The Laperm originated in Oregon. This curly-haired cat breed came about in the 1980’s with breeder’s Richard ad Linda Koehl. This is a rex breed that started off in the U.S, and is popular worldwide today.
Brief History
In 1982, Speedy, a brown tabby cat had kittens, some of which had curly hair. She had large ears and was born bald. Linda named her “Curly.” She had kittens, some of which was sired by a Siamese and a Manx. All the kittens had curly hair. This cat breed was then called LaPerm. This breed was recognized in 2002 by the International Cat Association. The LaPerm is outcrossed with other non-pedigreed domestic shorthaired cats and longhaired ones, too.
Physical Description
The LaPerm is a playful and active cat breed. This is a cat breed that is of medium size. The head is wedge-shaped and has rounded contours. The muzzle is strong, and is of medium length. The nose is wide. The forehead flattish. The ears are flared, large and triangular. The eyes are almond–shaped, and large. The body is medium-boned and strong. The legs are long, and the tail is bushy. The coat is loose and springy, with no undercoat. The coat is curly and lightweight. There is ruff on the neck. It should fly up against the wind. It is silky on the ears, yet has a textured feel. The tail is plumed and curly. The tightest curls are on the belly, throat, and bottom of the ears. This is a hypoallergenic cat breed.
Temperament
The LaPerm Cat breed is a happy, clownish and a gentle cat breed that enjoys being pampered. The LaPerm may get slightly anxious or clingy if not exercised, or mentally stimulated. This cat breed fancies lots of cuddles and cute cat toys. This cat breed can be aloof when needing time alone, but is also affectionate with immediate family. LaPerms do well in a quiet home where nothing unusual happens. They are sometimes very clownish and funny to watch.
This wonderful cat breed tends to be active in nature, and are friendly with strangers. The LaPerm enjoys being groomed and played with. This cat breed is sensitive and needs a quiet home environment with no loud noises or stressful situations. Children need to be calm and gentle with this cuddly lap cat. This cat breed needs to be socialized during kittenhood so that they do well with other animals in the household. As usual, aggressive dogs should not be near the LaPerm or in the same household.
Special Needs
With numerous disorders and diseases that can affect your LaPerm, it’s always best to stay on top of veterinary issues. If your cat shows any signs of illness, consult with your veterinarian right away. There may be interactions between your cat’s environment and genetic factors. Keep your LaPerm healthy, vaccinated, and on a high-quality diet specific to his life stage.
This cat breed does best as an indoor cat. This cat breed thrives on affection, and plenty of interactive cat toys. The LaPerm is docile, and does well with apartment living or home living. Cat parents need to ensure that their cat is always safe, and not in the same environment as an aggressive dog breed or rough children. This cat breed needs plenty of gentle TLC!
The LaPerm needs to be indoors during the hot summer months, as it is heat sensitive. It is a wonderfully easy cat breed to live with, but does need mental stimulation. This cat breed gets bored when alone for long periods of time. Consider getting a pet sitter or another cat to keep your LaPerm company if you’re out at work for most of the day!
Eye tearing may be a problem with this cat breed. Inactive cats tend to pick up weight, and are prone to more medical conditions, like liver disease. Daily grooming needs to be a priority with this cat breed. Socialization and litter box training should take place during kittenhood. Positive clicker training for cats is effective in teaching your cat, cat games.
Exercising cats is tons of fun and is made easy by purchasing certain cats toys to promote exercise. Litter box training needs to start during kittenhood. With so many types of litter boxes and litter available, shopping for your feline is always exciting. All cats are super clean animals, so it is very easy to litter box train. Litter boxes for cats need to be kept clean, or your cat may not use it. All cats will need parasite control and routine health care throughout its life. This means vaccinating your cats. This is an important part of keeping your cats healthy throughout their lives. Your cat will also need to be spayed or neutered.
Consult with your veterinarian, and always consider veterinary health insurance for your cat. Special care needs to be given to the LaPerm’s health needs.
Possible Health Concerns
The LaPerm is a healthy and moderately active cat breed that may be susceptible to the following health conditions:
- Ringworm: This is an infection of the skin, hair, or claws, and is caused by a fungus called dermatophyte. This occurs in 98% of cats. It spreads easily from cats to people. Symptoms include circular, bald patches that scale and have broken hairs in a ring-like fashion. Consult with your veterinarian for advice.
