Meet Sushi, the feline who has been crowned the ‘world’s saddest cat’. The reason for his sorrowful appearance is due to a rare skin disorder that causes his face to droop. Despite this, Sushi has found a loving forever home in Sao Paulo, Brazil, even though his breed remains unknown. It’s puzzling why this adorable five-year-old kitty still seems so glum despite being well taken care of.
Sushi looks sad because he has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare genetic condition that affects his connective tissue. This disorder causes his skin to be unusually stretchy and fragile due to a lack of collagen. As a result, Sushi’s skin appears loose and saggy, which is the reason for his melancholy expression.
In 2016, Larissa Yamaguchi adopted Sushi, a kitten she rescued from the streets. It was only after she took him in that she learned about his condition. Larissa’s friend who rescues animals sent her some photos of Sushi, and she immediately fell in love with the tiny black cat. When Sushi arrived, she noticed that he had a unique face, but she didn’t suspect that it could be due to a genetic condition called EDS.
Larissa had been taking care of her feline friend, Sushi, for four long years without any knowledge of his medical condition. In spite of consulting multiple veterinarians for his sensitive skin and trying out various medications, nothing seemed to work in Sushi’s favor. However, one day while browsing the internet, Larissa stumbled upon a story about a cat with similar symptoms as Sushi. This led her to diagnose Sushi with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), which was a surprise even for the dermatologist consulted. The specialist mentioned that the last time she had seen a cat with EDS as severe as Sushi’s was over a decade ago!
One of Sushi’s main problems is his compulsive scratching, which is caused by his syndrome and results in dry, itchy skin. In order to prevent him from scratching the delicate areas and causing further harm, he has to wear a collar. It’s important for us to be cautious since any wounds he develops can easily turn into severe infections that require extensive healing time. Despite his somber demeanor, Sushi lives a content life with his three feline siblings and receives excellent care from Larissa. However, his unique appearance can sometimes startle or intimidate strangers.
According to her, people often comment on how sad Sushi looks all the time. Some are startled or frightened by his appearance, while others find it amusing. As a result, Sushi’s mother took to Instagram to dispel common misconceptions about EDS in cats and educate others about the syndrome. Despite his skin condition, she assures everyone that Sushi is as content as can be. Currently, Sushi has amassed an impressive 2,600 followers on Instagram.
