My sister Mel recently found out she owns one of these cats, a La Perm. Her cat is a ginger tabby named “Frisky” or “Mr. Fancy Pants,” depending on who owned him at the time. He was bounced from person to person until ending up at her apartment. When I “babysat” Frisky, I was amazed by his “uncat-like” behavior. I would go out, come home, and find the cat had neatly tucked himself under the covers of my bed. He walked on a leash, kissed me on the mouth, and seemed oddly intelligent. When my mother visited my sister for dinner, he hopped into a chair and sat by an empty place setting, as if waiting to be served. Frisky’s former owners are given the cold shoulder when they visit him. He does not act like he’s forgotten who they are; instead, he appears to be upset with them for leaving. If you do something, Frisky will attempt to involve himself in it. He has none of the aloof behavior associated with housecats and appears to behave more like a dog or human. He does not like to be left out of anything. When my sister did not offer him some of her broccoli and cheddar dinner, Frisky simply did a face plant in the leftovers and started woofing them down.
His physical appearance is also unusual. Most long-haired adult cats are not as skinny as this one. Mel thought his skinniness was related to a thyroid condition, but he continued to be thin after being put on medication. He has a long body, bushy tail, and a Roman nose. The fur on his underside is curly; he is very soft to the touch. Frisky has blue large eyes that look like they belong on a human being instead of a cat.
He was born Oregon, where the breed originated. Originally, there was only one La Perm, Curly. Now there are many of them out there. There are many curly-haired dog-like cats with giant tails running around. If they learn to speak or stand upright, humans may have a formidable opponent. Fortunately, they seem to like us . . . for the time being.
Just make youself at home, Frisky.
