Werewolf Cats

[Rockinruby]

Pet-rifying! Unique breed of felines christened 'werewolf cats' for their feral appearance and dog-like mannerisms




Creepy cat: They may look spooky, but Lykoi cats are said to make wonderful pets because of their good nature

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...larity-just-time-Halloween.html#ixzz3rznZ4EGP

 

[PintoBean]

Omg I'd put little bows on those cow licks!!!!

 

[Rockinruby]

Omg I'd put little bows on those cow licks!!!!

Great idea! How cute!

 

[Gypsy]

Poor homely looking creatures. What is it with making cats ugly?

Says the cat lover.

 

[missy]

I think the pictured kitty above looks beautiful. I have not yet met a dog or cat that I think is ugly. I find them all beautiful including this "werewolf" kitty. Never heard of this new breed but I wonder if we really need to introduce more cats to the already overwhelmed cat population. We don't have enough homes for the cats that already exist.

 

[momhappy]

I actually think they are kind of cute. Such gorgeous eyes! I can see why they have named them as such because they do kind of remind me of a werewolf in some strange way.

 

[arkieb1]

It's official ugly cats are in fashion

 

[chrono]

Those poor kitties, deliberately made to look so scraggly.

 

[boerumbiddy]

I feel about these the way I do about Sphinxes and Munchkins: If confronted with the first kittens of such a breed, I would have cherished them but would never have encouraged them to multiply. (Yes, I know Sphinxes might be good for some with allergies.....)
"Natural" cat breeds are so beautiful as they are! Why perpetuate nature's mistakes.
I guess this makes me an appearanceist. I don't want to wear brown diamonds, either.

 

[CJ2008]

Those poor kitties, deliberately made to look so scraggly.

I agree with you Chrono...

We have enough animal abuse and neglect even with cute animals.

Imagine these guys are strays.

And there will be strays...(like Missy said we don't need any more animals).

 

[Matata]

Those poor kitties, deliberately made to look so scraggly.

Their coats are a natural mutation occurring in the domestic short hair. They are born fully coated and start losing hair around 3 days of age. When it grows back in, the undercoat is missing. I think there are genetic tests being run to determine how/why the mutation occurred.

 

[momhappy]

Here is some interesting info I found about them:
http://catingtonpost.com/werewolf-cats-10-facts-about-the-lykoi/

 

[packrat]

meanwhile in shelters and rescues across the land...

argh that is infuriating to me. I think they're cute as all get out, granted, but jeez-seems like a case of people taking advantage of something to make a buck.

 

[momhappy]

NM

 

[Matata]

meanwhile in shelters and rescues across the land...

argh that is infuriating to me. I think they're cute as all get out, granted, but jeez-seems like a case of people taking advantage of something to make a buck.

I do a lot of work fighting against HSUS, PETA, ALDF, BCR et al to dispel myths primarily related to hybrid cats. One of those myths is that any breeder of any type of dog or cat contributes to homeless animals in shelters. It's not true. People who don't spay/neuter their animals and backyard breeders who are truly in it for the money, are responsible. I don't believe someone's choice of companion animal should be limited to shelter animals whose existence is due to irresponsible people. That's akin to saying no one should have a biological child as long as orphans exist.

The majority of hybrid cat breeders that I know and work with are small-scale home breeders. One or two litters per year; all kittens placed in pet homes (usually neutered/spayed before they go to their homes). None of them are making money from their cats. There are bad apples everywhere, though, and these get the most attention and are used to characterize all breeders as bad people.

One more thing before I get off the soapbox. Those organizations I listed above have worked diligently to try to prohibit ownership of all pure bred animals. In some states they have been successful enacting legislation that bans savannah, bengal, and chausie cats and made it difficult in other states for breeders by enacting legislation that requires expensive permit processes. They have succeeded enacting legislation that requires that all purebred animals be raised in cages in USDA regulated facilities built on breeders' property rather than allowing healthy socialized animals to be raised in the home among human beings. The result? Small scale home breeders are going extinct. Large and small scale backyard breeders are proliferating and are not being inspected and monitored because the states that pass the legislation either don't have the money to do what their own laws require or they simply don't care what happens to the animals.

