Meet Jimothy, the Raccoon Shaped Like a Little Ball

When Kiana Hall spotted something waddling across a Seattle field, she was not sure what she was looking at.

She later described it as “an orb with really long legs.”

Then the animal turned around.

There was the familiar black mask of a raccoon.

Hall posted a short video asking what on earth she had seen. The clip has since drawn more than 18 million views on TikTok, according to figures cited for this account, and the unusually shaped raccoon now has a name: Jimothy.

His compact, rounded body appears to be the result of a congenital spinal condition.

Veterinarians who have commented on the videos have suggested it could be short spine syndrome, a rare disorder also seen in dogs.

But the diagnosis has not been confirmed through a hands-on veterinary examination.

What has surprised experts is how well Jimothy seems to be managing in the wild.

Marcie Logsdon of Washington State University’s veterinary hospital said the raccoon was likely born this year and noted that his ability to survive on his own was encouraging.

He may also have had help from his family.

A Ballard neighbor who had watched Jimothy since he was young said he could be clumsy and unsteady.

His mother and siblings, however, appeared to stay close.

The neighbor said they helped keep him from falling and sometimes even carried him.

Online, Jimothy has become something much larger than an unusual neighborhood raccoon.

Fans have created discussion groups, sighting trackers, and even tattoos in his honor.

“Hot Jimothy summer” has become a slogan.

According to local accounts, a Seattle city councilmember has also been preparing a proclamation recognizing “Jimothy Summer,” while the University of Washington has joined the joke by giving him a playful honorary title.

The internet may love Jimothy because he looks unusual.

But the more interesting part of his story may be that he appears to be doing what wild animals do best: adapting, surviving, and getting a little help from family along the way.