Laperm Cat
Absolutely adorable, these cats look as if they should belong to a hairstylist with too much time on their hands. Their coat has a distinctive permed appearance which many believe is a mutation that appeared spontaneously from domestic farm cats. The original LaPerms are said to have been developed on an Oregon farm near the old Wishram Indian territory.
Out of six kittens born, one was completely bald with a tabby like pattern of color on her skin. As the kitten got a little older, she began to grow a very soft coat of curly hair, and by about four months old she had a full coat of curls. The somewhat triangular head of the LaPerm has fairly wide-set ears, relatively full whisker pads and large, expressive eyes. It carries a splendid set of curly whiskers and eyebrows. The males weigh from 8 to 12 pounds; females, from 5 to 8 pounds. The breed now comes with long and short hair. The coat can vary in length and fullness depending upon the season and the cat’s maturity.
The coat can be merely wavy or consist of curls that range from tight ringlets to long corkscrew curls. The tightest curls occur on the underside of the cat, on the throat and at the base of the ears. The longhair has a curly, plumed tail and often exhibits a full, curly ruff. It is softer in texture than the shorthair. Kittens can be born hairless, with short wavy hair or with straight hair. At about 2 weeks of age they start to go bald. Most cats stay relatively clean and rarely need a bath, but they do need to be brushed or combed to stimulate blood circulation and promote good health. A grooming glove or mitten can make this process as simply as daily petting.
