The 'werewolf cat' — a recent breed whose partial baldness around the face and limbs gives it a strikingly canine, almost lupine appearance. Despite the dramatic look, Lykoi are warm, dog-like, and famously bonded to their people.
- Origin
- Tennessee, USA
- Category
- shorthair
- Lifespan
- 12–15 yrs
- Size
- Small-Medium
- Weight
- 2.7–5 kg
- Coat
- Partial — face, paws, and behind the ears are bald, body sparsely roan-coated
- Colours
- Black roan (silver and black mixed)
😺 Temperament
🏡 Best suited to
📊 Personality ratings
📜 History & origin
The Lykoi (from the Greek lykos, 'wolf') emerged from a natural genetic mutation discovered in feral cat colonies in Tennessee in 2010. Veterinarian Johnny Gobble — assisted by his wife Brittney and breeder Patti Thomas — confirmed the mutation was a recessive trait unrelated to the Sphynx or Devon Rex genes. Selective breeding from unrelated founder cats produced a stable line, and TICA granted Championship status in 2017. The breed remains one of the rarest pedigree cats in the world.
🧼 Care & grooming
Care is unusual: although Lykoi shed (sometimes dramatically), the resulting coat is sparse and easy to manage with a weekly silk-cloth wipe. They go through periodic 'molts' where they lose almost all hair and grow it back, which is normal. Their exposed skin needs sun protection in summer and warm layers in winter. They are highly active, intelligent, and enjoy puzzle feeders and clicker training — much closer in personality to a dog than to most cat breeds.
🩺 Health notes
A very young breed with limited long-term data, but no major hereditary conditions have yet been documented. Outcrossing to short-haired domestic cats has been used to maintain genetic diversity. Some dermatological monitoring is sensible because of the bald patches, but no Lykoi-specific health condition is currently recognised by veterinary geneticists.
