Animal rescued from the cold looks like a hairless cat — you’ll never guess what it really is

Fur provides much-needed insulation from the cold, making it necessary for many animals.Besides, it makes them look different; there are some animals you would not even recognize when they are completely bald.

Rescuers have just brought in a more uncommon creature that resembles a hairless cat. Learn more about this unique species and her unlikely survival by reading on.

Hope for Wildlife, a nonprofit conservation organization in Nova Scotia, adopted the most bizarre animal last month. According to the Canadian Press, a couple in West Arichat discovered the animal in their property, suffering from the cold.

At first sight, the creature looks like a Sphynx cat, but it’s actually a completely hairless raccoon!

When their characteristic mask-like fur pattern is absent, raccoons are very hard to spot. This little creature is a northern raccoon, and it is completely bald due to severe alopecia.

The rescue said that while there have been cases of balding raccoons in the past, this one is unlike any other: “It’s just tufts of fur around the snout, ankles and feet.” Hope Swinimer, director of Hope for Wildlife, alerted the Canadian Press to the gravity of the issue.

The raccoon has been named Rufus in commemoration of the character from the Kim Possible cartoon who is a naked mole rat, even if it is a female.

The rescue said on Facebook that they are still trying to figure out why she is losing her hair, but they believe it could be an autoimmune disorder that is damaging her hair follicles. They found that her skin appeared healthy and ruled out parasites, fungal infections, and mange.