14 Weird-Looking Cats That Are So Odd They’re Adorable

Nature is pretty incredible and can create some really weird things. Just look at the platypus or the smiling axolotl. But even within the cat world, some breeds are way stranger than others. From the lykoi, who looks just like a miniature werewolf, to the Selkirk rex, with their sheep-like coat, we found the 14 weirdest-looking cat breeds that are bizarre in all the best ways. 

The lykoi is fairly new to the cat breed scene, but they certainly know how to grab attention with their weird appearance. This breed is nicknamed the “Werewolf Cat” because that’s exactly what they look like. And personality-wise, a lot of owners describe these cats as being very “dog-like” because they’re super friendly, affectionate, and will even follow you around. 

Abyssinians might not look weird at first glance, but their coloration is definitely unique. They have a “ticked” coat, which means that every hair has different bands of color along the length of it. Ticking is mostly seen in wild jungle cats and only a handful of domestic cat breeds, like the Abyssinian, Somali, and the Singapura. Weird and beautiful! 

Are ears supposed to go back like that? On the American curl cat, that would be a yes. This breed has a super weird appearance with cute little ears that curl toward the back of their head. A genetic mutation is the cause of this funny little quirk. As if this cat breed could get any weirder, the kittens are born with straight ears, and they don’t curl until they’re a few days or weeks old. 

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A cat’s tail plays many important roles, like balance and communication, so it’s a little weird that some felines are born without one. But that’s the case with the Manx cat breed. These cats have a “tailless gene” and are often categorized as either “stumpies” who have short tails or “rumpies” who have no tails at all.

We’ve seen a weird cat breed that looks like a wolf, but would you believe it if we said there’s also a cat that looks like they’re wearing sheep’s clothing? It’s true. The Selkirk rex has a curly coat that makes them look a bit like a little lamb. These cats are friendly and affectionate but do need a ton of grooming to keep their hair from matting. 

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Hairless breeds are famously unusual, and the Sphynx is one of the weirdest ones. Sphynx cats are generally completely hairless and even lack whiskers. That means all of their wrinkly skin is exposed, and they have a naked rat-like tail, which a lot of people find weird. They need baths and special grooming to keep their skin healthy. 

Some cat breeds are taller than the average feline, but the weird munchkin breed is the opposite. They are short. Really, really short. These cats have legs as small as five inches tall, which is almost half the height of an average cat. Despite their short stature, these cuties are incredibly active and playful pets. 

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The average cat weighs around 10 pounds, which makes the enormous Maine coon a pretty weird cat breed when it comes to size. These gentle giants tip the scales at 20 to 25 pounds or more. In fact, a Maine coon remains the Guinness World Record holder for the longest domestic cat ever at 48.5 inches. Even though Stewie passed in 2013, he reportedly weighed a whopping 33 pounds during his heyday. 

A spontaneous mutation is responsible for the “weirdness” behind the Scottish fold’s weird little ears. Instead of having ears that stick straight up like most cats, theirs fold over, making their already very round head look like a perfect circle. These cats are sweet, docile, and the perfect lap cats. 

This weird cat breed looks a bit like a pixie, with their big ears and pointed faces. If you haven’t seen a Devon rex cat IRL, you’re missing out. They have tight curls all over their body. Even their eyebrows and whiskers are crimped! 

Related: 7 Non-Shedding Cat Breeds That Won’t Cover You in Hair

The ragdoll might look like your average cat, but the way this breed acts is pretty weird. Ragdolls are so relaxed and easygoing that they will literally go limp and allow you to carry them around like a ragdoll (hence, their name!). Weird, right?  

If you guessed that a cat with the word “bald” in its name would have no hair, you are absolutely correct. Well, almost. These cats are can range from completely hairless to being covered in peach fuzz, but that’s not the trait that makes this cat breed so weird.

Peterbalds have slender bodies and huge ears, which makes them look a bit like an alien. Still, their personalities are all “cat,” with loads of brain power and an affectionate nature. Or is that the alien in them? We’ll never know.   

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What’s weird about a calico cat? If they’re a male: a lot. Male calicos are incredibly rare and account for only about 1 in every 3,000 calicos born. But what’s especially weird is that most male calicos are infertile. Every 1 in 10,000 male calicos will be able to reproduce. Weird! 

Similarly, female orange tabbies are rare, weird, and equally cool. Male cats only need one orange gene in order to be orange tabbies, whereas female cats need two orange genes to have that coloration. That’s why less than 20% of all orange cats are females. 

“Weird” certainly isn’t a negative thing. If you’re the proud owner of one of these weird cat breeds, you understand what we’re talking about. Weird is special, unique, mysterious, and so much more. Whatever your cat looks like, they probably have some weird traits or characteristics, and that’s all the more reason to love them.