Lykoi cat breed: care, appearance, character

Often called the "werewolf cat," the Lykoi is an unusual and intriguing breed. The Lykoi, which is well-known for its unusual appearance, has a coat that gives it a wolf-like appearance. This breed is relatively new, having originated from domestic cats that underwent natural mutations. The striking features and partial hairlessness of the Lykoi quickly draw in cat lovers worldwide.

Lykoi cats are fascinating to look at, but they also have a kind and playful nature. They are well renowned for their amiable disposition and close relationship with their human companions. These cats are wonderful pets for people looking for an interesting and caring companion because they love being a part of the family and thrive on social interaction.

Since Lykoi have a unique coat and special health needs, they require special care. Regular grooming contributes to the upkeep of their skin and fur, and a healthy diet promotes their general wellbeing. These endearing cats lead healthy, happy lives because their needs are understood.

History of the Lykoi

Lykoi were first created in America, Virginia. Patti Thomas managed to breed them in 2010 from the union of two mongrel cats. After looking at the features of the skin of her new kittens, the owner initially decided that they were caused by either a disease or a defect. However, after examination by veterinarians, this version was rejected, and Patti turned to two large breeders Johnny and Britney Gobble. Together, they found that the Lykoi"s distinctive appearance is a recessive trait that is lost in offspring when trying to mate with other cats. The team then conducted DNA testing at the University of California, Davis, to definitively determine whether the Lykoi had genes from short-haired cats such as the Sphynx. The result was negative. In 2011, a second pair of naturally bred Lykoi was found, but this time in Tennessee.

A recessive characteristic is the Lykoi coat.

Thus, in 2012, the Greek word for "wolf," Lykoi, was formally registered as a new breed of cats by TICA (The International Cat Association). Patti Thomas, who is appropriately regarded as their "ancestor," chose the name.

The CFA (Cat Fanciers" Association) has not yet registered the Lykoi breed, not even as a temporary one, indicating that not everyone recognizes this breed as a new one.

Breed Description

Without a doubt, lykoi have a distinctive look that is simple to recall. The cats in this breed have a distinctive coloring that, when paired with the muzzle’s partial lack of fur, gives them a werewolf-like appearance.

Appearance

TICA establishes precise guidelines for the Lykoi’s appearance, just like it does for all other registered breeds.

Chart: TICA Standards

Parameter Name	Description
Head Shape	A modified wedge with rounded contours, extending from the nose to the cheeks and then to the ears. Slightly rounded forehead. Longer than wide.
Ears	Large, wide at the base and pointed at the tips. Set vertically, high on the head. May be bald with some sparse hair on the outer surface.
Eyes	Medium in size, oval in shape, almost round. The inner corner points to the nose, the outer corner points to the outer edge of the ear. The absence of hair around the eyes forms an outline. Golden color is preferred.
Muzzle	Medium in length, fleshy cheeks with softly rounded, hairless whisker pads. There is a hairless mask, connecting the muzzle, chin, nose, ears and eyes.
Chin	Well developed, aligned vertically with the nose, full, round.
Nose	Nose bare and leathery to the touch, slightly rounded at the tip.
Profile	Concave curve from forehead to bridge of nose.
Neck	Medium length. Neither thin nor overly muscular.
Torso	Foreign type.
Muscles	Supple, slender. Muscles firm, without excess bulk.
Limbs	Bald, medium length. Paws medium in size and oval in shape. Toes long.
Bone structure	Medium.
Tail	Shorter than body, tapering towards tip.
Coat length	Short to medium.
Coat texture	Partially bare. Minimal undercoat, longer hairs covering body. Coat volume will vary depending on shedding cycle. Possum-like in appearance. Soft to the touch.
Coat color	Dark black or blackish-brown, mixed with white in ratio 70 to 30.

absence of a bald mask on the muzzle;

The Lykoi are characterized by a bald mask on their muzzle.

Video: demonstration of the Lykoi breed

Character

Lykoi are inherently hunters, much like a real wolf dressed like a cat. He will actively pursue small animals in the wild, so when you get home, you’ll need to shut off the aquarium and the rodent and bird cages. However, this property ensures that the future pet will enjoy amusement and quality time spent playing with a rustling bag in the owner’s evenings.

Because Lykoi are active, it is best to walk them in a harness.

