The LaPerm cat breed was developed in Oregon after a curly-coated kitten named Curly was born in 1982.
Curly was born on Linda and Richard Koehl’s cherry farm in The Dalles, Oregon. She had a normal straight coat at birth, but her coat later became soft and curly. Her unusual kittens established the foundation of the breed.
The name LaPerm refers to the breed’s permanent-wave-like coat. LaPerms may have short or long hair, and their curls can vary considerably between individual cats. The coat results from a naturally occurring genetic mutation.
LaPerm is often confused with the Selkirk Rex, Cornish Rex, and Devon Rex. Those breeds have different histories and coat structures; LaPerms developed from a farm-cat population rather than from one of those established rex breeds.