A natural American coat mutation: a roan, partly bare coat and a bare face mask give it a werewolf look.
The Lykoi looks like a little werewolf. Its name comes from the Greek word for wolf. Its coat is a mix of white and coloured hairs, with bare patches around the eyes, the nose and on the legs. That look comes from a natural change in one gene, which turned up in ordinary house cats in America. It is friendly, curious and a real hunter: it stalks its toys and then pounces.
Very friendly and keen on attention, though more of a hunter than a cuddler.
Sometimes settles with you, but when it chooses to. Not a true lap cat.
Stalks its toys and then pounces. Many also play fetch.
Active and curious: it wants to stalk, climb and chase every day.
Talks in chirps and trills, and gets louder if it feels ignored.
Clever. It enjoys puzzle toys and learns games like fetch.
Holds back with new people for a little while, then warms up quickly.
Usually happy with the whole family, including children who play gently.
Usually warms up quickly to new pets, a friendly dog included.
Usually warms up quickly to other cats and can get on well with them.
Likes company and asks for attention. It does not enjoy being alone for long.
Happy indoors with toys and something to climb. Strong sun and cold are not for it.
A Lykoi is a hairless cat, just like the Sphynx.
No. A Lykoi has hair over much of its body; only the mask, ears and legs are nearly bare. While moulting it can look almost bald for a while. Its coat also comes from a different gene than the Sphynx's.
The Lykoi was made in a lab, or by crossing breeds.
No. It comes from a natural change that turned up several times in ordinary house cats and street cats. Breeders only cross with black house cats, not with other breeds.
The Dutch ban on hairless cats also covers the Lykoi.
No. The ban is for cats without a working coat or whiskers, and a Lykoi has both. An animal-rights group did put it on a list of breeds that could be banned in 2019, but that is advice, not law.
The Lykoi is not a cross but a quirk of nature. A change in the Hairless gene thins the coat and makes every hair either white or coloured. The gene is recessive: a kitten only gets the werewolf coat when both parents pass it on. Vets tested the first cats and found no disease behind the coat. Since then more such cats have turned up among ordinary house and street cats in America, Canada and Europe.
In Virginia, Patti Thomas is given a litter of oddly coated kittens from an ordinary black cat. DNA tests show: no Sphynx.
Kittens like these turn up in Tennessee too. Vet Johnny Gobble, Brittney Gobble and Patti Thomas start the breed.
On 14 September Daciana is born, the first Lykoi kitten bred on purpose.
America's TICA lets the Lykoi be registered, but not yet compete for championships.
The first Lykoi reach Europe: in France and in Britain.
TICA gives the Lykoi championship status. Only black roan may be shown.
Britain's GCCF takes the first step towards recognition in October.
America's CFA lets the Lykoi be registered and shown outside the championship classes.
The GCCF gives the Lykoi preliminary recognition on 26 February.
Scientists find the cause of the werewolf coat: changes in the Hairless gene.
CFA gives the Lykoi championship status, and the European federation FIFe gives it preliminary recognition.
French researchers describe a skin condition with bumps and cysts in adult Lykoi.
A lean, muscular cat that weighs more than it looks. The bare mask around the eyes and nose and the speckled coat give it its wolfish look.
A Lykoi with a semi-long, soft, wispy coat and a tail with longer hair. It has no undercoat either.
Recognition: In CFA in a separate class for breeding and showing; in the GCCF as the Lykoi Longhair (LYL); FIFe judges short and semi-long coats together.
Cat registries write colours as an EMS code. The letter is the colour (n black, a blue, d red, f tortie), s means silver or smoke, y golden, and the numbers tell you about white (01–09), shading (11, 12), the tabby pattern (22–25) or colourpoint (33).
Black(n)
Blue(a)
Red(d)
Black classic tabby(n 22)FIFe allows white and any amount of white. The GCCF rules out white and bicolour, and CFA only accepts a few small white spots.
Every Lykoi is roan: in every colour about half of the hairs are white. There is no colour the breed does not come in, but the registries differ in what may be shown. In TICA that is black roan only; other colours may still be bred there. Black roan is the colour you see most.
Lykoi comes from the Greek lykos, wolf. Lykoi actually means 'wolves'.
No other cat breed has a roan coat, a mix of white and coloured hairs. You do see it in horses.
An ideal Lykoi has about as many white hairs as coloured ones, like salt and pepper.
With a full coat a Lykoi looks like an opossum. The breed standard even says so.
Kittens are born with an ordinary-looking coat. The werewolf look only appears after a few weeks, and fans call a heavy moult 'wolfing out'.
No study has measured it. Britain's GCCF says 12 to 15 years, but the breed is not yet 20 years old. Take it as a rough guide.
It comes with the coat: the gene that thins the hair also irritates the skin around the roots. In one study about three in four hair follicle groups were mildly inflamed. Most cats barely notice, but some get itchy, crusty skin or an oily coat.
How it is found: No test needed. Keep the skin clean and see a vet if there is itching or crusting.
Pimple-like bumps, blackheads and cysts in the skin, usually from age 1 to 4. The cats in the study felt no pain or itch, but the worst cases got sores that a vet had to treat. The study looked at only 10 affected cats, so how common it is is not known.
How it is found: There is no test. Ask about skin problems in the parents and relatives; a vet can examine a bump.
The thin coat keeps out little sun, so the ears, nose and eyelids can burn. Lots of sun over many years also raises the risk of skin cancer.
How it is found: No test. Keep it out of strong sun and ask a vet about a cat-safe sunscreen.
Little work: a light brush about once a week. The skin can get oily; then bath it now and then with cat shampoo and clean the ears and toes.
A real hunter. Give it toys to stalk, puzzle toys, games of fetch and places to climb.
Keep it out of strong sun. Its thin coat protects little, and lots of sun can also set off a moult.
Without an undercoat it gets cold more easily. It does not need an extra warm room, but give it a cosy bed and a blanket.
Little hair does not make a Lykoi hypoallergenic. No study has looked at allergies to this breed. If you are allergic, spend a few hours with Lykoi first.
Checked on 22 October 2026
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