Last Updated 13/07/2010.
© RCA 2003-2009 Inc
All Rights Reserved.
La Perm
Breed Profile
The LaPerm is a charming and distinctive
cat. They have an elegant and athletic build which gives a clue to the fact that
they are no couch potatoes, but active, outgoing cats who like to join in with
whatever their humans are doing. When people see a LaPerm for the first time it
is their soft coats of shaggy curls and ringlets which make a big impression.
Appropriately the LaPerm’s origins were in the early ‘80s when shaggy perms were
the height of fashion. Linda and Richard Koehl had moved to the Oregon
countryside for an easier pace of life, buying a cherry farm and investing in
some hardy farm cats to keep the mice in check. One of these gave birth to a
rather bald, long, skinny kitten a bit like the Pink Panther with a tabby
pattern on her skin. Linda wondered if something was wrong with the kitten, but
as she grew she developed a lovely soft curly coat which everyone liked to
touch.
The kitten was named Curly and grew up to be a favourite on the farm, getting
into all sorts of scrapes and eventually growing round and showing the signs
that she was soon going to have kittens of her own. As a young and innocent
first time mum she found herself in labour under a tree in the middle of a
blustery rainstorm one night. Linda heard strange noises and took a torch
outside to find Curly fiercely staving off barking dogs while straddling her
five newborn babies. Linda took the family to safety and realised that the
kittens all had the same appearance as their mother had at birth. All five were
male and grew up to have the same soft curls. They also took just as much
interest in reproduction and with five studs keeping the farm’s females
entertained before long the cherry trees were as full of curly kittens as they
had been with mice!
Linda found herself with a growing colony of unusual cats and decided to do some
research. She took some cats to a show to ask for feedback and was told by the
judges that she had something special. People were keen to develop a breeding
programme and a new breed was born which has grown and grown in popularity and
spread around the world.
The LaPerm breed is strongly allied with Native American culture as the area
where the Koehl’s farm is situated is in a sacred territory of a Chinook tribe
called the Wishram people. The area still contains rock carvings of the vigilant
goddess Tsagaglalal, who some feel has kept watch over the LaPerms. This is why
many LaPerm breeders give Native American names to their kittens.
The LaPerm is a cat of moderation with no extremes; it does however have a
striking appearance because of its unusual coat. The lean, muscular body is
medium sized with longish legs and neck. The head is elegant with gently rounded
contours and a broad muzzle. They have rather straight noses with just a gentle
dip in the profile and large ears placed to follow the line of the face. Many
owners are enchanted by their large and expressive almond-shaped eyes.
LaPerms come in all colours and patterns: reds and torties have always been well
represented, but more unusual colours like lilac and chocolate are also popular.
Patterns such as colourpoint are very attractive and newer varieties such as
ticked tabbies and shadeds are also being bred. The curl tends to open up the
coat showing off shading or striped bands of ticking on the hairs, creating a
striking and unique effect.
The coat itself is described as having a unique textured feel. It is not silky,
having a certain drag on the hand like velvet. It should be soft and inviting,
although the shorthairs will have more texture. The coat is rather loose and
bouncy, often feeling springy when patted, and stands away from the body with no
thick undercoat. It is wavy or curly all over with the longest and most defined
curls in the ruff often falling in ringlets. The longhairs have a curly plumed
tail while the shorthairs have tails rather like bottle brushes, and both have
long curled whiskers.
The LaPerm is an ideal family pet as they are loving, affectionate and sociable.
A bonus is the fact that they shed very little and are a good choice for people
with mild allergies who want a cat they can live with. They are active cats so
in a quiet household it is a good idea to have a pair. They are hardy and
healthy with no special care needs and are low maintenance when it comes to
grooming as their non-matting coats only need an occasional comb through. In
fact breeders often find that owners come back to them for a second kitten
saying that one LaPerm is not enough!
© Anthony Nichols, Quincunx LaPerms
Standard Of Points for LaPerm (80L 80S)
The LaPerm results from a naturally occurring dominant genetic mutation producing both long and shorthaired curly-coated cats. It is medium-sized with a moderate foreign body type, well balanced overall and should feel surprisingly heavy for its size. The LaPerm should look alert and seem to be walking high on its legs. Coat texture will be distinctly different to that of any other Rex mutation. The perfect cat will have a moderately soft, but textured coat that will be loose and bouncy, standing away from the body. You should be able to run your fingers through the coat to the skin. It should not be too thick and heavy. Females may have a frizzier coat. All colours are acceptable.
