When a Reddit user took their cat to a groomer, the end result left them unable to stop laughing at the pet's appearance.
Posting to the discussion-based website on June 30, Ashley Mentzer, who goes by the handle GoMooGo, shared a snap of her cat, who appears to have undergone a "lion cut."
The popular style is achieved when the animal's body is shaved, save for their head and tail, to give it the appearance of a lion.
However, the cat's look in the photograph was clearly not as successful as the owner was expecting because she posted the image with the heading: "I got my girl groomed. This...is not what I was expecting. I can't stop laughing."
The animal's amusing appearance has caught the attention of many online, and has so far received 33,500 likes and garnered many comments.
One Reddit user, Vartash, joked that the pet could seek revenge for the haircut, writing: "Sleep very, very, lightly. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and likely at 3 am, by pouncing upon the chest/throat region whilst yodeling for Satan to come claim a fresh soul.
"Not that any of my cats have done such a thing. No, never, hahaha what makes you say that."
Another person, Jabronirhinestone, wrote: "This looks like you photoshopped your cat's head onto a different cat's body."
Tiger_Tuliper commented: "Please get her a cute tank top immediately."
AlfieHitchcock revealed: "I'm actually in tears from laughing so hard. Thank you for this! Poor kitty's still trying her best to maintain her dignity from the head up."
Tzipity offered their thoughts on the groomer's cutting skills, writing: "They went surprisingly long on the lion cut... The length thing here that's giving the photoshopped look is... an interesting choice. I mean it totally distracts from how rad her little fluffy "boots" are!"
Aside from many enjoying the absurdity of the cat's appearance, the photograph also sparked a debate about whether one should shave their cat at all.
Plenty_Print5519 explained that it might not be wise to do so to combat overheating, writing: "Cats regulate heat with their fur. the lion cut makes the cat more hot in the summer."
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) doesn't actually recommend shaving cats either.
It explains that "pets' fur coats are actually providing them with heat relief.
"Our pets' coats have several layers that are essential to their comfort in the heat. Robbing your dog or cat of this natural cooling system can lead to discomfort, overheating and other serious dangers like sunburn or skin cancer."
However, not everyone agreed that shaving was a bad thing to do for cats, saying it depends on particular circumstances.
CaitiJ explained: "I had a long haired cat who developed allergies. She would lose her fluff in clumps and get terrible matted hair. No amount of combing or cutting could keep up. The vet eventually recommended periodically having her lion cut.
"For everyone saying you should never cut a cat's fur, that's just not true. You should never give a cat a haircut for fun because their fur serves a purpose.
"But sometimes, you have no choice when the vet recommends grooming and then you should listen to your vet not some random Redditer regurgitating Google articles."
To this, Mentzer responded: "THANK YOU!! The vet & the cat parents know what's best for the sweet cat baby."
Speaking to Newsweek, she explained that she takes her cat to the groomer upon advice from a vet: "I normally get her groomed once a year, in the summer.
"It's so hot where we live and her fur is so fine and mats very easily, that her vet recommends grooming.
"She doesn't normally look so naked and it just completely caught me by surprise! However, she LOVES her haircuts and is always so energetic and playful after them. She's 13 and I'll do anything to make her life better.
Talking of her cat's internet fame, Mentzer added: "She doesn't seem interested in her newfound celebrity status, but she has asked that her sister and I don't make eye contact."
Update 7/15/21, 9:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated with cooment from Ashley Mentzer.
