Austonia daily newsletter—direct to your inbox 6 a.m.
Join the 250,000+ others who rely on Austonia for local news, info and fun
×
Popular
Chupie the Lykoi cat is now recognized around Austin after going viral on TikTok. (Claire Partain/Austonia)
The unusual kitty has recently gone viral on social media, garnering over 30 million views on TikTok and cheering up cat fans globally during the difficulties of the pandemic.
But according to owner and Austin resident Michelle, who asked not to disclose her full name for privacy reasons, this wasn't what she expected at all when she first made Chupie's Instagram and TikTok in January.
Chupie's claim to fame—aside from his overwhelming cuteness and love for all foods (except salsa and carrots)—is his unique genetics. Lykoi cats, named after the Greek word for "wolves" and often aptly dubbed "wolf cats," are the result of a mutation originally found in feral cat populations that have since become a pedigree cat breed.
He's gotten plenty of love—and plenty of bullying—for his wolf-like appearance. Michelle has been told he looks like anything from the weasel of "Suicide Squad" to Clint Eastwood as a cat.
"I think that a lot of people think that he looks like an ugly cat because he looks mangy," Michelle said. "But that's kind of what makes him special."
But Chupie doesn't have the disposition of a werewolf. In fact, the friendly cat can be seen kayaking, hiking and lounging around locales around Austin, from historic bar Nickel City to his favorite spot at South Austin's Little Darlin'.
@chupiedoesntgiveameow Wanna play some pool? ##fyp ##viral ##funny ##lykoicat ##werewolfcat ##adventurecat
♬ The Banjo Beat, Pt. 1 - Ricky Desktop
He's almost always well-behaved, too—that is, until food enters the picture.
Just a few days after making his Internet debut, Chupie first went viral for viciously gripping onto a bag of H-E-B buns. The post gained 1.3 million views.
@chupiedoesntgiveameow Give me your buns🥖👀##fyp ##trending ##catsoftiktok ##lykoicat ##funny ##viral ##funnycatsoftiktok
♬ Rasputin (Single Version) - Boney M.
Since then, similar videos of Chupie gripping baguettes, treats and other goodies have gained up to 11 million views apiece.
@chupiedoesntgiveameow Back at it again🥖 ##fyp ##tiktokviral ##lykoicat ##catsoftiktok
♬ Countdown - Snoop Dogg
Michelle and her husband have beencreating content nearly every weekend and are now busier than ever. Still, it's been a rewarding, if unexpected, life change, especially as she hears from fans worldwide who view Chupie as a bright spot in their life.
Michelle said that she's received countless positive messages from fans, many of whom struggled during the pandemic.
"I joke that he's a 'meowtivational speaker' because I really think that we sometimes live in really dark places, especially during COVID," Michelle said. "So if we can give them even a little part of their day, even if it's 10 seconds where they feel joy, then it's worth it."
That popularity has translated into real life. Chupie is celebrated by fans and newcomers alike nearly everywhere he goes. In an interview with Austonia, Chupie was almost immediately greeted by a fascinated stranger who was quick to scratch his head and take pictures, something Michelle said is a normal occurrence.
"Everybody knows him when I go places now," Michelle said. "People are like, 'Oh my God, is that Chupie? Can I feed him the crust of my pizza?'"
Chupie before getting a treat. (Claire Partain/Austonia)
Chupie after he gets a treat. (Claire Partain/Austonia)
"He's living better than me probably," Michelle joked. "We live our lives well together. But I've never done so many things in one weekend until I started making these videos."
So what's next for Chupie? Michelle hopes one day she can take her kitty on global adventures where he can meet fans. For now, she's busy making Chupie merch, sending out care packages and is looking forward to taking her pet to animal events like the POP Cats festival on Saturday.
"This has gone way further than I ever imagined, and it's about Chupie, but it's also about the 'I don't give a meow' attitude," Michelle said. "I think people need to take life less seriously, so it's nice to be an outlet for that."
A few COVID risk-based guidelines have been relaxed in Austin as the city downgrades its safety recommendations for certain individuals. (St. David's South Austin Medical Center/Facebook)
Stage 4 guidelines don't change much for low-risk vaccinated individuals, and APH recommends that Austinites mask up as they dine, shop and participate in indoor gatherings or large outdoor gatherings where social distancing is impossible.
High-risk vaccinated individuals who were advised to stay at home unless essential under Stage 5 can once again partake in gatherings and events as well. Stage 4 recommends that unvaccinated residents still avoid indoor and outdoor private gatherings but that travel can once again resume if essential.
(Austin Public Health)
(Austin Public Health)
The news comes as the seven-day moving average for hospitalizations dipped to 440 on Monday, down 33% from a peak of 641.9 on Aug. 27. While ICU capacity remains at critical levels, the percentage of COVID patients in ICU beds has decreased from its August peak with 162 of the area's 200 available beds occupied by COVID patients.
In Tuesday's Travis County Commissioners and Austin City Council joint meeting, Dr. Desmar Walkes once again implored residents to get vaccinated and reminded residents that booster shots have been recommended for residents 65 and over and immunocompromised individuals.
Walkes recommended that parents vaccinate their children ages 12 and older and that children younger than 12 continue to mask up.
"The Delta variant showed us how unpredictable and deadly this virus can be, especially for the unvaccinated," Walkes said. "However, even as we continue to see the data trending in a positive direction, we cannot act as if the pandemic is over. Our hospital and ICUs still remain at critical levels, and we need the public to continue to work together to ensure we do not contribute to a new surge."
From Your Site Articles
- Austin families weight back-to-school options amid Stage 4 - austonia ›
- COVID update: here's what it would take for mask mandates to ... ›
- Gov. Greg Abbott said he won't reinstate mask mandates - austonia ›
- COVID hospitalizations reach Stage 4 threshold - austonia ›
- APH, Austin clinics begin administering all COVID boosters per CDC announcement - austonia ›
