Lykoi

Bred first in the United States, the Lykoi is a small domestic cat that arose from natural mutations turning up in feral and domestic shorthair populations. The everyday nickname, werewolf cat, comes from the partial hairlessness around the eyes, muzzle, chin and feet, paired with a roan coat that blends black and white hairs across the body. The name Lykoi comes from a Greek word meaning wolf.

For all the odd looks, the Lykoi behaves like an ordinary moggy in temperament. It is affectionate with the people it knows, playful well past kittenhood and curious about whatever is going on. The breed tends to fasten onto its household and will often trail family members from room to room.

The coat is changeable. Some hairs go missing altogether in patches, and the amount of coat can shift with the seasons. A Lykoi may moult heavily at times and grow the coat back at others, which lends the breed a shifting, weathered look.

Who it suits

The Lykoi fits households after an active, people-oriented cat who do not mind an out-of-the-ordinary look. Its devotion and energy suit homes where someone is about often and happy to play. The partial coat needs a bit of skin care, so owners who can keep up a light grooming routine will get on best with the breed.

The Lykoi is a young breed. Cats carrying its telltale partial-hairlessness mutation had cropped up here and there in feral and domestic shorthair populations, but nobody bred them on purpose until the 2010s.

The breed's development is tied to breeders in Tennessee who looked closely at two unrelated litters of kittens showing the same roan, partly hairless coat. Veterinary checks ruled out disease and skin disorders as the cause, and DNA testing confirmed the cats were domestic shorthairs rather than kin of other hairless breeds such as the Sphynx.

To confirm the trait was a recessive natural mutation, breeders paired unrelated cats carrying it. The kittens that followed showed the same coat, which proved the look could be reproduced. Outcrossing to black domestic shorthairs has stayed part of the breeding program to keep the gene pool sound.

Cat registries have recognised the Lykoi for competition in stages over the years since its development. It remains an uncommon breed, and breeding programs are few compared with long-established cats. In Australia, cat councils under the umbrella of bodies such as the ACF and CCCA oversee the recognition and registration of newer breeds like this one.

A lean, athletic cat of small to medium build, the Lykoi is defined above all by its coat, which is partly absent. Hair is sparse or missing around the eyes, nose, muzzle, chin and the backs of the feet, while the rest of the body carries a thin roan coat. The mix of pigmented and unpigmented hairs gives the silvery, grizzled look behind the werewolf nickname.

The head is a modified wedge with large, upright ears and wide, expressive eyes. The legs are slender and the tail is shorter than the body. Because the coat varies, the same cat can look fuller or more bare depending on the season and its moult cycle.

Coat and colours

The recognised coat is a black roan, where black hairs are threaded through with white or colourless hairs across the body. The face mask and feet are usually bare. The amount of coat is not fixed: a Lykoi can moult much of its hair and grow it back later, so density shifts through the year. The exposed skin shows the underlying pigment and can range from pink to dark grey.

The Lykoi is an engaged, people-focused cat. It forms a tight bond with its household and tends to seek out company, often tagging along after owners around the home and settling nearby. Affection comes readily once trust is there.

With strangers the breed is alert and a touch reserved at first, a behaviour owners sometimes liken to a dog's watchfulness. It comes round after a short while. The Lykoi is clever and curious, and it enjoys problem-solving toys and interactive play.

With children and other pets the Lykoi generally does well when introductions are taken slowly. Its hunting drive is strong, a leftover from the feral origins of the founding cats, so it does well with outlets such as wand toys and chasing games. Energy levels stay high right through adulthood, and a bored Lykoi can turn restless.

Because of its partial coat, the Lykoi's grooming needs differ from those of a fully coated cat. Exposed skin can build up oils, so the breed benefits from routine cleaning rather than heavy brushing.

Grooming

• Wipe or bathe the skin now and then to clear oil buildup on bare areas
• Clean the ears gently, since exposed ear skin collects grime
• Check the eye and muzzle areas, which are often hairless
• Trim claws every few weeks
• Brush the coated areas lightly during the moult to lift loose hair

Exercise

• Give daily interactive play with wand or chasing toys to satisfy the hunting drive
• Offer climbing space such as a cat tree or shelves
• Rotate puzzle feeders and toys to keep the mind busy
• Allow time for active play across two or more short sessions a day

Environment

The Lykoi is best kept as an indoor cat. Its sparse coat gives little insulation, so it can lose heat in cold rooms and is prone to sunburn on bare skin. Keep the home comfortably warm, provide warm resting spots, and limit direct sun through windows, which matters during a hot Australian summer as much as a cold snap.

Like all cats the Lykoi is an obligate carnivore and does best on a complete, balanced diet with animal protein as the main ingredient. Since the breed is small but active, portion control counts: it needs enough energy for its busy habits without being overfed. Some owners find a slightly higher calorie intake helps support the bare-skinned body through cold spells, though weight should still be watched.

Treats and supplements

Treats should stay under about ten percent of daily kilojoules. Plain cooked meat in small amounts works well as a reward. A diet labelled complete and balanced supplies the nutrients needed, so supplements are not usually called for. Talk over any supplement, such as a skin or coat product, with a vet before adding it.

The Lykoi is reckoned a generally healthy breed, with a typical lifespan of 12 to 15 years. Its founding cats came from outbred domestic shorthair stock, and ongoing outcrossing helps keep genetic diversity up. Because the breed is recent, long-term health records are still being gathered, and no breed-defining hereditary disease has been firmly pinned down. The main day-to-day concerns come back to the exposed skin.

Preventive care

• Book annual veterinary exams, more often for senior cats
• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date
• Maintain a dental care routine
• Inspect the skin regularly for irritation, parasites or sores
• Monitor body condition to head off weight gain

The Lykoi is one of the more trainable cats. Its cleverness and bond with people mean it pays attention to its owners and picks things up quickly when sessions are short and rewarding. The breed responds well to clicker training and food rewards, and many individuals take to learning tricks, fetch or harness walking. The strong prey drive can be steered into trained games rather than left to find its own outlets.

Basics

1. Start with litter habits, which most kittens learn readily, and keep the trays clean
2. Introduce a marker such as a clicker, pairing it with a small treat
3. Teach simple cues like come and sit using lure-and-reward
4. Build up to tricks or harness training in short daily sessions
5. Redirect rough play or hunting on people onto toys, never hands

The Lykoi coat is caused by a recessive mutation, which means a kitten shows the look only when it inherits the gene from both parents. Breeders pair two Lykoi to produce fully coated Lykoi kittens, and they also outcross to black domestic shorthairs to widen the gene pool. Cats from an outcross carry the gene without showing it and can be bred back into the program.

Queens reach sexual maturity within their first year, though responsible breeders wait until a cat is mature and health-checked before breeding. Gestation runs about 63 to 67 days, much the same as other cats. Litters are usually small. Kittens are born with more coat than they keep and grow into the characteristic partial-hairless pattern as they mature.

Queens raise their kittens for several weeks, with weaning around four to six weeks and rehoming usually after twelve weeks once kittens are socialised and vaccinated. Because the breed is uncommon, waiting lists for kittens from established breeders are the norm.

Lykoi registration and microchipping in Australia

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