A few years ago, Nicole and her sister Rosie from Germany discovered a tiny, sick kitten in desperate need of medical attention. The kitten was infested with mites and suffering from severe infections. Despite its condition, the kitten had a striking fur pattern—black all over except for its paws and nose. Three years later, this once tiny, frail kitten has undergone a remarkable transformation and now looks completely different.
Elli, as her owners named her, is a cat suffering from vitiligo. Vitiligo is extremely rare among animals and manifests through loss of pigment. This left her with white patches on her fur, transforming her to a tuxedo kitten who doesn’t differ from a snow leopard.
Elli was found abandoned at a farm and was black all over. A year later, Rosie spotted a tiny white patch on the kitty’s back. In the next few months, there were more and more white patches. When Rosie and Nicole took Elli to a vet, he diagnosed her with vitiligo. Two years later, Elli is a completely different cat. Well, only visually. She still loves sleeping on the sofa and enjoying the sun on the porch. She loves her humans and follows them around the house all the time.
The condition doesn’t stop Elli from having a normal life. She may look different on the outside, but inside, she’s just like any cat.
