The LaPerm exists in longhair and shorthair:
Longhair:
The coat is medium long to long, not very dense, but airy and springy when stroking it. Adult cats have a ruff. The coat on the tail is flowing, like a plume, the tips are wavy or curled.
Shorthair:
The coat is short to medium-long, not very dense, and also airy and springy, like in the longhair. The tail looks like a bottle brush and has wavy hairs.

The characteristic is the curled or wavy coat, curled coat is preferred. The waves or curls are not as dense as in other Rex breeds. The coat does not lie flat to the body, it stands off from the body.

The coat differs from each cat to the other, in some cats it may be softer, in some harder to touch. The shorthaired cats have a slightly harder coat than the longhaired ones.

History

The first Laperm, named Curly, was born in spring 1982 as natural mutation in a litter of six of a barn cat, named Speedy, which roamed freely on the farm of Linda and Richard Koehl in The Dalles, Oregon.
The Dalles is a very historical region located at the Gorge River, the sacred fishing ground of the Wishram Indians, a tribe speaking the language of the Chinooks. The Wishram Indians made their living from hunting salmon in the Columbia River. There are many Indian sagas connected with the Gorge River and many places have Indian names, like the Multnomah Falls (Mah-no ma), or the legend of the Fire Mountain, or the Woman Chief Tsagaglalal (She Who Watches).
The LaPerm was born under the watching eyes of Tsagaglalal.

It is quite interesting that Curly was born naked and developed her curled coat with an age of 8 weeks. Curly's first litter were 5 'naked' boys which developed the same curled coat like their mother.
During the next ten years the freely roaming cat colony of the LaPerm cats with that exceptionally curled coat developed and bred without any distinct breeding program. Amongst them were also chocolate and pointed LaPerm cats.
At least Linda Koehl realized that she might have some very special rex cats and started to breed the cats with a distinct breeding program.

The name of the breed was chosen by Linda Koehl herself to follow the tradition of the Chinooks, who adopted many French words in their language. Thus to the word Perm the article was added (La Perm), following the tradition of the Indians and giving the breed a very unique breed.
Many LaPerm cats follow that Indian tradition and carry Indian names.

The LaPerm was first recognized by TICA in 1995.

Genetics

The Rex coat of the LaPerm is inherited dominantly.
For breeding still domestic cats are used, consequently one may have also have kittens with straight hairs (LaPerm Straight).

Temperament

The LaPerm are gentle and very affectionate cats, having a fine voice and not being very noisy. They are active cats and very good hunters.
The are very interested and want to know everything. They will seek your company and will welcome you friendly purring, when they get to see you.
The love to cuddle, like to be carried in your arms and to lay back relaxed on their back in your arms.
The have a robust health. The breed is easy going and may be bred without any problems.

Grooming

The breed is very easy going and needs little grooming, its coat does not have the tendency to mate or to shed. When changing the coat, brushing them might be a good idea to get rid of dead hairs.
You may give them a bath from time to time, which will make their curled coat even more beautiful and more wavy.