Why Everyone Online Is Freaking Out Over This 'Unusual' Stray Cat

The internet has become obsessed with a peculiar-looking stray cat that's unlike any other feline you have ever seen before due to its bizarre two-toned fur coat.

There may be many stray cats wandering around Istanbul, Turkey, but there was one in particular that caught the attention of a local resident called Meric. This was no ordinary cat with black and white patches, or your usual ginger Tom, because this stray's face and front legs are covered in sleek, dark brown fur, but all along his back is a much lighter, bushier coat.

The cat's unexpected appearance seems to be the definition of business in the front, party in the back, as Meric, who doesn't wish to disclose their full name, told Newsweek that "the cat looked like it was wearing an expensive coat." The cat is rather well-known around Istanbul and it's become somewhat of a celebrity, but Meric wanted to share the cat's "striking two-toned fur" online to amaze even more people.

Since the post was shared on November 26, by username u/Vorphyrion, it has already received more than 17,000 votes and hundreds of comments from bewildered social media users.

It isn't clear why the cat's fur looks this way, but Meric doesn't believe that it's a result of any chemicals, and may just be a natural look for the stylish cat.

Meric continued: "At first, I shared it with my friends, and they loved it, so they told me to post on Reddit and it blew up there. Since even solid brown cats are rare, people were really shocked to see a cat who looked like this.

"The cat roams the streets of Istanbul and has become quite a celebrity. I haven't seen any others which look like this myself, but I have heard that there are two more just like this."

Anyone walking round the streets of Istanbul is likely to come across a stray cat or two (or three), with the World Animal Foundation estimating that there are around 200,000 cats in the city, most of which are considered feral.

Having two cats at home, named Cheddar and Ellie, Meric is an avid cat lover and rarely passes up the opportunity to see a cute feline out and about. But it is sad to see quite so many stray cats around Istanbul, and so many others in need of a forever home, so Meric encourages people to adopt a pet whenever possible.

Meric continued: "Every commenter has loved the cat and also some were rightfully concerned about whether it was done by a person using chemicals. But I didn't notice any significant health issue so I'm not sure if that's the case.

"There are so many cats in need, just like this one in shelters, so I would like to encourage everyone to adopt and don't shop."

Many Redditors were delighted by the sight of the four-legged Istanbul celebrity, as many took to the comments to share their delight over its unusual appearance. One comment reads: "Printer ran out of ink."

Another person responded: "He looks like he's wearing pants pulled up really high."

While one Reddit user simply wrote: "Wow, unusual kitty."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.