It’s that Halloween time of year, again! Stop in almost any store this week, and you’ll see all sorts of Halloween candy and decor, and plenty of products with spiders, vampires, mummies, skulls, and, of course, werewolves. And what’s more, there’s a new werewolf on the scene, and she’s pretty cute. In this article, a veterinarian discusses Halloween’s newest mascot … the Lykoi, or werewolf kitty.
Basics
While her name, appearance, and possible fixation on full moons may be a little unusual, the Lykoi is very much like any other cat. These fun felines have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, should weigh about 6 to 8 pounds, and excel at wrapping their humans around their paws. While Fluffy may not howl at the moon, she definitely is not shy about speaking her mind. As one would expect, Lykois enjoy kitty luxuries, such as comfy beds, catnip, and scratching posts. (No word yet on how they feel about silver.)
Coat
Truth be told, Fluffy is, well, not very fluffy. Most Lykois have thin coats. Many of them don’t have any fur around their nose, eyes, and mouths. Some have no hair at all! (Unsurprisingly, these bald kitties often get mixed up with Sphynx kitties.) Much like other hairless cats, these lovable kitties get cold very easily. This is one reason we recommend keeping them indoors … particularly when the moon is full. Though, 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
Centuries-old Werewolf myths abound. Some of the oldest legends actually originate from ancient Greece! (Fun fact: the name Lykoi is derivative of Lycos, the Greek word for wolf.) The Lykoi breed may not be that old, but felines with the Lykoi look have been observed in feral cat colonies for quite a while. Breeders matched two of them up in 2011, thereby beginning Fluffy’s journey to getting recognized as an official breed. And that was a short trek, indeed: the International Cat Association granted the kitties official status just one year later, in 2012. While the Lykoi breed is now official, they’re still quite rare: there are fewer than 100 show-standard ones registered worldwide. We still have lots to learn about these kitties, but we can assure you 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, today.
