the lykoi, reviewed

that is my verdict. now see if you can even recognise this breed →

The Lykoi is the werewolf cat, a recent and genuinely strange-looking breed with a partly hairless face and a sparse, roan coat that gives it an eerie, lupine appearance. It looks like something from a horror film and behaves like a friendly, playful, dog-like companion. It scores well on gremlin energy, and looks are in the eye of the beholder. Here is the honest review.

what is a lykoi

The Lykoi is a very young breed, developed from a natural genetic mutation first found in ordinary domestic shorthairs around 2010. The mutation affects hair follicles, producing the breed's signature sparse, part-hairless coat. The name comes from the Greek for wolf, because the roan coat and hairless face give it a distinctly werewolf-like look. It is one of the newest and rarest breeds, still small in numbers and being carefully developed.

the look

There is no cat quite like it. The Lykoi has a thin, roan coat, a scattered mix of coloured and white hairs, over a body that is partly bare, with hairless patches around the eyes, nose, ears, and legs. This gives it a masked, grizzled, wolfish face and an otherworldly appearance that people tend to either love or find unsettling. The coat is not stable in the way most are, and a Lykoi may moult heavily at times, sometimes going nearly bald before regrowing. The fluff score, unsurprisingly, is the lowest on this whole site.

temperament: the friendly monster

The contrast with the spooky looks is the whole charm of the breed. The Lykoi is friendly, playful, and affectionate, bonding closely with its people in a dog-like way, and it is highly active, intelligent, and curious, with a notably strong hunting and problem-solving drive that earns its high gremlin score. It tends to be sociable and interactive, enjoying games, company, and stimulation. In short, it looks like a horror-film creature and behaves like a devoted, mischievous companion.

care and health, the honest part

Because of the sparse coat and bare skin, the Lykoi needs skin and ear care much like a hairless breed, including occasional gentle bathing to manage skin oils, and it feels the cold and needs warmth and sun protection. As a very new breed developed from a small foundation, its long-term health picture is still not fully understood, which is an honest limitation worth stating, so ongoing responsible breeding and screening matter, and buyers should choose an ethical, transparent breeder. As always, keep up with veterinary care and be cautious of anyone charging huge prices for a novelty.

is a lykoi right for you

If you want a genuinely unusual, active, affectionate cat and you are drawn to, rather than put off by, the werewolf look, the Lykoi is a fascinating choice for an engaged, warm home. It is not for someone wanting a conventional, fluffy, low-maintenance cat, and because the breed is so new and rare, you must choose a responsible breeder and accept that its long-term health data is still limited.

the chairman's verdict

Seventy-four. The Lykoi is one of the strangest cats alive, a friendly, clever, playful companion in a genuinely spooky costume, scoring well for character and mischief while forfeiting nearly all the fluff points and a few more for being so new and unproven. A remarkable oddity for the right, open-minded owner. Points for nerve.

Related reading from my desk: the rarest cat breeds, the hairless Sphynx, and more in the cat breeds guide.

Scores are the Chairman's opinion, offered in good fun. The Lykoi is a very new breed with limited long-term health data, so choose an ethical breeder and consult your vet. I am a cat with opinions, not a veterinarian.