small to medium with a body long and thin, with hips slightly higher than shoulders. The legs and tail they are also quite long, like the rest of the body.

The head has a triangular shape, with rounded contours. The eyes, large, beautiful and incredibly expressive, they can be yellow, copper, green or blue. The ears, quite large and located in the prolongation of the head, They are provided inside and preferably end in a plumage similar to that of the lynx.

The standard LaPerm allows all colors and fur patterns, but the turtle, brindle and red are the most common. In any case, It is undoubtedly the fur that makes him unique. LaPerm: soft and silky, has a distinctive texture reminiscent of mohair or sheep's wool. It can be simply wavy or form corkscrew-shaped curls.

There are also two varieties of the breed, since they can be short or long hair.

In any case, kittens can be born hairless, with straight hair or with curly hair. They usually have their definitive fur around the 6 months of age, although some initially straight-haired kittens only become curly after the first year.

Some, However, keep hair straight throughout their life. This is because, even though both parents are LaPerms, each of them can carry a single gene for curly hair (and how this gene is dominant, it is enough for them to have this feature). So, each of their offspring has a one in four chance of not inheriting the gene that causes this trait.

By the way, despite what you sometimes hear, curly hair LaPerm does not make it a hypoallergenic cat breed. In fact, cat allergy is caused by dead skin, not for the hair.

Last, the sexual dimorphism it is quite marked, the female being smaller than the male.

• Male size: 22 to 26 cm.
• female size: 20-24 cm.
• Male weight: 3 to 4 kg
• female weight: 2,5-3,5 kg

The LaPerm it comes in two varieties: the Longhaired LaPerms and the LaPerm Shorthair.

Some organizations consider them as two different races. It is the case of the Fédération Internationale Féline (FiFé) and of the International Cat Association (TICA). But, for others, as the American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) and the British Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), they are two varieties of the same breed.

"LaPerm"

The LaPerm He is loving and devoted to his family. Loves interacting with humans, but it is not a very demanding cat. On the other hand, tends to follow the trend and adapt to the behaviors and initiatives of his master: if he throws a ball, run after her for fun; but if you put it on your lap, curls up quietly. He is also very tactile and loves to show his affection by touching his owner's face with his paw., or rubbing face to face. He also loves to be stroked and can't get enough of purring while scratching between his ears..

Even if I am not the type to ask for attention, do not forget to provide games and affection, and of course avoid leaving him alone in his corner. Otherwise, you will not be able to develop a strong bond with your family members, which is a shame for both him and them.

Playful and sociable, gets along very well with children who have learned not to pull their whiskers, her tail or her pretty curls. Usually, He also has no problems living with other dogs or with dogs accustomed to cats..

On the other hand, it is not advisable to expect it to coexist peacefully with rodents: in fact, do not forget that not long ago he was a farm cat whose main occupation was hunting mice and other rodents. So, no wonder he retained his hunting skills.

Curious, to the LaPerm loves to explore the environment or observe what members of his family are doing, either sitting up high or following them around the house. It also, its nimble legs allow it to open a door or snatch that coveted item, so make sure that the most fragile and / or precious objects are well protected.

Activos, they like to run around the house and climb on the furniture. They like to be able to go outside and have a good time before going in to rest. But, he can live in a flat as long as he can play and run around.

Last, prefers to listen rather than speak and reserves its meows for cases of extreme urgency, for example, when your bowl is empty.

The fur of him LaPerm it is surprisingly tangle free and easy to care for: a simple weekly hairstyle is enough to keep the coat shiny.

On the other hand, although she changes very little in general, sometimes he does it a lot: then daily brushing is necessary to remove dead hair and allow new coat to grow faster.

It also, so that your cat stays healthy and maintains its natural beauty, You should take advantage of brushing sessions to check that your teeth, eyes and ears are clean. At the same time, they should be cleaned with a damp cloth to remove any dirt that could cause an infection.

If wear and tear and the use of a scratching post are not enough, it is necessary to cut your cat's nails with a nail clipper if they are too long.

The LaPerm it is a robust breed, which benefits from a breeding program based on numerous crosses with individuals with a healthy and varied genetic heritage, to the point that today no specific genetic disease is known.

We need to remember, However, that this breed is still new and rare, so there is not enough hindsight or data to make definitive statements about it.

A well-identified risk is that of Obesity of cats. In fact, although the cat does not normally have a tendency to overeat and may, Therefore, have food at your disposal at all times, the owner should regularly check that his partner is not getting too fat, and consult a vet if this is the case.

Of 12 to 15 years

The LaPerm It is not demanding when it comes to feeding and it does very well with the industrial cat food available on the market, either food or croquettes.

To keep them healthy, you have to give them a quality diet, appropriate to your age and activity level, and that it contains all the nutrients and vitamins they need.

Like most other breeds, the LaPerm is capable of self-regulation and, therefore, can be left with food constantly available. But, there is a risk of obesity, so you have to do regular checks to make sure you are not getting too fat, and you have to consult a vet if this happens.

The price of a kitten LaPerm varies between the 800 and 1200 EUR, without there being a significant difference between a male and a female.

But, this breed is quite confidential, so it can be difficult to find a breeder of LaPerm with kittens available.