That being said, this in no way implies that Lykoi are not loving pets—quite the contrary. This particular breed of cat is gregarious and enjoys being the center of attention. Lykoi are cautious when they first meet new people or animals, trying to determine if they are a threat to them or their owners. Afterward, they settle down and approach the stranger with composure. Having a Lykoi at home does not imply that this is the only pet you should own.

Although likoi are incredibly devoted pets, when left alone at home they find something to occupy their time and patiently wait for their cherished owner to return. Furthermore, these cats are simple to train because of their high level of intelligence.

Health

Although the full scope of Lykoi diseases is still unknown, it is known that the animals are generally in fairly good health. Regarding the existence of genetic diseases, nothing is known. But there are also no assurances that they won’t be there.

Features of the breed

Though not everyone is ready to appreciate their highly distinctive appearance, Lykoi have the ability to draw people to them. So, after you’ve conquered yourself and lifted him up, you’ll soon find that you enjoy chatting with a small wolf. You can determine if this is a feature or not, but not all short-haired cats can do this.

The majority of Lykoi are roan in color, with soft black hair mixed with hard white.

Taking good care of Lykoi’s fur is essential to their upkeep. A layer of perspiration forms on the skin of Lykoi cats because they have an active temperament and are partially bald. Regularly cleaning the pet’s exposed skin with napkins or washing it is imperative. However, because the animal might object to the latter process because it fears the water, it’s best to start acclimating Lykoi to bathing early in life.

Cats with bare skin will need to have their bare skin areas cleaned with napkins or baths.

The peculiarities of incomplete fur coverage of the body are linked to the Lykoi skin’s response to heat and sunlight. This breed’s skin turns black or develops dark patches when exposed to the sun or heat sources for extended periods of time. The skin color returns, though, if the cause of the high temperature is removed or walks are restricted.

In addition to the aforementioned, Lykoi are vulnerable to cooling due to the bald patches that are typical of this breed. Their beds should be positioned in warm, draft-free areas in this regard.

The remaining guidance applies to all breeds and has nothing to do with the particulars of raising a Lykoi at home:

1. If there is leakage from the eyes, you need to wipe them with a cotton pad soaked in water. You cannot use tea leaves.
2. If there are dark accumulations in the ears, you need to wash them with a special lotion, and then let the cat wipe it off or blot it yourself with a cotton pad. You cannot use a cotton swab for cleaning. This is due to the specific structure of the auricle in cats, due to which the owner can only reach half of it, as well as irritation of the special glands responsible for secretion in the ear, which causes the opposite reaction.
3. You need to monitor the length of the cat"s claws. If the pet cannot sharpen them on its own, then it is necessary to trim them as they grow. For this, special tweezers are used. You only need to cut off the curling part of the nail, a couple of millimeters from the pulp (the pink part of the nail). However, this is a radical intervention, first you need to provide the animal with a scratching post.

Just like any other cat, Lykoi needs a place to scratch.

It is preferable to feed Lykoi food from reputable producers based on the type of wool they have or for active pets.

Table: pros and cons of the breed

Pros	Cons
Uniqueness of appearance	Need for special care
High intelligence	Strongly developed hunting instinct
Ease of maintenance	High activity
Loyalty to the owner	Extremely high cost
Friendliness to people and animals	Difficulty of acquiring a kitten
Independence

Buying a Lykoi

After the kittens turn three months old, they are sold directly to consumers.

For purebred kittens, a metric is issued upon registration in clubs of either the European or American systems (for Lykoi, this is TICA). As a guarantee of the breed’s purity, this process needs to be completed before a kitten is sold. After that, a pedigree is traded for the metric.

The breeder is required to vaccinate the kittens at least once, ideally twice, before selling them.

Video: Lykoi cat in a Russian cattery

Regretfully, because of their rarity and the relative youth of the breed, lykoi are not widely accessible for purchase. There are only two registered catteries listed on the TICA website, and they are in Michigan and Oklahoma in the United States. Breeders in Russia claim that there are only four catteries that are home to Lykoi. Thus, after receiving a Lykoi sale offer, consider if the seller is attempting to sell you an animal.

Characteristic traits of Lykoi kittens:

• black fur;
• the presence of a bald mask on the muzzle;

Because Lykoi kittens have a mask on their muzzle, some breeders compare them to monkeys.

Breeding the breed

Suppose you have one or two Lykoi representatives with you at home. The opportunity to raise the progeny of these incredible creatures is one that should not be missed, especially since there aren’t many nurseries and selling a few kittens will generate a steady income.

