Grooming a LaPerm Without Ruining the Curls

A LaPerm is one of those coats where the usual long-haired grooming advice can actually do more harm than good — those soft spiraling ringlets need to be worked with, not against, or you end up with a frizzy, undefined mess instead of the beautiful curl pattern the breed is known for. The difference between a well-maintained LaPerm coat and a matted disaster is usually just the right tool used consistently — and most brushes designed for long-haired cats will destroy the curl structure entirely. To point you in the right direction: how often are you currently grooming, and is matting already showing up anywhere — particularly around the neck, armpits, or base of the tail?

Your suspicion is right — a slicker brush is almost certainly the culprit. The fine wire pins on a slicker separate and fluff the coat, which is exactly what you want for a Persian or Maine Coon, but it pulls LaPerm curls apart and leaves them looking frizzy and dull rather than defined. You haven't got mats yet, which means you're in a great position to course-correct before things get worse. Can I ask — when you do groom her, are you grooming dry, or do you ever mist the coat lightly with water first?

It's a big factor with curly coats. Grooming a LaPerm completely dry tends to cause static and breakage, and it makes the curl pattern collapse rather than bounce back. A very light mist of plain water before you start makes a significant difference — the curls stay more elastic and the tool glides through without dragging. For the tool itself, I'd switch to the Denman D3 Original Styling Brush. It's designed for curly human hair but works exceptionally well on LaPerm coats — the cushioned base and widely-spaced nylon pins separate curl clumps gently without disrupting the ringlet structure. You work through small sections, root to tip, with a light hand, and the curls spring back defined rather than frizzy. It's widely available on Amazon UK and costs around £10–12. Used once or twice a week on a lightly misted coat, it'll keep those neck curls looking distinct and prevent the clumping from progressing.

Plain water is honestly fine for maintenance sessions when there's no matting. If you want to add something, a very diluted leave-in conditioner spray made for cats — something like The Stuff Conditioner diluted to about 10:1 with water — adds a little slip and helps the curls rehydrate, which can make the ringlets look more defined after grooming. But don't feel you need to buy anything extra to start. Get the Denman D3 and start with water — you'll likely see a noticeable improvement in the neck area within a session or two, and then you can decide whether you want to add a conditioning mist. The brush is the bigger variable here.

Great choice — you'll notice the difference quickly. One last tip: always finish by scrunching the curls gently upward with your hand after brushing, the same way you'd encourage a curl pattern on human hair. It sounds fussy but it takes about 10 seconds and really helps the ringlets re-form rather than going flat. Your LaPerm's coat should look much more vibrant within a couple of weeks.