Discover the Lykoi: The Majestic 'Wolf' Cat Breed

It’s not a Sphynx….

Or a cat with a medical condition…

These are Lykoi cats. Their name means “Wolf Cat” in Greek.  We are pretty sure Red Hiding Hood won’t be scared of this wolf…

DNA testing proved that these cats do not have a Sphynx or Devon gene. Instead, it is a new, natural mutation. Dr. Johnny Gobble is a veterinarian who is fascinated with rare breeds and genetics. He decided the cats should be tested for any disease or disorder before being bred.

After many tests at the University of Tennessee, they found the kittens to be completely healthy and that the hair pattern was not the result of any disease or disorder.

What they did find was, “that some hair follicles lacked all the necessary components required to create hair (which is why Lykoi lack an undercoat). They also found that the follicles that were able to produce hair, lacked the proper balance of these components to maintain the hair (which is why Lykoi do molt and can become almost completely bald from time to time).

Dr. Gobble, along with his wife Brittany began breeding the Lykoi cat in 2011, out-crossing with domestic shorthair black cats to broaden the gene pool. They also run the breed’s website and are known for their exquisite photography of the breed. Below is a video of Brittany playing with one for their Lykoi kittens.

There are 18 breeders in the world working to establish Lykoi breeding programs worldwide! None expect kittens to become available for pet homes until 2016.

What do you think? Would you own a Were-cat?