Meet The Werewolf Kitty

Halloween is just around the corner. Pop into almost any store this week, and you’ll see all sorts of iconic Halloween images, such as spiders, skulls, vampires, mummies, and, of course, werewolves. The newest star on the scene is quite a bit cuter than most of these other creatures. In this article, a veterinarian discusses Halloween’s most adorable mascot … the werewolf kitty.

Basics

Aside from her name, appearance, and possible fixation on full moons, the Lykoi is very much like any other furball. They have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, should weigh about 6 to 8 pounds, and love to wrap their humans around their arms. Fluffy is also playful, affectionate, and pretty good with kids. Like any other feline, the Lykoi appreciate kitty luxuries, such as scratching posts, catnip, and comfy beds. (No word yet about how they feel about silver.)

Coat

Fluffy is, well, not very fluffy. In fact, most Lykoi kitties have thin fur, and many do not have any fur at all around their eyes, nose, or mouths. Some of them have no fur 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. The Lykoi actually sheds a lot for a cat that doesn’t have much hair to begin with! 

History

Werewolf 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 is much younger than that. 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 Fluffy’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 just one year later, back in 2012. The Lykoi is still quite rare: less than 100 show-standard ones have been registered worldwide.

Do you have questions about your feline friend? We can help! Contact us, your local animal clinic, today.