- Hip Dysplasia:This is rare in domestic cats, and is common in purebred cats. This occurs when the hip joint is loose, and leads to degenerative joint disease. (osteoarthritis) Symptoms include lameness that can be mild to severe. Cats generally need no surgery for hip dysplasia. Weight reduction can help reduce discomfort.
- Gingivitis:This is when the gums become inflamed due to bacterial plaque. At this stage the ligaments and bone are not infected. Gum color in cats will change from a light pink to red or purple. The gum edge wills well. Symptoms include bleeding and bad breath. This can be reversed with proper teeth cleaning. That said, it can worsen and result in periodontitis. Consult with your veterinarian for an effective treatment plan.
Exercise
Playtime for indoor cats is extremely important. Because cats are natural predators, and are kept in a domestic environment, daily playtime schedules should mimic “hunt, eat, and chill.” This would be the same schedule that they would have out in the wild. By providing a healthy and stimulating playtime schedule, many feline behavioral problems are eliminated or reduced in frequency. Cat parents need to mimic a cat’s “natural environment combined with activity” within their household, to ensure that their cats are well-balanced and happy.
When choosing cat toys for your cat, opt for toys that allow the entire family to play together. Toys like the Shimmer Glimmer are shimmery and plush, and allow for all cats to have plenty of fun with everyone. The wands allow for change-out-toys to prevent your cat from getting bored.
This cat breed needs daily exercise combined with plenty of mental stimulation through active play and interaction with people. Cat parents can use cat toys like the Mousr or Cat Dancer to get their cats to play. This will encourage your cat to play. Finding a variety of mentally stimulating cat toys will allow for your cat to lead a well-balanced life, with the right amount of exercise and mental stimulation. Cat harnesses also allow for daily walks.
This cat breed is an active cat breed, that thrives on attention and free-play. That said, this cat breed still needs to play and interact with people, but needs to have plenty of environmental stimulation 24/7. Cat gyms, cat scratchers, and interactive cat toys within a cat friendly home environment work best for this fabulous cat breed.
Look out for the latest cat toys like Ripple rug play mats, the Feather Whirls, pet cube toys, food trees, turbo scratcher toys, cat companion interactive toys, and electronic motion toys. All these and many more will keep your cat entertained when you’re out and about. Chasing, hunting, and attacking toys are some of the methods that cats will use when playing with interactive toys. When out shopping for cat toys, opt for safe TPA materials that have no toxic BPA or BHT. Ultimately, what feline pet parents need to achieve is bonding through free play and exercise.
Cat trackers like the Pod are waterproof and allow for cat parents to track their cat’s daily activities. Cat parents can track their cats by mobile phone and computer applications.
Nutrition
Always take notice of your cat’s eating behavior. If your cat suddenly has a lack of appetite, it could indicate a serious illness. That said, if after a day, he’s still not eating, visit your veterinarian.
Fresh, clean water needs to always be on hand for your cat. Canned cat food contains moisture, yet water should never be withheld from your cat. By feeding the proper amounts of cat food, you’ll also prevent your cat from becoming obese. Healthy cats are less prone to heart disease, arthritis, and a shorter lifespan.
The LaPerm cat breed will need proper nutrition. That said, a high-quality diet that is appropriate for the specific life stage of the cat is necessary. Protein as an ingredient, needs to come first. Dry cat food is a popular choice because it promotes healthier gums and teeth. Yet, wet food is highly recommended by veterinarians because it provides more moisture to cats. Cats don’t drink a lot of water and tend to sometimes get dehydrated. Wet cat food also has its benefits. By choosing a well-known name- brand cat food that has scientific backing, as well as quality control, cat parents can be assured that they are providing a well-balanced diet.
All cat breeds need high- quality fat and protein in their diets. They also need amino acids, including taurine that cannot be found in either human food or dog food. There are also numerous specialty diets for your cat that are formulated specifically for certain medical problems like urinary tract disorder, obesity, or kidney disease.
All cats do well by being fed twice daily. During kittenhood, kittens will need to be fed every few hours. Growing kittens need more calories, nutrients, vitamins, protein, and calories. Your cat should be able to enjoy a peaceful meal in a quiet corner of the house. Some cat parents prefer to leave cat kibble out 24/7. When looking for a high-quality cat food, here’s what to look out for:
- No low-quality fillers
- No artificial additives
- Low grade ingredients or toxic ingredients
- All cat food has to be meat-based because all cats are carnivores.
- No garlic
- Plant-based ingredients should be listed after the protein-based ingredients
Consult with your veterinarian for the best dietary advice for your cat.
