At a glance the quick version
TICA: males 7-12 lb, females 6-9 lb. CFA notes they feel surprisingly heavy for their size.
Coat and looks how to spot one
curly (rex) coat in longhair and shorthair
A medium, semi-foreign cat with moderate bone, fairly long legs and neck. Its coat is loose, springy and light, standing away from the body in waves, curls and ringlets, with the tightest curls around the throat and ear base. Longhairs grow a curly ruff and plumed tail; shorthairs have a bottle-brush tail. The texture is often compared to mohair.321
Personality what they are like
Loving and gentle, yet not pushy. LaPerms enjoy human company, often trail their owners round the house and happily settle on a lap. They are curious, inquisitive and a little mischievous, and tend to be quiet, speaking up mainly when they want attention.321
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Active and alert, with a keen hunting drive; enjoys interactive games and climbing trees, but adapts well to the owner's pace of life.32
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Easy. Occasional combing with a metal or rolling-tooth comb lifts out loose hair without spoiling the curls. The coat rarely mats. An occasional bath with towel drying (not blow drying, which frizzes the curls) keeps it fresh; trim nails about every two weeks and brush teeth regularly.32
Home where they are happiest
Enjoys cat trees and places to climb as part of family life indoors.2
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Like every cat, an obligate carnivore that does best on a complete, balanced cat food suited to its age and activity level, with fresh water always available.
Company who they like around
Bonds closely with its family and enjoys being involved in daily life.23
The story where it all began
On 1 March 1982 a brown tabby farm cat in Linda and Richard Koehl's cherry orchard in Oregon gave birth to a bald kitten named Curly, who grew a soft, wavy coat within months. As more curly kittens appeared, Linda Koehl began a planned breeding programme, and every LaPerm today descends from Curly. The breed went on to gain championship status with TICA, CFA, GCCF and FIFe between 2003 and 2015.213
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The very first LaPerm, Curly, was born completely bald and grew her curls by about four months old; bald kittens still turn up and later grow curly coats.3
- 2
Unlike some other rex breeds, LaPerms keep long, flexible whiskers.2
- 3
The name plays on the idea of a 'perm' hairdo and follows a local Chinookan custom of borrowing French words.1
- 4
CFA notes the LaPerm is the only breed that can be shown in the Karpati colour pattern.3
- 5
LaPerms take two to three years to fully mature.3
Recognised by the official bits
- TICA
- Championship status 20031
- CFA
- Registered from 2000; championship status 20083
- GCCF
- Full championship recognition June 20121
- FIFe
- Fully recognised (2015) in Category 2, as LaPerm Longhair (LPL) and Shorthair (LPS)4
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a LaPerm. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- BrushingA soft glove or cloth, the coat is delicateevery 2 weeks
- Nail trimevery 3 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- Litter scoopevery day
- Litter changeevery week
- PlayDaily playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Wikipedia: LaPerm en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, history, recognition dates, name
- TICA: LaPerm tica.orgused for weight, lifespan, coat, temperament, activity, grooming, history, fun facts
- CFA: LaPerm cfa.orgused for recognition, coat, colours, temperament, grooming, fun facts
- FIFe: Breeds fifeweb.orgused for recognition
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.