There is a scumbag backyard breeder by the name of Paul Beeson who has just been put out of the business of breeding savannah cats. He turned over more cats than I care to count, all of them in horrible physical condition. What is animal control in North Carolina doing to him? NOTHING. He's walking away scott free from abusing these poor animals while those whose hearts are in the right place are being compromised. Savannah Cat Rescue has stepped in to take the cats and seeking donations to help with their medical care. The state of NC would have either euthanized them or turned them over to a "rescue" who would have exploited them to show how ALL breeders are bad people.

 

[kenny]

Dang, those werewolf cats are even uglier than I am.
Good thing we're so luvable.

 

[tuffyluvr]

I think it's cute in a jolie-laid kind of way. It looks like a cross between a raccoon and a kitty.

I agree with Missy, though... creating more fancy breeds is pretty sad, as it might motivate people who would otherwise get a shelter cat to buy a cat from a breeder [emoji22]

 

[packrat]

I don't think all breeders are BAD, I never said that and I never would. And I personally think HSUS and PETA are despicable. There are people who truly care about a breed of animal and breed for those reasons, not to make a buck. And there are those that couldn't give a rats ass so long as they get their money. (we have a dog that came from one of those "breeders" b/c I couldn't bear the thought of her being there, so in a way, I probably contributed b/c that gives them reason to breed more-but I couldn't look at that face and leave her there) And we have two cats that I boldly brought into our house from a shelter-if we had an acreage and a heated/insulated barn I'd be the fist in the air stick figure cartoon "have ALL the cats!"-after JD insisted in no uncertain terms NO MORE (but I get ones that all look the same so he can't tell right away ). But, I do feel glamorizing these new breeds and making them the "it" pet to have, contributes. Some people now won't get a cat from a shelter/rescue b/c they want to have one of these, and some will get one and later think eh, not so cute anymore, and it ends up in a shelter/rescue--and then eventually there's going to be a need for a breed specific rescue for this cat b/c there will be a lot of them w/no homes.

 

[Matata]

But, I do feel glamorizing these new breeds and making them the "it" pet to have, contributes. Some people now won't get a cat from a shelter/rescue b/c they want to have one of these, and some will get one and later think eh, not so cute anymore, and it ends up in a shelter/rescue--and then eventually there's going to be a need for a breed specific rescue for this cat b/c there will be a lot of them w/no homes.

Much of what you say is, unfortunately, true. Those people who toss aside a pure bred animal are the same who would toss aside any animal that becomes less cute or grows too big or becomes an inconvenience. I developed a survey to collect information from savannah cat owners in an attempt to prove or disprove the propaganda used by HSUS et al about the breed. It was sent to 30,000 savannah, bengal, and chausie owners. Less than .0001% said they would have chosen a shelter cat over their chosen pure bred. So there is some evidence to suggest that there is no significant impact on the numbers of cats in shelters due to the existence of certain pure bred cats.

And for anyone reading this who is interested in the fate of shelter animals, read the HSUS manifesto. It clearly states that they want to eliminate the existence of all companion animals -- cats, dogs, lizards, birds -- all companion animals. They are succeeding in some areas with their legislative efforts which are limiting the number of animals a private citizen can have in the home. And the actual numbers of shelter animals are decreasing in some portions of the country. An increasing number of animal shelters are reporting that they don't have enough animals to meet demand. Shelters from areas were populations have decreased are importing animals from areas where they have not. We might think this is good news until you extrapolate the data and begin to realize that if the numbers of shelter animals are decreasing overall and those that are adopted are usually spayed/neutered and breeders are going out of business, we may see the day where the only things we can cuddle with are chia pets--at least until robotic pets are made more cuddly.

I am a diehard animal welfare supporter. I believe in spay/neuter. I do not believe that radical animal rights organizations should have the power to literally rid the US of all companion animals. They're also going after livestock. Again, I agree that livestock should be humanely raised and killed for human consumption. I don't eat meat but I certainly don't want these animal rights organizations telling anyone they can't.