Grooming
Cat pampering is a norm today with feline pet parents wanting the very best for the cats. Your LaPerm may be susceptible to skin diseases originating from flea bites, mites, yeast infections, and infections. Opt for natural cat grooming products to help resolve these skin irritants.
All cat breeds have highly sensitive skin. By using grooming wipes and waterless shampoos in between bathing schedules, you’ll have a healthier cat.
The LaPerm needs minimal grooming to remove shedding or dead hair. Because this breed has a short and curly coat, grooming is easy. Stainless steel combs help to remove dead hair. Care must be taken when grooming leg hair and body hair to avoid sensitive areas. Some cats have very sensitive areas along their backs, legs, and belly area. Curry brushes help with grooming, and will remove dead hair and debris from your cat’s coat.
Look for high-quality pet products to decrease shedding, and help prevent hairballs. Products like the Furminator will easily groom through your cat’s coat, and safely remove dead hair without hurting your cat. Soft tip massagers, deluxe nail trimmers, and de-shedding tools all help make cat grooming so much easier.
All cat breeds will groom themselves several times throughout the day. Daily grooming is necessary because it limits the amount of hair that your cat will consume. This helps limit the development of hairballs. Your cat will enjoy being groomed. Coat hair always looks best during the cold winter months. Cats that have been spayed or neutered will have great coats year- round. This is because hormonal changes in cats affects coat length and thickness.
Daily cleaning with pet wipes beneath the tail is necessary. Ears should be checked weekly for cleanliness and sensitivity. If there is a build-up of wax and dirt, organisms can lead to an ear infection. Consult with your veterinarian about safe and gentle ear cleaning techniques. Nail trimming is necessary every few weeks. Eyes should also be cleaned gently every morning with cotton wool or a soft wipe. Each eye should be cleaned with different wipes or cotton balls to avoid eye infection contamination in both eyes.
Healthy cats need minimal bathing with a gentle cat shampoo. Your cat will need dental care as well. By feeding dry food, and having professional dental cleanings with your veterinarian throughout your cat’s lifetime, your cat will have less of a chance of developing gingivitis or gum disease. Cats should also have their teeth brushed a few times a week with a special feline toothpaste and brush.
Small and frequent effective hygiene habits will make a big difference in maintaining healthy skin, healthy teeth, and good overall health. Look for environmentally safe pet products that have natural ingredients. Consult with your veterinarian for advice.
Adopting a LaPerm
Fill your home with crinkle balls, sisal rollers, and plush feline toys before bringing your new cat home. There are also numerous battery-operated toys that function on their own and spin. These are designed to stimulate a cat’s prey movements, and will encourage your new cat to practice his stalking skills. Free-standing cat scratches, and cat condos help to encourage scratching in the right places. Cat condos are perfect for the newly adopted kitty and offer a place to hide, perch, and scratch!
The LaPerm is an active, yet relaxed cat breed that needs lots of playtime. This is not a cat breed that enjoys being alone all day. This cat breed enjoys being around other cat friendly animals, and gentle humans. That said, this cat breed can open latch doors and escape easily. It is important to keep your cat mentally stimulated and happy.
Cat parents often wonder if they should adopt or purchase. With so many cats up for adoption, it’s the only way to go! When choosing your cat, ask questions, and look for a great temperament! That said, numerous cats can be quirky at shelters, but soon settle down in their new homes, and become very friendly and sociable. In addition, kittens should be playful and curious.
Give your cat a few months to settle in to his new home. Some cats may take longer than a year to settle down, most especially older cats that have spent a long time at the shelter. Many cats tend to be depressed when coming from a shelter. By providing your cat with regular feed times, consistent playtime, and a cat-friendly environment, you’ll help your feline overcome his depression. It takes time, but feline depression can be treated with the help of your veterinarian.
Sickly kittens that have bad odors or plenty of diarrhea stains, and a dull coat need to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Kittens when ill, can go downhill very quickly. However, the rewards of adopting a sick animal and caring for it are tremendous, provided that good veterinary care is provided right away. Keep in mind that vaccinations and parasite control are an important part of feline health care.
Your cat will also need to be protected from household hazards, most especially electrical cables, poisonous plants, medication, and open windows. The LaPerm makes for a wonderful adoption! As usual, make sure that children are always gentle and quiet around your cat.
Give your cat time to adjust to his new surroundings. As with any cat adoption, make sure that you have the time and resources to take good care of your LaPerm.