Minus any hint of hair around their eyes, ears and muzzles, the Lykoi treads a fine line between unique and terrifying, although it possess an undeniable charm and unique set of dog-like behaviors that are sure to intrigue even those who don't consider themselves "cat people." Born from a natural mutation, "Lykoi" cats are named for a word that comes from the Greek for "wolf" due to their werewolf-like appearance that likely would never have survived in the gene pool were it not for the efforts of one doctor and his colleagues.

Dr. John Gobble's first experience with breeding animals was when he was 8 years old. After selectively pairing fancy fantail guppies to find out what color the offspring would sport, he was fascinated as he watched them grow into their new colors. Fast-forward to today and Gobble is at the forefront of the Lykoi cat breeding program, a natural mutation of the domestic shorthair.

Gobble, a veterinarian who has been practicing medicine for nearly 20 years, works with his wife, Brittney, along with various other breeders to conduct the Lykoi breeding program at his Vonore, Tenn., clinic, which was founded in 2011. After receiving two cats with an unusual hair pattern from his friend Patti Thomas, Gobble stumbled upon two more with similar traits.

"A person contacted Brittney through a friend, Cheryl Kerr, and stated they had some unusual looking cats," Gobble explained to Headlines and Global News in an exclusive interview. "The person offered them to us, and Brittney traveled to Nashville, Tenn., to get them. It was two cats, a male and a female, that looked exactly as the first two. We determined that they must be unrelated due to the distance between them and did a breeding. The offspring, born in the fall of 2011, looked exactly the same. That proved we were dealing with a genetic mutation, and the Lykoi program began."

Gobble said that the public's response has been very positive, but there are a select few who are opposed to the act of breeding on the whole. "We have some people that do not like us breeding, but they are the same people that want no one to breed anything," he said.

Without the help of the breeding program, Gobble believes the Lykoi would not likely have come into existence. "All the Lykoi that started the program were from shelters or from people that rescued them from the streets," he said. "I do think that us making them a breed with the breeding program is why they exist today."

Prior to his program, many Lykoi were brought to breeding shelters and euthanized because, on first glance, they looked sick when compared to average cats. Lykoi lose most of their coat by the time they reach two to three weeks of age and begin to regrow their hair after about a month. But this unusual hair-growth timeline has nothing to due with any sort of illness. Gobble and his team now know that despite their unusual appearance, these cats are perfectly healthy.

The Lykoi eat and play like normal kittens and possess many standard cat behaviors, although they also show some dog-like qualities. They can "stalk prey, point like a hunting dog when they see something, play fetch, carry objects in their mouths like a dog, and group together as a pack when multiples are present."

"They are a healthy breed, a natural mutation, and there is a large amount of genetic diversity with no inbreeding at this time," Gobble told HNGN. "They are a very loving breed, and many people love them."

So far, the Lykoi gene has been very successful – no health problems that were directly related to genetics to speak of. "We have had some colds, some parasites, and some itchy skin, but these are the same problems that any cat could get," Gobble said. Even more interesting is the fact that Lykoi seem to heal from colds much faster than other kinds of purebred cats, which Gobble believes is connected to the fact that the Lykoi was bred from the feral cat population.

Gobble believes that creating new breeds of cats is beneficial from a scientific standpoint due to the ability to preserve genetic mutations. "Many mutations occur in animals, but they can disappear if not preserved," he said. "Making the cats a new breed will ensure the mutation does not disappear."

In the realm of anti-breeders, designer breeds are the types that receive the most backlash due to the fact that they are typically bred for the sole purpose of commercial or recreational use. "A designer breed is a breed that results from two different existing purebred animals," Gobble explained. "For example, a labradoodle is the result of a purebred poodle and a labrador retriever."

Gobble's experience thus far has been focused on natural breeds. Before he got involved with the Lykoi program, he bred Sphinx cats shortly after he and his wife were married. "A natural mutation breed is a breed of cat that has no pedigree in the beginning," he said. "For example, the Sphynx cat was a natural mutation that just occurred in the domestic cat population. The Lykoi is the same; they are a natural mutation causing the unique hair pattern and the unique roan pattern."

The unique hair pattern is the most distinctive feature on the Lykoi and the reason that many people love – or fear – them. "Some people think they are ugly," Gobble said. "That's OK, everyone has a right to an opinion."

Whether you think they're ugly or cute, the Lykoi's werewolf-like appearance is fascinating, although the exact cause of this look is still unknown. "We have dermatologists and geneticists working on locating the gene and determining exactly what is causing the hair pattern," he said. "We know that it is a recessive gene from our breeding program, but we do not know much more than that."

Although the Lykoi currently possesses a "Registration Only" status with the International Cat Association (TICA), the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), has not recognized it as an official breed or even a provisional breed. "We are recognized as a new breed with TICA," Gobble explained. "CFA will never recognize us until we petition them. We plan to petition them after we are recognized in TICA."

Along with the TICA, the CFA is one of two major cat registries in the United States and it is also the oldest. Despite the confusion that has resulted from the Lykoi's absence from the CFA, Gobble assures that registration is coming in the future. "We started with TICA because we showed our Sphynx cats with TICA," he said. "We have been asked by many CFA members when we plan to petition them - the members feel that CFA will accept us with no problems. But we have to wait another year or two before petitioning them."

Gobble and his team hope to have the Lykoi fully registered with the TICA by 2016 and to continue developing their program and helping other breeders create similar programs that produce healthy cats. The Lykoi is currently a rare breed and although they will be increasing in numbers, Gobble and his team don't see it moving out of the rare category just yet due to their program's focus on selective and planned pacing. "The breeders that are working with me are dedicated to going at a planned pace to ensure a strong, healthy breed. I do think the Lykoi are here to stay and people will be seeing more and more of them."

Currently, all of Gobble's Lykoi cats participate in his breeding program. Although he also keeps them in his Sweetwater, Tenn., home and office, they are not yet spayed or neutered, meaning he does not consider them "true pets" just yet. Gobble told HNGN that he is "strongly opinionated that all pets should be spayed or neutered."

Although he and his wife are selling a select few Lykois at the moment, there is a two-year waiting list. They will continue to make more of them available, but Gobble's main reason for conducting the breeding program is less about business and more about his passion for animals. His program ensures the unique Lykoi gene is preserved and keeps them from ending up in shelters with people who don't know what to do with them.

"If they were not bred, shown, and made publicly aware, they would still be considered unwanted kittens in shelters," he said. "Now that they are a breed, I can ensure that the gene will survive."