 

[packrat]

I wonder about the decrease in places..the closest shelter here is 45 minutes away-but the number of stray cats just in my town alone is mind boggling. (and depending on which way you go, there are 3-6 towns between here and that shelter) The closest shelter only having 50 cats doesn't mean that's all the cats in the area. Not all people who decide they want a cat are going to want one from a shelter, that's a given, I never said that and I never would. Some people want purebred, and some people want specific purebreds, so no, they're not going to decide on a tabby at the shelter. I want a Burmese, desperately, but probably if my want/need for one becomes strong enough, I'd look into a breed specific rescue b/c I personally don't want to spend a lot of money. And if it's not strong enough, I'll visit a shelter again and spend a morning playing w/the cats to find the one that belongs with us. Nothing wrong w/any of those choices. There are a LOT of people who are not like either of us, people who get their kid a kitty for their birthday or Christmas b/c awww it's soo little and cute awwww, and then in two months it's in a shelter or driven away from the house and dumped-and those are the people I'm referring to. There wouldn't be so many strays/homeless otherwise. I'm not talking about responsible owners or breeders. I'm talking about people who use a breed to cash in. Designer pets. And a lot of people don't do their homework about where they're getting their "purebred", and that contributes.

 

[Matata]

I'm talking about people who use a breed to cash in. Designer pets. And a lot of people don't do their homework about where they're getting their "purebred", and that contributes.

True dat. That's why, as an owner of 4 controversial designer pets, I do what I can to ensure people seeking Savannah cats know what they're getting into and advise who are ethical breeders and who are not. I do it through many FB groups and as an administrator of a Savannah cat forum. Ethical Savannah breeders self-police and mentor newbies in an effort to ensure only ethical people get into breeding. That's a key element to look for when choosing a breeder of any animal -- is that person active in breed organizations, do they have a strong purchase contract guaranteeing health for at least a year, does the contract contain a clause that they will take the animal back for any reason during the lifetime of the animal if the owner no longer wants it, do they limit the number of litters per year. I got each of my cats from different breeders. They put me through a rigorous screening process -- did nearly everything but a criminal background check and psychological testing. Also if the price of the animal is way lower than what the majority of breeders are asking, huge red flag. Usually indicates a backyard breeder turning out animals by the dozens. Most don't provide health care nor do they adhere to sound genetic breeding practices. Oh the horrors I've seen. These poor babies succumb to FIV, FIP, genetic maladies. It sickens me. That's why I get so furious when someone like Paul Beeson isn't prosecuted.

There are too many things that go wrong when animals become trendy. Look at all the pittys and chihuahuas in shelters. There are other aspects of breeding that sicken me -- look what's been done to Persians, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. So many maladies due to indiscriminate breeding or a desire to radically alter the physical aspect of an animal. Give a human an inch and it'll take a yard.

Sorry for ranting packrat, and thanks for reading.

 

[packrat]

The dog I couldn't leave is a Cavalier. I'd spent an entire year researching, emailing/calling breeders, scoping websites, we visited the closest breeder, an hour away, who shows at Westminster, has one of those crazy buses like on Meet the Fokker's that she travels w/her "babies" in, an entire wing of her house devoted to them and a live in nanny for her show dogs. Theeeeeen I find out there's a..I hesitate to even use the term breeder, and only use it in the loosest way-there's a person just outside of town who has them. Odd, I think, why wouldn't I have seen them in my research? I go look-oh, ha, yeah, that's why. And here's this teensy Blenheim and white puppy w/big ole buggy walleyes..I drove away, burst into tears at the corner and my brother's girlfriend at the time said "Yeah, I wouldn't be able to leave her there either" and that was it. And I can tell she's not from a reputable place. Sad.

I follow a ton of pitbull pages on FB and it devastates me, the number of them that have no one to love them. And the number that are put down ever year. I can't stand to see animals w/nobody to love them.

I'm glad you do that for your chosen breed. I wish more people were that way.

 

[Matata]

I follow a ton of pitbull pages on FB and it devastates me, the number of them that have no one to love them. And the number that are put down ever year. I can't stand to see animals w/nobody to love them.

No pun intended but I'm a sucker for the underdog. Love the bully breeds, esp. pitbulls. If I had the time and energy to give to a dog, I would rescue a pitty. Awesome dogs. I'm a dogwalker at the local shelter and every time I look into big brown eyes as I put a dog back into a kennel it kills me. Sometimes I have to take long breaks, which is horribly inconvenient for an org that depends on volunteers, but the sadness just builds and builds until I either take time off or go ninja loony on the next person who walks in the door and says "we can't keep him/her because [insert lame excuse].

