Fluffiest Of Them All: This Werewolf Cat Is Winning Hearts Worldwide
Interview With OwnerAtchoum is a male Persian cat born in May 2014 in Quebec, Canada, who has captured the hearts and fascination of social media users worldwide. With over 814 thousand followers on Instagram, he’s become an online sensation.
Gifted to a veterinarian in Repentigny, Quebec, Canada, where Nathalie, his mom, worked as a groomer, Atchoum quickly won her heart during a weekend visit. Nathalie asked the vet to adopt him, and he found his forever home with two humans, two children, and three other cats.
Atchoum isn’t your typical cat. His striking fur and intense eyes immediately draw attention. But fear not, as his owner Nathalie reassures that he’s a sweetheart once you get to know him.
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Meet Atchoum, the Persian cat who has stolen the hearts of people all over the world on social media
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
What sets Atchoum apart is his striking fur, a result of hypertrichosis, also known as werewolf syndrome
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Nathalie, the owner, told Bored Panda that she worked at a veterinary hospital and there she received Atchoum. “We knew that Atchoum’s father had a health problem, but at first we didn’t know what it was. After a lot of research with all the veterinarians, and seeing the evolution of Atchoum’s physique, we discovered hypertrichosis, which is always given by the father.”
Image credits: atchoumthecat
“I got Atchoum used to grooming since he was a kitten. He has been brushed and combed about 3 times a day for the past 10 years. I also need to wash his face every morning with a warm washcloth as his eyes get watery, which is a specific characteristic of Persian cats. Contrary to popular belief, I have never cut Atchoum’s facial hair, and never will, because doing so can change the texture of his hair and make it coarser and more difficult to manage. He has a lot more hair than any normal cat, but it stopped growing around age 4, so it’s not necessary to cut it either.”
Image credits: atchoumthecat
It’s not as scary as it sounds, just a hormonal issue causing rapid hair growth and thickened claws
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
To keep him safe, Atchoum had to be declawed, but he still eats well despite his small teeth
Image credits: atchoumthecat
According to Nathalie, Atchoum has many problems related to hypertrichosis. “First, his claws were affected by onychodystrophy, which makes them non-retractable and so thick that they could prevent the cat from walking properly. Your teeth are also affected by this, they are porous and can easily become infected, which is why Atchoum needs to be decalcified every few years. As for physical appearance, cats with hypertrichosis have long, thick hair all over their face and body. For Atchoum, it’s mainly concentrated on the face (which requires a lot of maintenance), but the rest of the hair on the body is soft.”
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Regular vet check-ups ensure he’s well cared for
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Despite it all, Atchoum feels good and believes in making the most of each day
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Nathalie told us that usually, people are very surprised and sometimes even confused when they see Atchoum for the first time. “They either find him impressive and beautiful, or ugly and scary, however, he leaves no one indifferent.”
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
Image credits: atchoumthecat
“Atchoum looks like a strange creature in a fantastic tale”
Image credits: atchoumthecat
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He still looks cute, even with A LOT OF HAIR! He reminds me of the Lorax for some strange reason.
Priceless yet often misunderstood, prejudged and unjustly despised animals, cats are. And they’re beautiful; maybe even more precious and innocent than humanity collectively deserves. Yet, only when their overpopulations are greatly reduced in number by responsible owners consistently spaying/neutering their felines, might these beautiful animals’ soothing, if not therapeutic, presence be truly appreciated rather than taken for granted or even resented. I grew up around feral or house cats and developed a life-long appreciation and affection for them. I’ve also found that, along with individual people, collective society can be callously cruel towards such homeless cats. It’s incredibly sad when they have no warm home, especially if it’s due to abandonment. Very many people with cats experience the emotional benefits of their presence. Of course, those qualities, especially an un-humanly innocence, makes losing that pet one day such a heartbreaking experience.
[Cont.] Cats have a beneficial influence over humanity that many people still cannot fathom; and their precious positive effect on their human hosts can also be beneficial to the pets themselves. There are reciprocally healthy — some cat lovers would even go as far as to describe them as largely symbiotic — relationships available between felines (many of us see them as family members) and their loving and appreciative human hosts, including those suffering physical and/or mental illness. I’ve also found over decades that with our four-legged friends there’s a beautiful absence of some undesirable and distinctly human traits. Along with human intelligence comes the proportionate reprehensible potential for evil behavior, i.e. malice for malice’s sake. While animals can react violently, it is typically due to reactive distrust thus dislike. But leave it to humans to commit a spiteful act, if only because we can.
Load More Replies...He still looks cute, even with A LOT OF HAIR! He reminds me of the Lorax for some strange reason.
Priceless yet often misunderstood, prejudged and unjustly despised animals, cats are. And they’re beautiful; maybe even more precious and innocent than humanity collectively deserves. Yet, only when their overpopulations are greatly reduced in number by responsible owners consistently spaying/neutering their felines, might these beautiful animals’ soothing, if not therapeutic, presence be truly appreciated rather than taken for granted or even resented. I grew up around feral or house cats and developed a life-long appreciation and affection for them. I’ve also found that, along with individual people, collective society can be callously cruel towards such homeless cats. It’s incredibly sad when they have no warm home, especially if it’s due to abandonment. Very many people with cats experience the emotional benefits of their presence. Of course, those qualities, especially an un-humanly innocence, makes losing that pet one day such a heartbreaking experience.
[Cont.] Cats have a beneficial influence over humanity that many people still cannot fathom; and their precious positive effect on their human hosts can also be beneficial to the pets themselves. There are reciprocally healthy — some cat lovers would even go as far as to describe them as largely symbiotic — relationships available between felines (many of us see them as family members) and their loving and appreciative human hosts, including those suffering physical and/or mental illness. I’ve also found over decades that with our four-legged friends there’s a beautiful absence of some undesirable and distinctly human traits. Along with human intelligence comes the proportionate reprehensible potential for evil behavior, i.e. malice for malice’s sake. While animals can react violently, it is typically due to reactive distrust thus dislike. But leave it to humans to commit a spiteful act, if only because we can.
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