When you adopt a cat, you don’t expect for its fur to change colors. A black cat, in theory, should retain its midnight shade for the rest of its life. So, imagine the surprise that a man named David had when Scrappy, his beloved furry friend, started seeing spots.
As the cat turned seven years old, his fur began sprouting white patches among his previously all-dark coat. This phenomena was most likely due to vitiligo, a rare skin condition that causes this brilliant marbling in feline fur. Despite the scary-sounding diagnosis, however, Scrappy remains a happy and healthy senior cat who “rules the street” at 19 years young. “He picks fights with the neighborhood cats,” David told Meowbox, “and still comes home with a few scratches.”
Scrappy’s unusual fur pattern is immediately striking. He truly looks like one-of-a-kind, so naturally, David documents Scrappy’s unique beauty as well as his daily life. He says that his affectionate cat “isn’t the best cat to take photos of,” as Scrappy will often look the other way when the camera comes out. But, that hasn’t stopped thousands of people from fawning over him and celebrating his zest for life.
Here’s how Scrappy looked before and after his transformation:
Left: Age 5 | Right: Age 17
Scrappy: Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Bored Panda]