Electric Curling Cat, also known as LaPerm, is the offspring of randomly bred cats in the United States. However, it has a wedge-shaped head and a compact body. They are lively and cute, full of curiosity about the outside world, and like to engage in outdoor activities. Currently recognized by CFA&TICA.
In the past centuries, even though occasional curly gene mutations appeared, they soon disappeared in the vast gene pool and did not attract people's attention. However, the emergence of breed registration mechanisms changed this situation. Since the first batch of major curly cat breeds, such as Cornish Rex and Devon Rex, have been established, many curly breeds have been born. LaPerm is one of the strangest and most unique names among these cats, and also has the most distinct facial expression. They are born with soft fur that disappears in their infancy, and then grows out thick and curly, feeling especially smooth to the touch. LaPerm cats come in both long-haired and short-haired categories.
In 1982, a farm working cat in Dallas, Oregon, USA gave birth to a litter of six kittens, one of which was completely bald. Despite this disadvantage, the kitten survived and finally started growing fur at around 8 weeks old. However, her fur felt different from her siblings', as it was soft and curly to the touch. Linda Koehl, the owner of the kitten and the creator of this breed, named her Curly. After another 5 years, Koehl bred more curly-haired kittens, forming the foundation of this breed. As the gene is dominant, they were able to increase the gene pool through extensive crossbreeding, while also increasing the number of curly-haired kittens in a logical manner.
Recommended for cat lovers
1. Cat Ringworm
Cat ringworm is a common skin disease in cats, which is simply a fungal infection.
Cause: Kittens with poor constitution are more prone to ringworm. Another type is caused by warm and humid living environment, leading to fungal infection.
Symptoms: The most common locations are the ears and chin. In the early stage, small areas of ringworm spots may appear, accompanied by hair loss, dry flakes on the surface, and severe cases may lead to skin ulceration and large bald spots.
Solution: Firstly, isolate the cat. Next, shave the fur around the ringworm area (to facilitate topical application of medicine and prevent the spread of fungus). Administer oral medication (common ones include itraconazole/fluconazole/griseofulvin). Apply ointments (such as clotrimazole cream/miconazole cream/toenafine cream/petenifine spray, remember to follow the doctor's instructions). Give medicated baths (using ketoconazole solution/miconazole solution, for 1-2 weeks until recovery). Increase nutrition (cats infected with ringworm generally have some immune problems, so they need to increase their nutrition, such as cooking some chicken breasts and carrots). Get more sunlight (sunlight and ventilation can help kill bacteria).
2. Cat Flu
Cat flu is also a common disease, especially in weak kittens.
Cause: A strain of bacteria called feline herpes virus invades the cat's respiratory tract. This virus attaches to the cat's trachea and begins to attack their respiratory system.
Symptoms: Fever, mucus around the nose, frequent sneezing, excessive secretion around the eyes, and severe cases may have conjunctivitis.
Solution: In the early stage, when the symptoms are not too severe, you can take lysine and use antiviral eye drops. It is recommended to vaccinate kittens to reduce the chance of cat flu. The virus that causes cat flu has strong viability, so it is important to do a thorough disinfection of the house. You can use formaldehyde and phenol for disinfection.
3. Vomiting
Vomiting is also a common occurrence in cats. Sometimes cats will vomit as part of their body's protection mechanism, and usually they will feel better after vomiting.
Cause: Ingesting too much hair, indigestion, eating foreign objects, changing food too quickly, catching a chill and getting a cold, or gastrointestinal inflammation can all cause vomiting.
Symptoms: Vomiting with hair and mucus; or vomiting food, yellow water, and froth, etc.
Solution: If the cat vomits hair, it is recommended to buy some hairball gel or cat grass for the cat to eat.
When a cat vomits, it is recommended to let the cat fast for a day, give it warm water to drink, and then feed it some pet probiotics to help regulate its flora. If the vomiting symptoms stop, you can feed it a small amount of softened cat food or canned food with more broth, which is easier to digest. If the vomiting condition does not improve, it is recommended to seek medical attention.
Hygiene: Due to the cat's abundant hair, it is prone to carrying various types of bacteria and fleas. For the sake of the health of the cat and the owner, the cat should be bathed regularly and its hair should be groomed;
Diet: Different cats have different food preferences. Owners should not choose cat food from the market at random for convenience. Cat food should be carefully selected according to the cat's breed, growth condition, and physical health. Special utensils should also be prepared for the cat;
Health: Like humans, cats can also get sick. When a cat gets sick, it must be taken to a specialized animal hospital for treatment. Regular physical examinations and vaccinations should also be given to the cat. Only when the cat is healthy will it have the energy to play with its owner;
Safety: There is a saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." Cats are restless creatures, always full of curiosity about various things. Their nature also makes them particularly fond of entering enclosed spaces. Therefore, owners must close doors, windows, and lids to prevent cats from falling into potential dangers;
Living environment: Cats love to lie around and sleep, so as an owner, you should prepare a small mat for it to sleep on. These mats will accumulate a lot of bacteria after the cat uses them for a long time, so regular cleaning and disinfection are necessary;
Cat litter: The problem of pets defecating everywhere has troubled many pet owners, but cats are actually very clean animals. As long as the owner provides cat litter, the cat will go to the litter box to defecate on its own;
Cats cannot stand being forced to do anything by their owners. When the owner forces them to do something, they become annoyed. Therefore, owners should trim their cats' nails regularly to prevent being scratched and infected during playtime.
Grooming Time: Recommended every three days
1. Relax the cat: Before grooming, you can first give the cat a massage service. When the kitten purrs, proceed with the following steps;
2. Brush along the hair: from the back → waist → hips → tail; when grooming, you can use a small amount of water to moisten the cat's hair, reduce static electricity, and brush along the direction of hair growth, from top to bottom;
3. Brush from the chest to the abdomen: Hold the cat, sit on your lap in a human position, and brush from top to bottom. The cat's belly is more sensitive, so when grooming, the caregiver must be fast and accurate.
4. Brush the cat's head and the area around the face: You can brush from the cat's head or face towards the neck. Be careful when brushing around the cat's eyes.
5. Hair under the armpits and on the belly side: At this time, the cat can lie on its side, lift up the cat's front paws, and brush from the armpits to the side of the belly.
6. Finally, use a comb to brush again, remove excess hair, straighten the cat's fur, and finish the entire process.
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