40 Uniquely Marked Animals That Look Like They Have Been Photoshopped
We dare you to name five things in the whole world that are cuter than animals. If you stop to think about it, animals and babies are easily the two most often defined definitions of “cuteness” on the planet, and there’s no one who would be able to say otherwise! When we think about dogs, cats, and other animals, we usually have a preset mental image of what they look like. But what we don’t usually think about is that there are plenty of unique animals in the world, and in all probability, we’ll never get to see them all. Well, we would never get to see them if it weren’t for the internet! In this article, we’ve compiled a bunch of animal pictures that will make your heart melt instantly. Here are 40 animals with unique coloring or markings that will give you a new perspective of originality!
A redhead dog?
Regardless of the breed, dogs’ fur usually looks similar in the sense that they mostly have common colorings and traditional markings according to their kind. A dog’s coat either is one-colored or maybe has different tones. They also usually have large markings, as we see in Beagles. But not many dogs look like this buddy:
In addition to having white fur covering almost all of his body, this dog also has red fur on his ears and some red spots across his body. But the one thing that makes this dog really stand out is that he has small spots all over his face — and they almost look like freckles!
Wearing his heart on his sleeve!
Dogs are similar to humans in many different ways. Just like there are short-tempered humans, there are dogs that always seem and act stressed. And just like there are emotional humans, there are some dogs who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
In this case, however, this dog is wearing his heart on his fur! Now that’s what we call a unique marking. Having a heart on display like this just makes this puppy even more adorable than he already is. We just want to cuddle and pet him!
Milk Mustache?!
Who said that dogs are the only animals who have unique markings? Cats can also be included in this list, and this next cat looks simply amazing! Just a glimpse at him, and you’ll be instantly reminded of a commercial for milk.
Truth be told, we’ve never seen a cat like that — and we’re so happy its owner decided to share a picture of their incredibly unique cat with the rest of the world. Now we just want to know why he looks like he is scowling after he just got that cream!
Is this photoshopped?
In the age of technology, it’s not unusual for us to see edited pictures everywhere. If you skim through a magazine, you’ll see many photoshopped pictures — and we can barely even notice that they’re actually edited because they look so real. This next picture, on the other hand…
As photoshopped as it may look, this picture is actually 100% real and unedited. It seems like someone pasted this cat’s face on the body of a different cat — we mean, look at how perfectly round the white fur on his face is. This is easily one of the most amazing pictures in this article!
Buying two for the price of one!
Some animals that we will talk about in this article will truly make you do a double-take. But this next animal is on a whole different level of amazing. The markings it has on its body are just not something you see every day, if ever for that matter!
See what we mean? That cat looks like it is carrying another cat on its back! If you’ve ever heard of the legend of Edward Mordake (the guy who allegedly had a face on the back of his head), this cat instantly reminded us of that!
I’ve seen those colors somewhere else!
Have you ever watched the animated movie Rio? If you have, you know that the movie is about a bird from Minnesota who goes on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Well, this next bird is so unique that it looks like it came straight out of that movie!
How is it possible that this bird has not one or two but four different colors on his body? He actually looks like two different birds were joined together right down the middle! The fun thing is that this bird’s coating is the same color as Brazil’s flag, so maybe this bird really should be in the movie Rio!
Oh, God, my heart!
If there’s one thing about penguins that we can agree on is that they’re one of the cutest animals ever. Maybe it’s their flippers or the distinct way they waddle — whatever the reason, it’s nearly impossible to look at a picture of a penguin and not want to hug it!
Even if you’re one of the rare people who don’t see what’s so special about penguins, you must have felt something when you looked at this picture. An adorable penguin with a heart marking on its fur? Come on! It’s one of the cutest things we’ve ever seen!
I’m going to ask this cat for a piece of advice!
Sometimes, we look at people and can immediately tell that they have quite a lot of life experience. Maybe we can see the wisdom in their eyes, and then we confirm it in their words. But did you know that you can feel the same about animals?
The fact is we aren’t all cat lovers, and some of us have never had a cat at home, — so it’s kinda hard for us to tell if this mustache thing is a common facial thing of cats or not. Either way, this adorable cat looks like he’s lived through a lot and is ready to give some good advice!
She’s not actually sad!
Dachshunds are a breed of dog that is commonly referred to as wiener dogs or sausage dogs. They’re easily one of the most popular dog breeds in the world, and most of them are red or black. However, some Dachshunds or doxie mixes have rare colors, like this little guy below.
This adorable dog has a rare type of coating pattern for a Dachshund, and he looks spectacular. His face is half black and half white, and each half looks like a different dog. The white side of its face looks a bit sad, though, but that’s far from the truth. According to his owner, this is one of the most energetic and playful dogs you’ll ever see!
Keeping it in the family!
Up until now, we’ve shown you a picture of a dog with a heart marking on its back and a penguin with a heart proudly displayed on its chest. While those perfectly shaped markings are rare, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen from time to time, and sometimes it’s even genetic.
