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He Was Born In A Park, His Mom Was A Stray, So Why Does Everybody Want To Buy Him?

While coming to the aid of a stray cat in South Africa, rescuers discover possibly the rarest kitten in the world!

Discovered last March by a TEARS Animal Rescue team Eyona was discovered with his stray tabby Mom and his 5 sibling kittens. Straight away rescuers could see that one of the 6 kittens was very different from the others, and from the Mom as well. They were found hiding in a bush in a Cape Town park.

Courtesy of TEARS ANIMAL RESCUE

Although Mom and five of the kittens looked pretty much like regular kittens, Eyona stood out like a sore thumb. His fur was flecked, patchy and grey, his face narrow, and he looked at people with a rather piercing gaze that reminded rescuers of another type of animal. “He’s got the look of a wolf, but the physique of a cat,” TEARS operations manager Mandy Store told The Dodo.

Courtesy of TEARS ANIMAL RESCUE

His skin tested negative for various diseases so at first rescuers thought he might be a cross between a Sphinx and another type of breed, but there were so many differences that were not at all catlike. But it was not until recently that Eyona’s rescuers discovered how rare he actually was. How incredible he actually was. You can out more about these rare cats here

Eyona was born with an extremely rare mutation which makes him a different kind of cat — a newly recognized breed called Lykoi, or “Werewolf” cats.TEARS consulted veterinarian Dr. Johnny Gobble, who specializes in this breed. He confirmed that little Eyona represents the 35th known natural occurrence of this mutation worldwide.

Since 2010, after the mutation was first identified, Lykoi cats have been bred to produce more Lykoi kittens, but what makes Eyona so special is that it’s apparently not something he inherited.

Eyona’s physical appearance is certainly striking, and increasingly so as his hair becomes thinner with time, but it’s not the only thing that makes him distinct. Along with looking a bit like canines, Lykoi cats tend to behave more like them too — and Eyona is no exception.

Click below to watch his video:
https://youtu.be/WKguAP90uys

“He’s very much like a dog,” said Store. “He’s playful like a dog. He’ll look you in the eyes with a sense of great attachment, unlike most feral cats. He’ll even drag his blanket around with him. It’s like he doesn’t know how to be a kitty.”

Courtesy of TEARS ANIMAL RESCUE

“Everybody wants to meet him, and everyone wants to buy him. But that’s not what we want,” Store said. “The last thing we ever want is for him to be exploited. We have the responsibility to makes sure he has a normal life so he can be who he is.”

That’s why, rather than adopt Eyona out to just anyone, TEARS have paired him with a trusted foster mom in a loving home where he’ll get the lifetime of love all cats deserve.

For more details go to thedodo.com.

 

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