Gracie appeared to be a completely typical kitten when she was first born. However, Brianna Waltman soon realized that Gracie differed from her 11 brothers and sisters in that she was a wolf cat.
When the two bonded pregnant cats Brianna Waltman was fostering each gave birth to six kittens six days apart, Gracie entered her life.
In her capacity as a doula and birth photographer, Waltman told The Dodo, “I was really delighted to be present for not one but two kitten deliveries and give support to the mommas if they needed it.”
After about a week, the mothers began to share a bed, and we assisted in grouping all the babies so the larger mother could assist in feeding the infants who were unable to receive enough milk from the smaller mother. Watching the two become mothers and share motherhood’s responsibilities was so lovely.
Gracie was smaller and less active than her siblings and sisters, and she started losing the fur on her head despite receiving the attention of two mums.
Although Gracie’s foster mother gave her additional attention, her hair continued to come out, and the veterinarian concluded that her hair loss was most likely caused by a fever.
Before peach fuzz began to regrow, “Gracie lost her whole coat and was absolutely bald for almost a week,” according to Waltman. “Once it grew, it was a black and white with white specks. Again, I assumed that the fever was the cause since I found it to be charming.
It wasn’t until Gracie was 3 months old that Waltman realized that the kitten’s unique look was caused by a rare genetic mutation found in some domestic shorthairs.
“I had seen a few cats in random video clips online that looked like the older version of her,” Waltman said. “So after doing some research, I realized she was undeniably a wolf cat.”
A wolf cat, or Lykoi, looks like a tiny werewolf with sparse, wiry fur and, according to PetMD, “is considered to be a partially hairless cat. There is no true undercoat, and parts of the body, such as the eyes, chin, nose, muzzle and behind the ears are commonly hairless.”
While Gracie might’ve had a slower start, she’s grown up to be a healthy and affectionate pet.
“Gracie is just like any other house cat,” Waltman said. “She naps a lot, plays with her toys as soon as I go to bed, she chases her tail and loves to catch the red dot from the laser pointer.”
Waltman loves all her foster kittens, but Gracie has turned out to be the best surprise and is truly one of a kind.
