Other Name
This curly coated cat is friendly, loving, and curious. His unusual appearance is the result of a spontaneous mutation. The coat, which varies in length, comes in all colors and patterns seen in cats. Some kittens are born bald or with straight coats, but most of those develop the curly coat at maturity. Named for its characteristic curly hair, the LaPerm lineage began on a small cherry farm in Dalles, Oregon in 1982, when a kitten with tabby markings and meager fur was born to an otherwise ordinary barn cat.
A spontaneous mutation in a kitten born on an Oregon farm in 1982 led to the development of the LaPerm. The kitten was bald at birth, with large, widely spaced ears and a classic tabby pattern on her skin. Soon, however, she began to grow soft, curly hair. The cat, named Curly, produced many random-bred kittens, which often had her unusual coat. The owner, Linda Koehl, began to learn about genetics and breeding. Through controlled breedings, she discovered that the gene for the curly coat was dominant and was carried by both males and females. When she entered the cats in a show, she was surprised by the amount of interest shown in them. Curly, who was an outdoor cat, eventually disappeared, but she lives on in the new breed she produced, called the LaPerm, after the wavy coat. LaPerms are recognized by several cat registries, including The International Cat Association and Cat Fanciers Association.
