Читать книгу 77 Things to Know Before Getting a Cat - Susan Ewing M. - Страница 33

The LaPerm is a curious, active cat who loves heights, whether it’s your shoulder or the top shelf of a bookcase. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t also appreciate a lap for snuggling, which is lucky for the owner, because the curly LaPerm coat just cries out for you to bury your fingers in it.

The distinctive coat is the result of a spontaneous mutation first seen in 1982. LaPerms come in any color or pattern and may have long or short hair. The longhaired variety is sometimes called a “gypsy shag.” Both long- and shorthaired varieties have kinked whiskers.

A LaPerm kitten can be born bald or may go bald at about two weeks of age, with the coat finally growing back by about four months of age. If a kitten is born with a straight coat, either he will shed that coat in exchange for a curly one, or the coat will stay straight. Kittens born with curly coats will always have curly coats.

Female LaPerms weigh between 5 and 8 pounds (2.3–3.6 kg), and males weigh between 8 and 10 pounds (3.6–4.5 kg). Life expectancy is ten to fifteen years. The LaPerm has no known genetic diseases.