Not since Kurt Cobain introduced the world to grunge has such a star come out of Seattle.
The Emerald City is abuzz about Jimothy, who, according to The Seattle Times, is an unusually round raccoon who’s gone viral after being caught on camera by resident Kiana Hall.
Hall spotted Jimothy while out at night and thought the creature might be a cat.
“I got very confused at what I was seeing,” Hall says. “I just have never seen any other animal like it.”
Hall posted footage of the raccoon on her Instagram and gave it the name Jimothy. The video has since received over 5 million views.
“I think times have been hard for everyone, so I’m really happy to have posted something online that reaches so many people and makes them so happy,” Hall said. “I just hope [Jimothy] continues to live his life freely and I hope he can be healthy.”
According to Marcie Logsdon of Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Jimothy’s unique appearance likely stems from a congenital spine deformity.
“The fact that he’s made it to this age tells me that he’s managing and that he’s adapting,” Logsdon says. “I was surprised and honestly a little bit inspired that he’s that resilient.”