What we mean by that is that, sometimes, animals pass on those rare markings to their children. In this picture, we see a perfect example of that. This pooch has a heart marking on her back, and she passed it onto her baby. It’s interesting to note that the marking is simply mirrored on the newborn puppy, but it looks exactly the same!
What a beauty!
Here is another Dachshund with unique markings on its tiny body. While the other dog had a patterned coat that is known as Piebald, this next puppy has a patterned coat that is known as Dapple. Look how adorable it is:
Most Dachshunds with this coat pattern have lighter fur on the background (this dog’s fur is grey) but darker spots on the top. This adorable dog also has a bunch of black freckles” all over his fur, so his coat is considered a “Chocolate Dapple with Ticking” coat.
A rare sighting!
Like humans, some animals are born with a condition called “albinism,” in which their bodies produce little to none of the pigment melanin. While humans have to be careful when they’re out in the sun, albino animals have to be extra careful of other animals, especially if they live in the wild.
This beautiful albino sea turtle is one of a kind. Not only because of its magnificent shell, which looks like each spot was made of rays of sunshine, but also because of its size. Albino sea animals have a harder time surviving in the wild because they don’t have the ability to camouflage — so this turtle is not only incredibly beautiful but also a survivor!
Boop that nose!
If adult dogs are cute, newborn puppies are on a whole higher level of adorableness. These tiny creatures make our hearts melt with everything that they do, even if they’re just trying to sit or staring at us. This next puppy, however, just raised the bar!
Look at that adorable face! And if that wasn’t sweet enough, this dog was born with this unique paw-shaped marking on its nose. Ugh, how we wish we could pick up this puppy in our arms and boop that nose all day long!
Straight out of a black-and-white film!
Even if you’re not into old cinematic classics, you probably know who Charlie Chaplin was, and you’ve moste likely seen his most famous character, The Tramp. If you’re wondering why we’re talking about Chaplin, the answer is simple: this next pupper looks like it could be his dog!
Isn’t this dog adorable? Charlie Chaplin is often remembered for wearing heavy black and white makeup. His character had a white face and strong dark eyebrows with a black toothbrush mustache. If you compare a picture of The Tramp with this dog, you’ll totally see the resemblance!
So this is a lucky cow?
There are many reasons why the number seven is considered a special number. Some people point out the biblical significance for that, while others point out all the cultural and natural references in our world for believing that 7 is a lucky number.
If you don’t believe that 7 is a lucky number, then how do you explain this cow having that number imprinted on its face in bold letters? We’re just kidding; you don’t have to believe that 7 is a magical number — all you have to do is appreciate this beautiful cow and its unique marking!
What a king!
Peacocks are easily one of the most beautiful species of birds out there, and we don’t mean that just because they have pretty feathers. Everything about these animals is beautiful, from their stance to the way they carry themselves. And just when we thought peafowl couldn’t get prettier, they did.
There are three types of peafowl in nature, but none of them look quite like the one in the picture. That’s because this particular peacock has a condition called leucism, which turns its feather white. In general, peacocks are rare birds, but white peacocks are even rarer!
Can you explain that to me?
If we’re being honest, we all know that cats get an undeserved bad rap on occasion. They’re often dubbed as cold and aloof animals, but the reality is that they can also be very caring and affectionate. And let’s not get started on how delightful cats truly are.
This one cat, specifically, could easily win the award for Cutest Cat of the Year, if there ever was one. He always looks like he’s questioning things because of the black marking on his eyebrows — they always look like they’re raised!
Is that a monkey?
Not too many items back, we showed you a cat that had a peculiar marking on his back. It was as if his fur formed a cat-like image and the white cat always looked like he was accompanied by a black cat on his back. Well, we might have just found that cat’s cousin!
The only difference between this cat and the other we have previously seen is that this cat has a monkey on its back, instead of having a fellow feline. What they have in common is that both cats are incredibly special with unique markings!
What a lovely nose!
We’re aware that some animals we’ve shown on this list had heart-shaped markings on their bodies, so you may think that it gets repetitive sometimes. But, honestly, who cares? Looking are adorable animals never gets dull, and we’re more than happy to see as many pictures as them as possible!
We mean, do you not love seeing puppies like this one, looking all cute plus having the added bonus of carrying a heart-shaped marking on its nose? We certainly do! This puppy is so adorable it made our heart skip a beat — and it also made us wish we had a dog just like it!
Lovey, the piggy!
When we think about cute animals, we usually think about house pets, like dogs and cats. We don’t usually associate pigs with the notion of being especially cute animals, but they’re actually rather loveable — especially when they’re raised in a house and well taken care of!
See what we mean? There is no way you could possibly disagree when we say that this adorable piglet is cute. It is just so tiny and precious. And if this piglet wasn’t cute enough, it also has a few heart-shaped markings all over its body!
Ready to party!
Let’s take a short trip down memory lane, shall we? