Atchoum, the Cat with the Long Locks

Meet Atchoum. He's a cat with a health condition called Hypertrichosis, a hormonal disorder that causes abnormally fast and abundant hair growth. The condition strikes humans as well; it's actually responsible for people referred to as "werewolfs" and similar wolf/human hybrid terms in the freak shows of late nineteenth and early 20th centuries.

But Atchoum makes Hypertrichosis look cute. At worst, he looks like a dog from certain vantage points (which, though probably a cat's worst nightmare, isn't so bad). Atchoum's internet popularity seems to be on the rise. Perhaps in the future, he'll be the poster cat for Hypertrichosis, starring in worldwide ad campaigns to raise awareness about the disorder. But if he's anything like most cats, he'd likely rather take a nap.

Atchoum lives with his French-speaking human Natalie in Quebec. As far as I can tell, his name means "Achoo" in French. (Though the Facebook "translation" tool changes his name to "Sneezy.")

See additional glamour shots of Atchoum here, and check out his Instagram and Facebook pages as well.