From time to time, some unusual pet literally “bursts” into the world of social networks and captures everyone’s attention. This time the object of mass attention, surprise and even love looks very unusual and even frightening. He looks like a little evil gremlin. But this is just a cat - Wilfred Warrior, if we introduce him officially.
Wilfred is a Persian chinchilla cat. He lives in London with his owner Jenna Millward. The cat loves to walk, play in the garden - in general, he behaves like an ordinary pet. It’s just his appearance and incredible range of emotions that fascinates and frightens.
This “scary cat” gained popularity after a video posted by his owner was voiced by American comedian Michael Rapoport. The video went viral and instantly attracted attention to the pet.
The ugliest cat breeds in the world
Breeders are always striving to develop new breeds of animals. In the second half of the twentieth century, as a result of numerous experiments, the most unusual types of cats began to appear.
Sphinx
The debutant in the list of the ugliest cats is the hairless Canadian Sphynx. In 1966, a hairless male kitten was born to a black and white domestic shorthair cat in Canada. They named him Prune. When the cat reached puberty, it was mated with its mother cat, because the researchers had no other suitable specimens for breeding.
There was one hairless kitten in the litter, and later there were other kittens without hair. Thus began the history of the breed, which was registered in international organizations as the “Canadian Sphynx”.
The formation of this species was not without difficulties - the coat mutation gene and closely related inbreeding led to infertility in cats and the development of hereditary pathologies. But the breeders were lucky - a second pedigree line was found in the USA. Only 20 years later (1985) the terrible Canadian Sphynxes were fully recognized as a separate breed and topped the list of the ugliest cats of their time.
You can learn more about the breed from the article “Don and Canadian Sphynx”.
It was at this time (1986) that the history of Russian sphinxes began. In Rostov-on-Don, a girl picked up a mongrel kitten on the street. Later, Varvara (that’s the name of the cat) began to actively lose hair.
They tried to treat the animal, but nothing helped - the back remained bald, while the cat was completely healthy. The kittens that were born to this cat inherited unusual hair from their mother. Felinologists from other cities showed interest in them, and in 1996 the Don Sphynx breed was officially recognized and added to the collection of frighteningly scary cats.
This is interesting! Sphynx cats eat more than regular cats. This is due to metabolism - an animal with a small amount of fur requires additional energy to maintain the required body temperature.
Levkoy
Levkoy can be considered a designer breed. The parents of this unusual cat were Don hairless sphinxes and Scottish fold cats. From the former, the ugly kittens inherited the absence of fur, and the latter passed on to their descendants the curved tips of their ears.
Likoy
Next on the TOP list of varieties of unusual cat breeds is the Lika. In this case, we are talking about a natural genetic change in the coat of ordinary domestic cats. This phenomenon was first noticed in the United States in 2010.
Just 2 years later, scary cats with a genetic mutation were separated into a fairly large group and shown to experts. An appropriate breed standard was developed for them, and the first Lykoi were recognized by some felinological organizations.
This is interesting! The length of the Lykoi's coat can vary depending on the time of year.
Munchkin and minskin
The interest of breeders in unusual breeds brought short-legged cats to the TOP of leaders, although they did not immediately fall into the category of scary ones. Until the mid-80s, cats with short legs were of almost no interest to felinologists. Later, lovers from the USA paid attention to unusual animals and began breeding munchkins.
The mutation turned out to be natural - it was caused by a dominant gene. There was no threat to health, although at first munchkins caused heated debate among experts and doubts about their viability. But by 1995, the unhealthy criticism stopped, the terrible breed was registered and began to be popularized. Despite this, munchkins and minskins are still considered rare, exotic species of cats.
Devon Rex
The review ends with a breed that can also confidently be classified as scary cats. The first Devonian was found in England in the 60s. It differed from ordinary cats in its soft curly fur, slightly flattened head shape, large eyes and large ears.
Since ten years earlier, a similar breed of Cornish Rex had already appeared in the same Great Britain, the newcomer was considered its representative. Later, a number of differences were identified and the found cat was registered as a separate species.
Chinese Crested Dog
The Chinese Crested Dog is perhaps the record holder. From 2008 to 2018, they themselves or their mixed breeds became winners in the nomination for the title of the ugliest dog in the world 5 times. Many compare these pets to hyenas. The Chinese Crested has virtually no hair; only isolated areas on the head, paws and tail are preserved. The lush mane and huge ears give the pets a funny look. Although they have an unusual appearance, it would be hard to call well-groomed Chinese Crested dogs ugly. However, with lack of attention, breeding mistakes and injuries, they can really look scary.
There is also a long-haired variety of the breed, but it is less popular
Examples of cats with scary eyes
Almost all of the listed cats differ from ordinary breeds in body structure, the condition of the coat (or its complete absence), as well as the shape and expression of the eyes:
- On a disproportionate elongated skull there are yellow or green eyes, large, rarely blinking, with a gaze.
- All scary cats have a large distance between their eyes.
- Due to the unusual shape of the forehead, cone-shaped nose and huge ears, the eyes of such cats become even more expressive.
