Meet The Werewolf Kitty

Halloween is coming up fast! Stop into almost any store this week, and you’ll see all sorts of iconic Halloween critters and creatures, including spiders, skulls, vampires, mummies, and, of course, werewolves. The newest werewolf on the scene is quite a bit cuter than most of these other creatures. Here, a veterinarian discusses Halloween’s ‘purrfect’ mascot … the Lykoi, or werewolf kitty.

Basics

Aside from her name, appearance, and possible fixation on full moons, Fluffy is very much like any other cat. Lykois have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, and should weigh about 6 to 8 pounds. These unique furballs are playful, affectionate, and pretty good with kids. They are also fairly vocal, and aren’t shy about speaking their minds when need be. As is to be expected, the Lykoi appreciate kitty luxuries, like scratching posts, catnip, and comfy beds. (Word is still out on how they feel about silver.)

Coat

As the saying says, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Fluffy is, well, not particularly fluffy. In fact, most Lykois have thin coats. Many don’t have much fur around their eyes, nose, or mouths. Some have no hair at all! (Understandably, they often get mixed up with Sphynx kitties.) For this reason, we recommend keeping them indoors … especially when the moon is full. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t shed. These lovable felines actually shed quite a bit for a breed that doesn’t have much hair to begin with!

History

Werewolf myths have been around for quite some time. Some of the oldest legends go all the way back to ancient Greece! (Fun fact: the name Lykoi is derivative of Lycos, the Greek word for wolf.) The Lykoi breed has only officially been around for about a decade. Kitties that look like Lykoi have been observed in feral cat colonies for quite a while. In 2011, breeders matched up two cats with the Lykoi look, thereby beginning the kitty’s journey to achieving status as an official breed. That journey actually didn’t take very long: the International Cat Association granted the kitties official status only a year later, in 2012. The Lykoi is still quite rare: there are fewer than 100 show-standard ones registered worldwide.

Do you have questions about your feline friend? Contact us, your local animal clinic in San Jose, Jacksonville, FL, today.