LaPerm

The LaPerm is a medium-sized domestic cat recognised by its wavy or curly coat. The curls range from soft waves through to tight ringlets, and the texture stays light and airy rather than dense. Both longhair and shorthair varieties exist, and the curly characteristic shows up in each of them.

LaPerms are affectionate and firmly oriented towards people. They will follow the household from room to room, settle onto a lap, and keep themselves involved in whatever is going on. Curiosity is a defining trait, so the breed investigates open drawers, new objects, and any change to its surroundings. Owners tend to describe LaPerms as gentle yet persistent in asking for attention.

The coat is the breed's most distinctive feature, but it is the temperament that keeps owners attached. South Africa's Angora goats and Merino sheep have given the country a long association with distinctive curly fibre, and the LaPerm's lightweight ringlets carry a similar character. SPCA South Africa reports that cats are the country's most commonly kept pet, and the LaPerm's modest grooming needs and sociable nature suit that context. Its active but space-efficient temperament fits Joburg flats and houses with a Western Cape garden alike.

Who it suits

The LaPerm suits households that want an interactive cat and can offer regular company. It works well in families with children, in multi-pet homes, and for owners who enjoy a cat that stays close by. Anyone who prefers an independent, aloof cat may find the breed a touch too attentive. The curly coat sheds only modestly, which appeals to owners who are sensitive to loose hair, although no cat is ever completely non-shedding.

The LaPerm began in The Dalles, Oregon, in 1982. A barn cat produced a litter in which one kitten was born hairless. As that kitten grew, it developed a soft, curly coat. The owner, Linda Koehl, kept the cat and noticed that the curly trait carried through to later generations of farm cats.

Over the years that followed, the curly cats multiplied across the working cat population on the property. Koehl saw that the coat appeared in different colours and in both long and short lengths, and that the curls were consistent enough to point to a single inherited characteristic.

The trait was traced to a dominant gene mutation. Breeders set out to establish the LaPerm as a distinct breed while holding on to its natural diversity rather than narrowing it to a single look. The name pairs a French article with a reference to the permed appearance of the coat.

From the 1990s onwards, cat registries began to accept the LaPerm for recognition and competition. In South Africa the breed can be registered through bodies such as the South African Cat Council (SACC) or TICA. The breed spread well beyond the United States, and breeding programmes elsewhere continued to develop it while keeping the original mutation as the foundation.

The LaPerm has a balanced, moderate body of medium size. It is neither stocky nor extremely slender, and the frame feels lighter than it looks because of the airy coat. The head is a modified wedge with a rounded contour, and the ears are set to carry on the line of the wedge. The whiskers are often curly, which is a recognised feature of the breed.

The coat is the defining trait. Curls can be loose waves or tight ringlets, and they are usually most pronounced at the throat and on the underside. The longhair variety carries a curly ruff, while the shorthair variety shows a slightly more textured, springy coat.

Coat and colours

The LaPerm is accepted in the full range of colours and patterns, including solids, tabbies, tortoiseshells, and pointed varieties. The curl develops over the cat's first months and may shift in density at different life stages. Some kittens are born with hair, some with a short coat, and some nearly bald before the curly coat grows in. Coat care needs stay modest because the texture resists matting when compared with denser longhair breeds.

The LaPerm is an attentive companion. It seeks out human company and often stays in the same room as its household, climbing onto laps or perching close by. The breed is known for reaching out a paw to touch or gently pat a person when it wants attention.

With family, the LaPerm is warm and interactive. It puts up with children who handle it calmly and tends to settle into the rhythm of a busy home. Around strangers most LaPerms are confident rather than shy, and many will walk straight up to visitors. With other pets the breed is usually sociable and does well alongside other cats or a calm dog.

Curiosity drives much of the breed's behaviour. LaPerms investigate cupboards, bags, and anything new. They are intelligent and stay engaged with toys, puzzles, and games well into adulthood. The breed is active without being hyperactive, balancing play with spells of close contact.