The lack of fur in this case only emphasizes the unusual appearance of the scary cat.
Elf
A cat with such a name simply cannot have a familiar appearance. This strange breed is the result of crossing a Sphynx and an American Curl. Hairless, heavily wrinkled cats with large curved ears resemble characters from science fiction films. This is a cross between Dobby from the Harry Potter series and Master Yoda from Star Wars.
We must pay tribute to the owners of these unusual pets. They have to make sure that the cats do not get cold in the draft and do not burn in the heat. In addition, constantly sweating, sticky elves require regular skin care. And going out into the world with such pets is already a small feat.
What is the price
In Russia – 20,000 – 50,000 rubles; in Ukraine – 5,000 – 21,000 UAH.
Author's comment
If you want a pet that resembles an alien mummy, get an elf cat.
Strange, scary and unusual
Another group of unusual breeds of scary cats is represented by animals that stand out due to their external characteristics. Strange cats can be combined as follows:
- To size. The group includes many hybrids of domestic and wild cats: Chausie (a cross between a jungle cat and an Abyssinian), Savannah (a descendant of the African serval), and a natural jungle cat - a wild species suitable for keeping in enclosures. All of them are distinguished by their impressive dimensions and even kittens can scare with their terrible teeth and claws.
- A collection of short-tailed felines - Japanese, Kuril, Karelian American Bobtails and Manx. Some of them are native breeds. They have short tails and tufted ears. The resemblance to a lynx often inspires fear in people who are not familiar with the character of such cats.
Don Sphynx
Common people often confuse this breed with the Canadian Sphynx breed. They are similar, which is why both were included in our rating. The completely naked body is covered with wrinkled skin, because of this the expression of the muzzle looks like an old man. The bald, thin tail, curving like a wave, resembles a rat's. A smooth belly is compared to a pork belly. He's still a "freak"!
Yes, an ugly cat looks scary, but this is a deceptive impression. Don Sphynxes are friendly, inquisitive, intelligent pets. The animals get along well with people and other pets.
What is the price
In Russian nurseries - 15,000 - 40,000 rubles; in Ukraine – 3,500 – 30,000 UAH.
Author's comment
Want a pet that looks like an otherworldly creature? The Don Sphynx will make your dream come true.
Albert
It’s not for nothing that Stern Albert is called “the angriest cat on the Internet.” His look seems to say: “Don’t come closer, otherwise it will be worse.” The breed of the animal is Selkirk Rex; it has wavy fur, which creates the impression of negligence and even unkemptness. By the way, thanks to her the cat got his nickname. The owners named it in honor of Albert Einstein. It’s worth mentioning separately about the expression of the animal’s muzzle; it shows the cat’s contemptuous attitude towards the whole world. Surprisingly, even when Albert is in a pleasant mood, his facial expression does not change. In 2015, this brutal macho became a new Internet star.
How to care?
Flat-faced cats need proper care. Let's look at how to take care of these cute pets.
- Take care of your cats eyes. There is no need to constantly wash your eyes with water, especially if you have a Persian cat. It is better not to use cotton wool for processing - its lint can get into your eyes. When carrying out the procedure, use a paper napkin or cloth. They are moistened with a weak solution of boric acid or special drops, and then the cat’s eyes are cleaned, you can use the “Optic-gel” product.
- Give cats dry food to prevent the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth. You can buy a chew toy. Brush your pet's teeth with a special paste at least once a month. Use a special brush purchased at a pet store.
- Check the ears of flat-faced cats regularly. Clean your ears with cotton swabs at least once a month. As soon as your pet's ears become dirty, they should be cleaned immediately.
- Take care of the normal condition of the animal's claws. Buy or make a scratching post. Trim your nails once a month using a nail clipper. Cut off the excess part evenly and capture no more than 2 mm.
- Brush long-haired pets every day, bathe cats. If the coat is long, then this should be done once every 8-12 weeks.
- Feed your pet high-quality natural food or premium and super-premium food. You cannot feed salted, smoked, fried, fatty, sweet foods, as well as cheap economy-class food.
See below about the characteristics of exotics.
Minskin
A strange breed of cats is not a mistake of nature, but the work of human hands. This is the fruit of crossing two breeds: Munchkin and Sphynx. The cats' hairless bodies, inherited from sphinxes, have fur points. Short paws, inherited from munchkins, are covered with fur. Because of this, cats resemble hobbits from fantasy works. From the outside, the animals may resemble an otter with a thin long tail.
Rare pets with an ugly appearance have an affectionate character, quickly become attached to a person, and love company. Cats quickly adapt to changes in the situation; Minskins are happy where the owner is happy. How nice it is to stroke them! Warm, soft body that feels like cashmere.
Price
There are no nurseries of this breed in Russia and Ukraine. In foreign nurseries, the cost of kittens varies from 500 to 2000 dollars.
Author's comment
If you manage to get a rare kitten, do not leave your pet alone. Take it with you everywhere. Without an owner, the animal will get sick from melancholy.
