Cat Forced To Wear Pajamas Due to Her Rare Skin Condition Melts Hearts

A cat named Miss Ponyo has left the internet in tears after a video of her wearing "prescription jammies" because of her health condition went viral on social media.

In a video shared to TikTok on Sunday by the cat's owner, under the username Ponyoandrichard, Ponyo can be seen wearing purple unicorn pajamas. Even though she doesn't look too pleased with it, she doesn't seem that bothered.

The heartwarming post comes with a caption that read: "When the vet told my mom I need to wear pajamas so I don't overgroom my legs." Followed by: "Ponyo has an autoimmune disorder called EGC and she is still a girl boss even with her skin condition."

Eosinophilic granuloma complex [EGC] is a term used to describe three forms of skin lesions in cats, which in most cases are due to a form of allergic response.

Dr. Joseph Tsang at the Small Door Veterinary in New York told Newsweek that EGC is a skin eruption in cats that can occur anywhere in the body. There are three distinct forms:

• Eosinophilic Granuloma, the most common form, typically occurs in the mouth, especially on the upper lip, but can occur in other parts of the body as well. The appearance can range from a bump on the skin to ulcerated lesions to tumor-like;
• Eosinophilic Plaque, which looks like very angry hives and most commonly occurs on the cat's belly or inner thighs;
• And Indolent Ulcers, which are observed inside the cat's mouth, typically on the upper lip and have the appearance of an angry sore.

He said: "The exact cause of feline EGC is unknown. However, some research suggests it's an immune-mediated disease, which is a form of allergic response (hypersensitivity reaction) or drug reaction. Other contributing factors can include mosquito and insect bites for cats with access to outdoor spaces. Diagnosis of EGC is based on medical history and findings from a physical examination. However definitive diagnosis requires a biopsy of the area.

"Some EGC lesions can spontaneously resolve over time. However, if it becomes itchy or repetitively irritated, it can lead to local infections. EGC is most commonly treated with a course of tapering steroids. Antibiotics are used to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections. Sometimes topical cream with antibiotic/anti-inflammatory properties may be used on the cat's skin as well. Patients typically respond well to medical treatment, but recurrence is common.

"In recurrent cases of EGC, your veterinarian may need to switch to a hypoallergenic diet and look for potential environmental allergies as a primary issue. Keeping the cat indoors to prevent mosquito and insect bites and flea/tick prevention may be helpful as well."

Ponyo's owner, Reem, told Newsweek: "Ponyo is a 9-month-old orange tabby who recently got diagnosed with eosinophilic granuloma complex! Which is an inflammatory skin condition due to hypersensitivity to certain allergies like fleas, food, environmental allergies etc.

"She had a very rough kittenhood and was extremely sick when I first rescued her and has been a fighter since day 1! She loves to snuggle and give kisses to everyone! She is outgoing and loves other people but she loves her mom and her brother Richard the most!"

The video quickly gained popularity on the internet, attracting animal lovers from across the platform, and it has received over 1.7 million views and 183,400 likes so far.

One user, Jamie Synn, commented: "Yes! Mine suddenly started over licking his belly and used to be so fluffy, but where he can reach is half as long! How did they test for that?" And Leez said: "I [swear to God] if you guys don't get matching jammies."

User27363774737484 added: "Omg my cat does this too, like she overgrooms to the the moment she bleeds was it like this for your cat too."

Ambergallagher94 wrote: "Mine does this. Has a big bald patch under her armpit. How does yours find the pajamas? I'm worried I'll stress her out more."

Another user, Wandi, commented: "Awe sweet baby [you're] adorable." And 26580thatsmynumber said: "Omg she's the cutest cat I've ever seen." Jadey added: "My boy has an autoimmune disease & the steroid injections make him hungry so he's a big boy. I wish he had this problem instead hahaha."

Samantha Thom said: "I thought it was a cape." And Valerie joked: "Prescription Jammies!!!" Aspen added: "Lucky my vet prescribed my cat a kitten instead."

Nic_ole_ah wrote: "My cat overgrooms her sides but if I try to put any clothes on her, she lays there like she's paralyzed." And WILLOW IAN added: "we thought my cat was losing the hair on her legs and turns out she was pulling it out because of OCD."