Obscure Cat Breed of the Month: LaPerm

LaPerm is a cat that was “accidentally” bred on a farm in Oregon in 1982.  The farmer noticed that his barn cat had one completely bald kitten in her litter.  It had very large, wide-spaced ears and a blueprint pattern on her skin that mimicked a classic tabby patter.  She stayed bald until about 8 weeks of age, at which time she grew very soft, curly hair. By the age of 4 months, she had a full coat of curls.  The farmer just accepted this kitten as a unique mutant and didn’t think much of it.  However, over the years, the farmer noticed that more and more kittens were being born bald and then developing the same type of curly coat.  These cats, she also noticed, were some of the friendliest cats she had ever seen.  She began to breed these cats exclusively and that is how the “LaPerm” breed was established.

LaPerm cats come in either long or short hair, in any color imaginable.  Most are born bald, but some are born with a curly down that they lose within the first two weeks and then grow back again.  All of the LaPerm cats have one thing in common: their indisputable people oriented personalities. 

This breed of cat is highly valued for its affection and trainability.  Because their ultimate goal in life seems to be to please their owners, owning a LaPerm would seem to be a wonderful experience.

For more information, reach out to www.cfa.org.   If anyone reading this owns a LaPerm, we encourage your input and/or pictures!

Obscure Dog Breed of the Month: Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear is a bichon-type dog related to the French Bichons and the Italian Bolognese.  This is the “Official Dog of Madagascar”, and has even been honored on a postage stamp in 1974.

Cotons, from the French word for cotton, have a very cottony or fluffy haircoat rather than silky.  They have a long topcoat which, when left long, resembles a bale of cotton.  Accepted colors for this breed are white, white & black, or tri-colored; however, the all white dogs are preferred by show breeders.

This breed is very friendly, gentle, affectionate and alert.  They are very sociable and get along great with children.  Since they are small, they make a great apartment dog for someone in that situation that wants a small, loyal friend.  They are also great watchdogs due to their attentiveness.  Their most endearing “trick” is their tendency to jump and walk on their hind legs. 

If you own a Coton de Tulear, please feel free to let us know about them or post pictures.  For more information about this cute breed, reach out to www.dogbreedinfo.com.