Scary cat video. Cat looking like a monster emerges from under the bed

This is Toby from the Instagram account: 'tummyandgummy'. He has the feline version of Ehlers-danlos syndrome, which is what makes his skin so loose and also very prone to serious cuts. It is also called Cutaneous Asthenia. Ehlers-danlos syndrome affects the connective tissue. It is an inherited, genetic disease. The skin, as you can see in the video, is stretchy and loose. It is also fragile. It is caused by a genetic mutation which affects the production of collagen. The collagen fibres have an abnormal structure which weakens the skin making it prone to damage.

The joints are also lax. A slight scratch can damage and tear the skin. The skin can become scarred. This deficiency in collagen can also have an impact on other tissues of the body such as the blood vessels, heart and the eyes. If a kitten is severely affected, they may not survive. If the condition is mild or moderate cats can live to a normal lifespan. If the skin tears and is bruised it can be painful and it can cause irritation. Owners have to bear this in mind and reduce the risk of skin damage by removing sharp or rough objects in the cat's environment. Regrettably, there is also an argument to de-claw the cat to stop them scratching themselves.

Thankfully, Toby has not been declawed because we can see is clause in the video. Well-done to his human caregivers. This is a rare condition. In affects Himalayan cats more than other breeds. The gene concerned is an autosomal recessive.

Cat with feline version of Ehlers Danlos. Screenshot from Instagram video.

In the video we see him under the bed sliding out like an undersea monster or one of those zombies from The Walking Dead whose been in water for 18 months. Sorry if that is insulting to this cat but that is what it looks like to me. It is a bit shocking really. You might know that I don't like to see cats with medical conditions that make them look strange being exploited on social media. It seems entirely wrong to me. We wouldn't do it with humans so why do it with cats? Because they are second class citizens. Yeh, I know I am being incredibly boring and tiresome but that's the way I see it although I understand the motivation: to get viewers, followers and fame.

Toby has social media fame as he would because he looks so damned strange. I have written about him before - click to read and see if you wish.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toby 🦓 & Quinton 🦁 + Leo 🐯 (@tummyandgummy)

Note: This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.

---