HEAD:
Shape: Modified wedge with slightly rounded, gentle contours, of medium length, longer than it is wide. Size in proportion to body. Whisker pads are prominent and should appear full and rounded. Allowances should be made for jowls on mature males.
Profile: Straight nose with gentle convex curve rising from the base of the eye to the top of the eye. Forehead should be a flat plane to the top of head, then smooth gentle curve back over top of head flowing down into neck. The brow, cheeks and profile should show gentle contours, with each flowing smoothly into the next.
Muzzle: Broad in proportion to the wedge. Medium length. Strong, firm chin. Moderate to strong whisker break.
Nose: Broad and straight with moderate length, gentle nose break but no stop.
EARS:
Placed to continue the modified wedge of the head; slightly flared and cupped; medium to large with furnishings and earmuffs, set in line, at a diagonal angle, neither too high nor too low, with about the width of an ear base between them. Tufts at the ear tips are desirable.
EYES:
Medium large and expressive. Almond shaped at rest and rounder when alert. Set moderately far apart and slightly slanted to the bottom of the outside ear base. Eye colour has no relation to coat colour.
BODY:
Medium in size, moderate foreign type, well muscled, medium fine boning but not light.
Neck: Carried erect. Medium long in proportion to body length.
Legs: Medium long to match the body. Forelegs may be slightly shorter than hind legs. Boning is medium. Rounded feet.
TAIL:
In proportion to body. Longhaired LaPerms will have a full plumed tail while Shorthaired LaPerms will have "bottle brush" tail. The tail will be thicker at the base and taper toward the tip.
COAT:
LONGHAIR: Coat length medium-long; both males and females may have ruff on neck at maturity. The tail is plumed with some curling. Whiskers will be very long and curly, ear furnishings and eyebrow hairs may also curl.
Texture: Curly or wavy, curly is preferred. The feel to the touch is unique among Rex breeds. The coat has a springy, textured feel. It should be neither silky nor excessively harsh. The texture is created by the shape of the curls and the mingling of thicker guard hairs in the coat. The degree of softness may vary among individual cats. The coat should be loose and bouncy and should stand away from the body with minimal undercoat. The coat is light and airy enough to part with a breath and it should be possible to run your fingers through to the skin. The coat may have an almost unkempt appearance but must be free of matting. Longest and tightest curls are on the neck, ruff and base of ear. The coat may vary in length and fullness according to the season and maturity of the cat. At times the coat will part naturally down the middle of the back.
Note: The coat matures up to three years
of age and younger cats may have a crisper coat texture.
Kloshe BB Sunshine, Red Tabby LH LaPerm
(photo by kind permission of Anthony Nichols)
SHORTHAIR: Coat length short to medium. The tail is not plumed but hair may be wavy. Whiskers will be long and curly, ear furnishings and eyebrow hairs may also curl.
Texture: Curly or wavy. The feel to the touch is unique among Rex breeds. It is a textured feel. It should be neither silky nor excessively harsh, but may have a crisper texture than the longhaired variety. The texture is created by the shape of the curls and the mingling of thicker guard hairs in the coat. The degree of softness may vary among individual cats. The coat has a springy texture, standing away from the body with waves over most of the cat. There is no ruff or ringlets and the tail will be like a bottle-brush. At times the coat will part naturally down the middle of the back.
Note: The coat matures up to three years
of age and younger cats may have a crisper coat texture.
Uluru Kimimi La of Lakotaspirit (SH LaPerm)
Photo by kind permission of Edwina Sipos
COLOURS - Colour and pattern
are irrelevant and carry no points therefore a cat should not be penalised if
apparently wrongly registered.
SCALE OF POINTS
HEAD 15 points
EARS 10 points
EYES 10 points
BODY& OVERALL BALANCE 25 points
TAIL 5 points
COAT 35 points
TOTAL 100 points
Withhold certificates, or first prizes in Kitten Open Classes, for:
1. Straight coat
2. Round head
3. Flat face
4. Cobby body
5. Coat flat to the body with regular undulating waves
6. Any other defect as listed in the preface of the SOP booklet
Faults:
Pronounced nose stop
Small ears
Muzzle too pointed/narrow
Lack of firm muscle
Bare patches
Thick, heavy coat
Short whiskers (with allowances for kittens)
Lack of ear furnishings in Longhairs
Back to Top
Breeding Policy for LaPerm (80L 80S)
Introduction
This document is seen as a way of ensuring breeders observe what is considered 'best practice' in their involvement with the LaPerm and particularly in their LaPerm breeding programmes.
