LaPerm

This precious feline breed arose from a genetic modification that happened spontaneously in a litter that was born in the barn of some American farmers in the state of Oregon. Interestingly enough, some of these kittens were born bald and did not develop their coat until a few months later.

Several breeders were attracted to these strange kittens, creating different breeding programs to develop the breed now known as LaPerm. This breed was finally recognized in 1997 through the creation of the LPSA club and a few years later TICA established the LaPerm breed standard. These cats are considered as a hypoallergenic breed, since they barely shed hair.

The LaPerm cat breed are medium-sized cats, weighing between 3 and 5 kilos in females and 4 and 6 kilos in males, which are also slightly taller. Their body is strong, with a marked muscles under their long hair. Their hind legs are slightly longer than their long legs. Their tail is wide at the base, thinning out at the tip and covered in thick and long hair.

Their head is medium sized, proportionate to their body. It has a triangular shape and finishes in a long snout with a long and straight nose. On top of their head, they have wide and triangular ears with small plumes, similar to those of a lynx. Their eyes are oval and the color matches that of their coat.

When it comes to their coat, there are two varieties: long hair or short/medium hair. Both are recognized, no matter the colors or patterns of their coat. However, their hair must be curly.

LaPerm cats are incredibly affectionate, they love receiving attention and being pampered by their care givers. It is, therefore, no surprise that they can suffer from loneliness and separation anxiety. It's recommended not to leave them alone for many hours.

These cats are very obedient and intelligent, which is why they are able to learn many tricks. These cats can also adapt to different environments, such as a small apartment or a house in the countryside. Since they are social cats, they also adapt quite well to other people and even other pets. Nevertheless, for a balanced cat, we must remember to properly socialise them from a young age. Otherwise, they may manifest behavioral problems, such as fear or aggression in their adult age.

Caring for your LaPerm cat will depend on the length of their coat. For long-haired LaPerm cats, you will need to brush their hair daily to avoid tangles and fur balls. For short-haired or medium-haired LaPerm cats, a couple brushings per week will suffice.

Your cat will also need you to spend time with them to give them lots of affectionate, as well as play with them. Learn more about homemade toys in our article about DIY cat toys. Make sure to also bring them to the veterinarian for regular check-ups, as well as to keep up with their vaccination schedule.

When it comes to diet, we recommend you read our article on the healthiest wet cat food where we explain the best diet for cats and also give you ideas on healthy wet foods.

Due to their origin, this cat breed is relatively healthy as there are no registered congenital diseases. Nevertheless, to make sure they are healthy, we must provide them with a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

As we've previously mentioned, regular check-ups are important to detect any health issues early on before they get too serious. Other than that, we must keep up with their deworming and vaccination schedule. This way, our cat can avoid fleas, worms and bacterial diseases.