The LaPerm is a breed of cat. A LaPerm's fur is curly (hence the name "perm"), with the tightest curls being on the throat and on the base of the ears. LaPerms come in many colors and patterns. LaPerms generally have a very affectionate personality. Breed profile The LaPerm is a rex breed which originated in the United States and is now present in many other countries worldwide. The breed is genetically unique and not related to any other rex cat varieties, having a dominant gene causing their curly coats. They have an elegant and athletic build and are affectionate, active, and outgoing in character. They are reputed to be hypoallergenic cats, provoking a significantly lower level of an allergic response in humans than normal cats. Their most significant feature is their coat, which is made up of soft waves, curls, and ringlets, resembling a shaggy perm. History The LaPerm emerged around the early 1980s as a spontaneous mutation of cats bred for pest control. The breed founders were Linda and Richard Koehl from The Dalles, Oregon, whose cat Speedy gave birth to a curly-coated kitten, named Curly, from whom all LaPerms descend. The Kohls allowed a free-breeding colony of curly-coated cats to develop over a period of ten years before making contact with members of the cat fancy and initiating a formal breeding program. The breed was named after their curly coat which bears resemblance to a shaggy perm. The name follows the Chinookan tradition of adopting French words while incorporating the definite article to create a new word; for example, in Chinook Wawa, 'pipe' is and 'apple' is , ( and , respectively, in French). Description The LaPerm is in many ways a cat of moderation with no extremes and is still true to its original type. It does however have an unusual coat. The breed standard describes a muscular foreign-type body, which is medium in size with longish legs and neck. The head is a modified wedge with rounded contours and a muzzle which is slightly broad of the wedge. In profile, the straight nose leads into a break between the eyes up to a flattish forehead. LaPerms also have rather broad noses, flared ears, and medium-large almond-shaped eyes. Like other rexes, all colors and patterns are acceptable, although tabbies, reds and torties are quite common due to their origins. Also, the unusual colors from the early