The curly coat of the LaPerm is lower maintenance than its appearance suggests. It resists matting and does not need the daily attention that denser longhair breeds demand.

Grooming

• Comb the longhair variety once or twice a week to lift loose hair and keep the curls defined
• Comb the shorthair variety now and then; many need little more than a weekly check
• Avoid heavy brushing, which can pull out the curl and leave the coat frizzy
• Trim nails every two to three weeks and check the ears for wax build-up
• Brush the teeth regularly to support dental health

Exercise

• Provide daily interactive play with wand toys, balls, or puzzle feeders
• Rotate the toys to keep a curious cat engaged
• Offer climbing space and perches for vertical movement
• Aim for two or more short play sessions each day

Environment

The LaPerm suits indoor or supervised-outdoor life across South Africa's varied climates. On the Highveld, where winter nights in Johannesburg or Pretoria can drop close to freezing, provide a warm sleeping spot or a heated cat pad. Along the KwaZulu-Natal coast and in the Western Cape summer, keep a cool, ventilated space available with fresh water. The garden or stoep works well as a supervised extension of the indoor territory rather than for unsupervised free roaming. A scratching post, a high perch, and a garden view suit the breed's watchful nature.

As an obligate carnivore, the LaPerm needs a diet built around animal protein. A complete and balanced commercial cat food, whether wet or dry, meets its core requirements. Portion size depends on age, weight, and activity level. Because the breed is active, it usually holds condition well, but free feeding can still lead to weight gain in the quieter individuals. Fresh water should always be available.

Treats and supplements

Treats should stay under about 10 percent of daily calories. A healthy LaPerm on a complete diet rarely needs supplements. Talk to a vet about any joint, skin, or coat supplement before adding it, since over-supplementation can cause problems of its own.

The LaPerm is regarded as a robust breed, partly because it descends from a working farm cat population with broad genetic diversity. Most individuals live 12 to 15 years with good care. The breed carries no long list of inherited disorders specific to it, but owners should still watch for the common feline health concerns and keep up with preventive care.

Preventive care

• Annual veterinary examinations, moving to twice yearly for seniors
• Core vaccinations kept up to date
• Parasite prevention for fleas and worms
• Regular dental care at home and professional cleaning as advised
• Weight monitoring at each visit

The LaPerm's intelligence and interest in people make it more trainable than many cats. It can learn to come when called, use a scratching post, walk on a harness, and perform simple tricks. Because the breed enjoys interaction, training sessions double as bonding time. Keep the sessions short and end on a success to hold the cat's attention.

Basics

1. Establish litter training early and keep the tray clean and accessible
2. Redirect scratching to a post and reward its use
3. Introduce a name and a food reward for coming when called
4. Teach simple cues such as sit or target touch with treats
5. Introduce the harness and carrier gradually, pairing each with rewards

Female LaPerms generally reach sexual maturity between 6 and 10 months, though responsible breeders wait until the cat is physically mature before a first litter. The curly coat results from a dominant gene, so a curly parent can pass the trait to a portion of its kittens even when paired with a straight-coated cat. This genetics has let breeders outcross to keep a wide gene pool while retaining the curl.

Gestation lasts about 63 to 67 days. Litters are typically four to six kittens. Newborns vary widely in coat: some arrive with hair, some with short fuzz, and some nearly bald, with the curly coat developing over the following weeks and months. Queens are usually attentive mothers, and kittens stay with the litter until weaning and early socialisation are complete, generally around 12 to 14 weeks before going to new homes.

Registering a LaPerm in South Africa

A gate left open for the gardener is all it takes for a homebody LaPerm to go missing. Her free United Pet Club profile keeps your details one scan away, wherever she turns up. Register your cat once, free, and the record outlasts every house move.

If a chip is already under her skin, finish the job by recording the number. Register the microchip on the free lifetime plan: any brand a South African vet implants is accepted, updating after a move between provinces costs nothing, and the record is searchable around the clock. Create your free account and cover cat and chip together.