‘Alpaca Cat’ is an alternative name for the LaPerm Cat. There is a distinctive way to spell LaPerm as you can readily see. ‘La Perm Cat’ is incorrect as is ‘La perm cat’. I have a full and very detailed page on this cat breed so won’t repeat myself here.
It is a very distinctive looking cat breed. Quite American in its development. They are rare in Europe although astonishingly my neighbour in an apartment complex where I used to live owned one. She was very skinny and skittish but allowed out to roam freely anyhere – amazing. This is her:
Due to a genetic mutation the fur has an unusual texture having a distinctive coat that falls in loose ringlets, reminiscent of the Komondor dog.
The reason for the name is interesting. The first LaPerm was discovered in The Dalles, Oregon, USA, in 1982. The Chinook tribe lived in the area and they used French words. This is the reason for the French feel of the name LaPerm. The first name given to this cat by the founder Linda Kohl was The Dalles La Perm. This was refined and shortened to LaPerm.
The French connection accounts for the ‘La’ in LaPerm. The ‘Perm’ part of the name comes from the ‘rapids, ripples and curls’ of the Columbia River which passes through the The Dalles below the Celilo Falls. Curls are synonymous with perm haircuts.
That’s the Alpaca Cat. Alpacas have a dense slightly curly coat which must account for this alternative name.
Google map of the area:
