If you’re thinking, “I want a cat that looks like a melted candle,” do not buy one from a breeder. Many breeders try to exaggerate these traits for profit, leading to birth defects. Instead, check your local shelter. The World’s Ugliest Cat Contest is strictly for shelter animals—it’s a campaign to adopt “unadoptable” pets. So if you see a cat with a sideways eyeball and three teeth, that’s the winner waiting for a home.
And here’s a pro tip: ugly cats are surprisingly easy to live with. They don’t shed, they don’t get fleas, and they’re usually so grateful for being loved that they’ll follow you to the bathroom. Plus, if your date says, “Eww, what is that?”—you know they’re not worth your time. It’s a built-in human filter.
15 Ugliest Cats Of All Time That Will Make You Thankful For Yours
The Dark (Hilarious) Side of Fame
Winning the title isn’t all glamor. Xerxes once got mobbed by paparazzi at a pet convention. Another winner, Baldwin, had to retire early after a fan tried to “polish” his head with furniture wax. Yes, that happened. The cat was fine, but the owner now uses a squirt bottle on humans.
And get this: the contest judges have a strict rule—no cosmetic surgery allowed. One year, a contestant was disqualified because an owner tried to Botox its wrinkles. “We’re looking for natural ugly, not paid-for ugly,” the judge said. That’s a real quote. I swear.