The LaPerm, unlike most breeds but typical of other rex breeds, owes its origin to one cat - Curly, who was born in 1982 on Linda and Dick Koehl’s farm in The Dalles, Oregon. Several years of unregulated breeding gave rise to a small colony of curly, or rex coated cats on the farm and when selective breeding began these cats were the basis of the breed. As with other rex breeds, starting with a small gene pool meant that outcrossing to straight coated cats was vital to improve the size, health and strength of the breed's gene pool. Both long and short coats were present in the original colony and are recognised within the breed.
Aims
It is vital that regular selective outcrossing is maintained to increase the gene pool and improve stamina and health whilst maintaining correct type. When breeding curly to curly it is vitally important that careful selections are made to ensure low inbreeding coefficients. This is 'best for the breed' in its ongoing development.
Guidelines
The LaPerm gene (Lp) is dominant so LaPerm Variants do not carry the LaPerm gene, but may be useful in breeding programmes when mated back to LaPerms. LaPerms may carry the straight haired gene recessively so LaPerm x LaPerm matings can produce LaPerm Variants. LaPerms which carry the straight haired gene are known as Heterozygous LaPerms. Homozygous LaPerms do not carry the straight coated gene and will produce only rex coated offspring. There are no differences in appearance between Homozygous and Heterozygous LaPerms. The eventual aim of the LaPerm breeding programme is to produce Homozygous LaPerms but while the breed is still developing it is important to maintain breeding with both Homozygous and Heterozygous LaPerms.
The majority of matings are most likely to be between LaPerm x LaPerm, LaPerm x Approved Outcross Breed and LaPerm x LaPerm Variant. Matings between LaPerm Variant x LaPerm Variant cannot produce LaPerms but the offspring of such matings may be registered as LaPerm Variants.
Breeders should ensure, to the best of their knowledge, that any LaPerms or LaPerm Variants from which they breed are of sound temperament, free from any hereditary defects, (including those listed in the GCCF Standard of Points), and conform as closely as possible to the Standard of Points, (excluding the coat description where variants are concerned).
All cats used for outcrossing should be thoroughly researched, of sound temperament and free from any hereditary defects. Blood type B appears to be very rare in the LaPerm. It is recommended that cats with blood type B should not be introduced into the LaPerm breeding programme in order to prevent the occurrence of problems with blood type incompatibility.
LaPerms are not compatible with Cornish, Devon or Selkirk Rex. Such matings are therefore highly undesirable. The product of such matings will be registered on the Reference Register and cannot be considered to be LaPerms or LaPerm Variants. They cannot be used in any Rex breeding programme and should be placed on the non-active register. It is considered to be in the best interest of the LaPerm breed to keep it entirely separate from other incompatible Rex mutations.
Under no circumstances should any cat with Sphynx ancestry be introduced into the LaPerm breed. Selection for hairlessness contradicts the coat quality requirements for Rex cats. The product of any matings between Sphynx and LaPerms will be registered on the Reference Register. They cannot be considered to be variants nor be used in any LaPerm breeding programme and should be placed on the non-active register.
Breeders shall ensure that any LaPerms or LaPerm Variants from which they breed shall be registered with the GCCF in accordance with the Rules in force at the time. It is recommended that the progeny from any matings that are not required for LaPerm breeding, should be placed on the Non-Active Register, to avoid the introduction of the LaPerm gene into other varieties of pedigree cats.
Breeds which have been approved for use in outcrossing are:
Somali, Abyssinian, Ocicat, Asian Shorthair, Tiffanie, Burmese (European Burmese in the case of imported cats) and Tonkinese, plus variants of these breeds.
Chinchillas are permitted at the fourth and fifth generations of LaPerm pedigrees if they precede Asian group cats because chinchillas are permitted to appear in the background of Asian group cat pedigrees
All
other breeds are listed as non-approved.
Domestic longhairs and shorthairs were used in the development of the breed in the USA and may appear in the background of the pedigrees of imported cats. Siamese, Balinese, Oriental SH and Oriental LH may also be seen in the background of pedigrees where outcrosses to these breeds were carried out before the LaPerm’s promotion to Provisional status.
