Elli the kitty sported a tuxedo cat look during her early years, but as she hit the one-year mark, her appearance started to evolve.
Nicole, also known as @elli.vitiligo on Instagram, discovered Elli and her sister at a local farm in Germany when they were just four-month-old kittens. The poor cats were in bad shape, suffering from mites and ear infections, which tugged at Nicole’s heartstrings. Despite not planning to get another cat, Nicole couldn’t bear to see them suffer and decided to take them home.
After receiving the necessary medical treatment and loads of TLC, the two sisters slowly recovered and regained their health. Nicole was surprised to find that both cats had similar black and white markings on their coats, resembling tuxedos.
When Elli was just a little kitten, Nicole noticed that she was incredibly affectionate and loved to cuddle. Nicole even mentioned that Elli would often play around and sometimes behave more like a dog than a typical cat. As time went on, Nicole started to notice a change in Elli’s appearance when she saw a tiny white spot on her otherwise black fur.
“It wasn’t there initially. I mistook it for lint and attempted to brush it off, only to realize it was actually her fur,” recounted Nicole to Newssolor.com. As time passed, more white patches appeared on her tuxedo coat, spreading across her body.
Nicole brought Elli to the veterinarian to investigate the reason behind her changing markings. To her astonishment, the vet diagnosed Elli with vitiligo, a rare condition that causes patches of her skin or fur to lose pigment.
Vitiligo is a rare condition that impacts approximately 1% of people worldwide, but it is even less common in animals such as cats, dogs, and horses. Despite having vitiligo, Elli isn’t bothered by it at all. In fact, it enhances her cuteness factor and adds to her unique charm.
A year after Nicole first noticed a white patch on Elli’s fur, the kitty now had several more snowflake-like spots all over her coat. Despite her changing appearance, Elli remained carefree and blissful, unaware of the alterations in her fur.
Elli is a lively feline with an abundance of personality and a sassy attitude. One of her preferred pastimes includes sitting atop the window or door, keeping a watchful eye on her humans below.
“She reminds me of a tiny, fluffy owl perched up there.”
Elli, who is approaching her third birthday this March, is full of curiosity, eagerly trailing behind Nicole as she moves around the house. Elli is thriving, filled with joy, and just as affectionate as always.
Elli started off as a charming tuxedo kitten in her first year of life, and she has gone through quite the transformation since then. According to Nicole, “She just keeps getting cuter, and her fur is always evolving every day” as she continues to grow.
Keep up with Elli’s escapades by following her on Instagram.
