A viral picture of a cat, which is apparently called Serpens Catus or the 'Amazon Snake Cat' has gone viral on both TIkTok and Twitter leading many people to question whether the creature is real.
The image in question features a picture of what appears to be a regular household cat, complete with a yellow and black pattern on its fur, not dissimilar to that which we would associate with a snake.
However, the pattern on its fur does resemble the scales that we often see on the snake, making for a truly striking image.
In the original post about the cat, it is claimed that it is the "rarest species of feline on earth" and can only be found in the most difficult-to-access areas of the Amazon rainforest.
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It is also claimed that the cat only first appeared in 2020 and weighs up to 4 stone.
Is Serpens catus real?
As you may have already guessed, Serpens catus is not real. There is no evidence to support that the cat ever existed despite the aforementioned photo, which has been cleverly edited.
Although cats native to South America can be found in the Amazon rainforest there has never been a reported sighting of Serpens catus.
Around social media, people have been pointing out that the feline isn't real with TikTok users, in particular highlighting the preposterous nature of the claim.
One person wrote: "It is not difficult to find out this isn’t real if you have Internet. Google tells you if it is true or lie."
Another added: "So much of [the] Amazon is still not explored, but this beautiful animal can’t be real."
Over on YouTube one person reportedly said: "Too bad there is no fur texture in the yellow areas. Photoshop at it's worse."
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