Mutant 'werewolf' cat found under bush

18 May 2016 - 08:32 By TMG Digital

One of the rarest cats in the world has been found living under a bush in Cape Town's Company's Garden.The Lykoi, or "werewolf cat", found by the Tears Animal Rescue feral cat team, is South Africa's only Lykoi and one of only 35 in the world.US vet Johnny Gobble, a Lykoi expert, said that although Lykois had been bred in South Africa, "the little Lykoi at Tears is the first natural mutation reported" in the country.The kitten is one of a litter of six taken to Tears in March after their mother - a domestic tabby - disappeared.Gobble said: "We have some from shelters, some from feral cat colony trap-and-release programmes and some that were found on the streets."We call the Lykoi a 'second-chance' breed. All the cats in the starting programme were rescues. They have a great personality and we have found no genetic health problems."They seem to have a great immune system."Since monitoring of the mutation began in 2011, there have been 34 reported births attributable to natural mutations around the world.At first, because of his strange appearance and behaviour - he did not play as a typical cat would, and displayed qualities that were more dog-like - the people at Tears thought the kitten was sick.They have named him Eyona - Xhosa for "The One" - and will make him the centrepiece of their "Quest for Hidden Treasure" campaign, in which they ask for food, blankets, medicine and adoptive homes for abandoned cats and dogs.- TMG Digital..

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