Now we here at IndulgeYourPet aren’t going to hold it against you if you’ve never actually heard of the LaPerm cat breed before, because unlike many other “ancient” cat breeds found throughout the world, this unique breed is actually a relatively new one.
But just because…
You may not have actually heard of a LaPerm cat before doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it some consideration if you are currently looking to add a new four-legged member to your family. Which is why in this article, we wanted to take a moment and discuss what it might be like to own a LaPerm kitten so that if you ever do get a chance to own one of this “ruffled” little guys, you won’t regret your decision to do so six months from now.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
LaPerm Cat Breed Fast Facts
Country of Origin: United States
Size: Medium sized
Weight: 7 to 9 pounds
Eyes: Almond-shape eyes
Head shape: Round
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Origin of the LaPerm cat breed
Because the LaPerm cat breed is a relatively new breed, we can actually trace its origin back to a single litter that occurred on a cherry farm located in Oregon back in 1982 owned by Linda and Richard Koehl.
And while…
The parents of the first LaPerm cat weren’t considered “pedigree” cats by any means, it is believed “non-pedigree cats” that these “barn cats” were probably some type of rex breed, probably a Selkirk Rex or some other “type” of “rex-mix”.
Because what you need to remember is…
That this litter wasn’t breed or created by a “professional” cat breeder as part of some specific type of “breeding program”. Rather, the first LaPerm kitten was the result of some type of spontaneous mutation that occurred in a litter that was breed to help maintain the rodent population on a cherry farm!
And out of one of those early litters…
There was one “odd” little girl that was born totally bald. Fortunately, this little girl didn’t display any other “deformities” so it began to develop normally just like all of her brothers and sisters.
Then to everyone’s surprise…
About 8 weeks after this little girl was born, she slowly began to grow fur. Only unlike her brothers and sisters who displayed the classic straight fur of a common tabby, this little girl began to grow curly hair!
So curly…
It earned this little girl the name “Curly” for obvious reasons.
Ironically…
For the first 10 or so years after Curly was born, her owners really never paid all that much attention to the “uniqueness” of what they had on their hands. As a result, there wasn’t much of an attempt to “selectively” breed for “Curly’s” unique features.
It was only after…
About a decade of unique cats being born in this barn that the owners finally began to take notice of these “unusual” cats and actually begin to create litters specifically “highlighting” the curly coat trait.
As a result…
A new breed was created and even recognized shortly later by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA).
LaPerm Characteristics
It goes without saying that the easiest way to identify a LaPerm cat is by looking at it’s curly coat, but like we mentioned before, these cats probably have a bit of “Selkirk Rex” in them which also have somewhat curly coats as well, so let’s just take a moment and discuss some of the other unique features of this cat breed so that you’ll have a better understanding of what they look like.
First off…
LaPerm generally tend to be medium sized cats that can be either shorthaired or longhaired. Longhaired varieties will tend to have tight ringlets of curly fur over their entire body, accented by a long and curly tail. This guys almost look like a “regular” cat that has just been given a bath and been “towel dried”.
Shorthaired LaPerms…
Will generally have a more “Permy” look, which is a term that will probably make sense for our older readers, but for our younger readers, what we mean is that these guys fur will look a bit more “wavy”. These guys don’t have enough fur to create the same “ringlets” you see on longhaired LaPerms which is why these guys have that more “perm hairdo” look.
And because…
The original breeding stock was a bit “hodge podged”, All colors and patterns are considered acceptable including solid colors and tabby patterns.
LaPerm Temperament
LaPerm cats and kittens are a whole lot of fun to own. They are fun, inquisitive little hunters that love to be affectionate and around the whole family.
These guys…
Will love to run and play while also seek out your lap anytime you’re on the couch. This is why this particular cat breed is one of our favorites and why we’ll often recommend this breed to anyone with small children in the household.
LaPerm Cat Breed Health
While technically, the LaPerm cat breed is now considered a pedigreed, it’s important to remember that it’s “roots” are from those healthy “mixed” cats from the barn.
Which is why…
The LaPerm breed is actually one of the healthiest pedigreed cat breeds that you can by today. Which is great because as long as you provide your LaPerm with a healthy diet and plenty of love, chances are, you’re LaPerm will live a long and healthy live.
That said however…
Because we here at IndulgeYourPet know just how expensive vet bills can be, especially if your pet develops a serious medical condition or suffers a serous injury, we always like to encourage all of our readers to take a moment and see what it might cost to purchase a pet insurance policy on their new loved one.
Now will a pet insurance policy be right for everyone?
No, probably not. But until you know what a pet insurance policy will and won’t cover, and how much it will actually cost, how will you ever know if purchasing one might be “right” for you?
For more information on who we feel currently offers some of the “best” pet insurance policies out there, we would encourage you to check out our article titled: Best Pet Insurance Companies.
That’s not how quotation marks “function.”
“Sorry”