To begin with, you must become a member of a breeder’s club. For instance, these are TICA and CFA in American systems and WCF, FIFE, etc. in European systems. If you have Lykoi and are having trouble getting this breed recognized, be aware that you will only be able to join TICA. After that, you must begin entering exhibitions, as the cat cannot be formally admitted for breeding without this.

Kittens of the Lykoi breed are born entirely black and later develop the breed’s distinctive "gray hair."

You can begin looking for a couple for your pet once all the preparations are finished.

Partner selection criteria

All cat breeds share the following standards when it comes to selecting a partner:

• health;
• pedigree or proof of breed purity;
• the ability to enter into an agreement with the owner that will stipulate all rights to future kittens.

It is important to skip one or two heats in order to produce healthy offspring; cats should not be bred in their first heat. Around one year of age is the ideal time. Cats can start dating when they are 14 months old.

How often can a cat give birth

A cat can give birth four to five times a year physiologically, but in these situations the animal’s body is overworked and focused only on producing children, with inadequate recovery following childbirth. It is important to realize that in this situation, the quality of the kittens will also suffer in addition to the cat’s health.

The first birth should occur in the presence of a skilled veterinarian or with prompt access to him in case of emergency.

When breeding a cat, a responsible owner should consider the state of the mother cat right after giving birth in addition to any complications like mastitis or uterine inflammation, among other things. The cat can only give birth to its next kitten after ten months if it has already experienced any similar diseases. Cats are typically delivered by club-member breeders three times every two years.

The Lykoi cat breed, sometimes referred to as the "werewolf cat," is distinguished by its unusual appearance, which combines parts of its furred and hairless body. They make excellent companions because of their endearing and lively personalities that complement their striking appearance. In order to ensure that Lykoi live in a loving environment, proper care for them involves regular grooming, a balanced diet, and attention to their social needs.

Castration and sterilization

It would be better to keep breeding Lykoi if you are still able to obtain one of these extremely rare pets; after all, there aren’t many of them in the wild. Sterilization would be the best course of action if a representative of the same breed could not be found, as mating only those with the unique appearance—a recessive trait—is required.

At what age is it recommended to do the operation

At seven to twelve months of age, cats are sterilized. It is necessary to clarify the precise time in a veterinary consultation. Cats can have surgery anywhere from 1.5 to 2 years of age. The younger the animal, the more accustomed to the process it will be to, so keep that in mind when scheduling the surgery.

Care for the pet after surgery

Following sterilization, regardless of gender, you should:

• carefully transport the animal under anesthesia home;
• while the anesthesia wears off, put your pet in a warm place, but not close to the radiator;
• put moisturizing drops in the eyes every half hour or open and close the eyelid;
• keep the animal under constant supervision until the anesthesia wears off, because. . after waking up, it is capable of injuring itself;
• after the pet wakes up, put a bowl of water and food in front of it.

Cats heal from surgery fairly quickly, and if the cat is a female, you will need to monitor her behavior and take care of the suture. The veterinarian who performed the surgery on the cat will know what medications are best for treating the wound, but all cats are covered with a special blanket right away. Wearing it for longer than three days is only necessary for animals who actively attempt to lick the wound even after it has healed.

The cat should be wrapped in a blanket following the procedure to prevent it from licking the incision.

Aspect	Details
Appearance	Lykoi cats have a unique wolf-like appearance with a sparse coat, prominent ears, and striking eyes.
Coat	They have a short, coarse coat that can be black or gray, with some being almost hairless in certain areas.
Character	Lykoi cats are known for their playful and curious nature. They are affectionate and enjoy human companionship.
Care	Regular grooming is needed to keep their coat healthy. They also require routine vet check-ups.
Activity Level	These cats are active and playful, needing plenty of stimulation and interaction.

The distinct look and endearing nature of the Lykoi cat breed make it stand out. Numerous people have fallen in love with these cats because of their remarkable features and wolf-like appearance. They have a unique charm that attracts attention because of their coat and hairless patches.

A Lykoi’s unique needs must be attended to when providing for them. Regular grooming contributes to the health of their coat, and feeding them a balanced diet is crucial to their general wellbeing. Playtime and socialization are also very important because Lykoi cats are known to be loving and playful.

These cats have a friendly and inquisitive nature in addition to having a lovely face. They are excellent family pets because they have a strong bond with their human companions. Lykoi cats are happy and sociable animals that brighten any home with their loving and playful nature.

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