Meet The Werewolf Kitty

Halloween is just a hop, skip, and jump away. Stop inside almost any store this week, and you’ll see all kinds of Halloween candy and decor, and plenty of scary spiders, skulls, vampires, mummies, and, of course, werewolves. In fact, there’s a new werewolf on the prowl, and she’s pretty adorable. In this article, a veterinarian discusses Halloween’s newest mascot … the Lykoi, or werewolf kitty.

Basics

Aside from her appearance, appearance, and possible fixation on full moons, Lykois are quite similar to other cats. They have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, should weigh about 6 to 8 pounds, and wrap their humans around their paws with ease. Likewise, Fluffy may not howl at the moon, but she’s not shy about speaking her mind. As one would expect, Lykois relish kitty luxuries, like scratching posts, comfy beds, and catnip. (No word yet on how they feel about silver.)

Coat

Fluffy is, well, not too fluffy at all. Truth be told, most Lykois have thin coats. Many don’t have any fur around their noses, mouths, and eyes. Some have no hair at all! (Unsurprisingly, these bald kitties often get mistaken for Sphynx kitties.) Like other hairless cats, these lovable felines get chilly quickly. This is one reason we recommend keeping them indoors … especially when the moon is full. But that doesn’t mean they don’t shed. The Lykoi sheds quite a bit for a cat that doesn’t have that much hair!

History

Werewolf myths have been around for centuries and still continue today. Some of the oldest legends go all the way back to ancient Greece! (Fun fact: the name Lykoi comes from Lycos, the Greek word for wolf.) And while the Lykoi breed is not that old, kitties with the Lykoi look have been observed in feral cat colonies for a long time. By 2011, breeders matched two of them up. This marked the beginning of Fluffy’s journey to getting recognized as an official breed. That actually didn’t take very long: just one year later, in 2012, the International Cat Association granted the kitties official status. With fewer than 100 show-standard ones registered worldwide, the Lykoi is still quite rare. While we still have lots to learn about these kitties, you can rest assured that you don’t need to worry about changing into a werecat if Fluffy bites you.

Do you have questions about your feline friend? Contact us, your animal clinic in Pelham, ON, today.