Lisa Isaacs
THE world’s rarest kitten – a Lykoi or werewolf cat – has been discovered with a litter under a bush at the Company’s Garden. The cat is one of only 35 in the world.
Named Eyona, Xhosa for “The One”, it is the only South African Lykoi on record and was discovered by the TEARS Animal Rescue Feral Cat team in March.
Eyona was part of a litter of six taken to TEARS for sterilisation after the disappearance of their mother.
The kitten’s strange appearance – like a human, half-transformed into a mythical creature – prompted TEARS to test for various skin diseases. All returned negative.
TEARS operations and feline programme manager Mandy Store said: “The mother and five other kittens in the litter – all short-haired domestic tabbies – gave us no clues so we widened our research.”
US veterinarian and world Lykoi specialist Johnny Gobble confirmed that Eyona is in fact a Lykoi.
Eyona will not be put up for adoption and has been homed with a feline expert.