A photo of a cat’s unusually long tail quickly went viral on Reddit as people debated whether or not the 6-month-old cat’s tail looked real.
Last week’s post by u/MeowntyPython on the subreddit reached over 42,000 upvotes and 737 comments. She shared a photo of the rescue kitten, Xûr, who weighs 5 pounds. The woman, who wished to keep her name anonymous, told Newsweek that she believed the kitty was abandoned in the neighborhood, and after trapping him and checking for a microchip, she decided to bring him in as a foster.
Xûr has been living in her room, mostly scared and hiding under the bed, for the past two weeks. But from what she sees of him, she said he is very playful. While it will take time for the cat to learn to trust, one thing has remained constant: his giant tail, which is the longest she’s ever seen on a cat.
She originally shared in the Reddit post that she believed his tail length stretched from her elbow to her fingertip, but she said that might have been an exaggeration. She thinks a more accurate comparison is her elbow to wrist. But because he’s still hiding, she has not had the opportunity to measure it with a ruler.
And the reason why the photo might look fake to people is that she used a wide-angle lens, she said. Yet, people still questioned the cat’s tail length.
The average cat tail measures between 9 and 12 inches, but can vary between breeds, an article from PetsCare stated. The length represents about 10 percent of a cat’s total skeletal structure and includes important functions, such as maintaining balance and communicating their emotions and intentions.
The woman said Xûr has had no problems with his giant tail getting in the way and he’s been a healthy cat. This past Friday, she took him in for a neutering appointment, and now she’s working on finding him a forever home.
Reddit Responds
The post created a divide among users, with some stunned by the length and others questioning whether or not the picture was altered.
“That is crazy. Mine has a relatively short tail, and I have been guilty of stepping on it…can’t imagine if it was longer. Hopefully, he’s not the kind to get underfoot?” said one user.
Another added: “Gon need pictures from multiple angles or a video to believe this one.”
While this kitten’s tail is impressive, one Reddit user said that it doesn’t beat the record. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest tail on a living, domestic cat is 18.5 inches. Vets measured the rescue Maine coon cat’s tail for accuracy.
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