Breeders will be encouraged to take advantage of any relevant official scheme, which may be devised by the BAC to test the soundness of the LaPerm breed.
Note: It is recommended where the colour of a cat is in question a DNA test, (where such a test exists), be arranged.
Registration Policy for LaPerm (80L 80S)
Breeds which have been approved for use in outcrossing are:
Somali, Abyssinian, Ocicat, Asian Shorthair, Tiffanie, Burmese (European Burmese in the case of imported cats) and Tonkinese, plus variants of these breeds.
In addition, unregistered domestic LH and SH and their registered progeny are permitted in the pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide registering organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004, and those of their descendants.
All other breeds are listed as non-approved.
Full Register
LaPerms with Full or Provisional recognition which have within the preceding three generations only LaPerms.
Supplementary Register
LaPerms with Full or Provisional recognition which have within the preceding five generations only LaPerms, LaPerm Variants, Somali, Abyssinian, Ocicat, Asian Shorthair, Tiffanie, Burmese (European Burmese in the case of imported cats) and Tonkinese, plus variants of these breeds. Cats of unknown parentage but registered as "of LaPerm type", or cats which have been granted a registration number for use in the LaPerm breeding programme but are referred to by another organisation as "Domestic LH" or "Domestic SH" are permitted in the pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004. In addition, unregistered domestic LH and SH are permitted in the fourth and fifth generations of pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide registering organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004, and those of their descendants.
Experimental Register
LaPerms with Preliminary recognition which have within the preceding five generations only LaPerms, LaPerm Variants, Somali, Abyssinian, Ocicat, Asian Shorthair, Tiffanie, Burmese (European Burmese in the case of imported cats) and Tonkinese, plus variants of these breeds. Cats of unknown parentage but registered as "of LaPerm type", or cats which have been granted a registration number for use in the LaPerm breeding programme but are referred to by another organisation as "Domestic LH" or "Domestic SH" are permitted in the pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004. In addition, unregistered domestic LH and SH are permitted in the fourth and fifth generations of pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide registering organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004, and those of their descendants.)
Reference Register I
1. LaPerm Variants which have within the preceding five generations only LaPerms, LaPerm Variants, Somali, Abyssinian, Ocicat, Asian Shorthair, Tiffanie, Burmese (European Burmese in the case of imported cats) and Tonkinese, plus variants of these breeds, shall be registered on the Reference Register with a LaPerm Variant breed number. Cats of unknown parentage but registered as "of LaPerm type", or cats which have been granted a registration number for use in the LaPerm breeding programme but are referred to by another organisation as "Domestic LH" or "Domestic SH" are permitted in the pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004. In addition, unregistered domestic LH and SH are permitted in the fourth and fifth generations of pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide registering organisation) prior to 23rd June 2004, and those of their descendants.
2. LaPerms and LaPerm variants which have within the preceding five generations any non-approved breeds and registered prior to (date of progression to Provisional status) shall be registered on the Reference Register as normal or rex coated of LaPerm type. This includes unregistered domestic LH and SH, with the exception of those in the pedigrees of cats registered (either with GCCF or with another bona fide registering organisation) before 23rd June 2004, and those of their descendants.
NB. When kittens with one or both parents registered on the Reference Register are, under this Registration Policy, eligible to be registered on the Supplementary Register it is recommended that the person registering these kittens requests such registration and encloses documentary evidence of the five generations required. If this is not done the kittens may be registered on the Reference Register.
NOTE: Chinchillas (10) permitted in background of Asian SH/Tiffanie pedigrees are also permitted in fourth and fifth generations of LaPerm pedigrees.
Reference Register II
All cats resulting from matings between LaPerms and any breed other than those listed above as acceptable in LaPerm pedigrees shall be registered on the Reference Register as ‘no recognised breed’ with no progression.
NOTE 1: LaPerms with Oriental SH, Oriental LH, Siamese or Balinese cats in their pedigrees, registered prior to (date of progression to Provisional status), will continue to be registered as LaPerms, as will their progeny in succeeding generations. After (date of progression to Provisional status) the progeny of LaPerms mated to Oriental SH, Oriental LH, Siamese or Balinese will be registered on the Reference Register as ‘no recognised breed’ with no progression.
NOTE 2: Before the registration of any white LaPerm or white LaPerm Variant, a BAER certificate of freedom from deafness for the white parent(s) must be supplied to the GCCF. For identification purposes cats must be micro chipped prior to testing.