 

[Sunstorm]

I have to say that to me the kitty is incredibly cute.

That said as an exclusively CFA cat breeder, I am highly against the creation of a gazillion new cat breeds especially hybrids. Why?

Associations outside CFA do allow hybrids and also are very lenient on the registration of all of these new cat breeds.

Problem is No. 1., when not even speaking of hybrids, health. Many of these cat breeds really suffer from often deadly genetic conditions secondary to the mutation that causes the change in appearance.

Hybrid breeding is something I personally consider extremely cruel. What it entails is putting together two animals where the non-domesticated feline would eat the domesticated one in the wild, which actually quite commonly happened when the breeding of hybrids started. Many females were actually killed by the wild males. If not killed, the gestation periods were different and kittens were often born way premature for the wild breed resulting in death.

Secondly, even when this did not happen breeders ended up with males that were sterile for generations to come, resulting in killing the poor male offspring or setting them lose. Is this ethical breeding? To me not. Why would an animal lover, which every breeder should be, want to jeopardize the life and health of their cats? The reason they killed the males was of course that they were not usable for breeding and lacked the temperament of pets.

Which leads me to the problem that many pet owners have had; they are simply not domestic animals and lack the temperament thereof, I have talked to more than one pet owner whose hybrid attacked the other pets in the household or possibly even humans.

There are exceptions. Today hybrid breeding has gone on for so many generations that this is generally speaking no longer a problem. However, when the foundation of a breed is such, would you want to support that? Not me.

When you want a wild looking cat, you can get an Aby or an Ocicat. A wild look but amazing temperament. And no killing, unnecessary suffering, abuse involved in the creation of such cats. You can also have wilder looking rescue kittens.

I really hope that they will avoid doing to cats the same that has been done to dogs. We have no idea what the mutation causing this new cat will bring to the health thereof, what recessive mutated genes are carried potentially leading to disasters in health.

 

[lambskin]

We have rescued two cats. The first had a fatal congenital heart defect that was discovered about 4 months after adoption. Poor baby. We notified the shelter as the cat had a sibling and we wanted them to warn its owners. He kept hiding and would not socialize. But it purred when petted and sang a lot and was a ginger. Our second cat was rescued at a very young age-he was held back to gain weight and mature compared to the rest of the litter. He was supposedly from a barn in Southern Illinois. He does not meow or purr and play bites a lot. He is now about 3 years old and is white and black with a faint striped tail. I am glad that we rescured but I can see the purpose of breeders if they are reputable but there is the downside that greed and ignorance fosters.

 

[Andelain]

......... Some people now won't get a cat from a shelter/rescue b/c they want to have one of these, and some will get one and later think eh, not so cute anymore, and it ends up in a shelter/rescue--and then eventually there's going to be a need for a breed specific rescue for this cat b/c there will be a lot of them w/no homes.

One thing to note is the very few of the cats at breed specific rescue are actually purebreds. I work with Siamese Rescue, and almost none of them are pure. They may look pure, but they aren't. Also, a responsible breeder will have a clause in their purchase contract saying the cat has to be returned to them if you can't keep it or find a home that they approve of. My cat came with a 4 page contracts that spells things like that, standards of care, and other things out in no uncertain terms.

 

[AdaBeta27]

Poor homely looking creatures. What is it with making cats ugly?

Says the cat lover.

I agree with you there. That cat looks like a feral that's losing its hair and probably dying of kidney failure or something. (If I saw it on the street, or it turned up on my porch,) I wouldn't touch it for fear of transmitting its disease(s) to my other cats.

 

[stracci2000]

Poor homely looking creatures. What is it with making cats ugly?

Says the cat lover.

I agree with you there. That cat looks like a feral that's losing its hair and probably dying of kidney failure or something. (If I saw it on the street, or it turned up on my porch,) I wouldn't touch it for fear of transmitting its disease(s) to my other cats.

Poor kitty!!
What is the point of making cats that look like this?

 

[Andelain]

Poor kitty!!
What is the point of making cats that look like this?

People used to say that about Sphynx cats, now they're sought after. Think I'll just stick with Siamese.