Fur is so important for many animals, providing the much-needed protection against the cold. It also gives them their unique appearance – there are animals you wouldn’t recognize at all when they are completely bald.
Unbelievable: Rescued Animal Resembles Hairless Cat – You Won’t Believe What it Actually is!
Recently, rescuers have taken in an animal that looks like a hairless cat, but is actually much rarer. Read on for more information about this unique animal and its unlikely survival…
Last month, Hope for Wildlife, a non-profit nature organization in Nova Scotia (Canada), took in the most unusual animal. According to Canadian Press, a couple in West Arichat discovered the animal in their backyard, shivering from the cold.
At first glance, the animal resembles a Sphynx cat, but it is not – it is actually a completely hairless raccoon!
It is certainly difficult to recognize a raccoon without its characteristic mask-like fur pattern. This little animal, a northern raccoon, is completely bald due to severe alopecia.
The animal protection agency said they have had cases of balding raccoons before, but never anything like this: “It’s just patches of fur around the muzzle, ankles, and feet. This is a severe case,” Hope Swinimer, director of Hope for Wildlife, told The Canadian Press.
Although the raccoon is a female, she has been named Rufus after the naked mole rat from the cartoon Kim Possible.
Raccoons rely on their fur to keep warm and protect their skin from the elements – the rescuers couldn’t believe Rufus managed to survive for so long.
“We are amazed that this little lady survived the winter without fur and without suffering from frostbite or worse!” they wrote on Facebook.
They added that she had a “feisty” personality and that “her successful survival was entirely her own merit.” However, it seems she was rescued just in time, as she was reportedly “completely depleted upon arrival.”
“We were a few hours into a panic … but she got hungry and came out. She’s getting pretty feisty, and we’ve seen great improvement since she arrived here,” Swinimer told The Canadian Press.
Given the circumstances, Rufus may become a permanent resident of the shelter and receive a specialized living environment, an outdoor space with a place to snuggle up to stay warm, as well as amenities like hammocks and nesting boxes.
We have never seen a hairless raccoon before! It’s incredible that Rufus managed to survive in the wild for so long, and we’re glad she was found and is now being well cared for.
Share this interesting story if you love animals!
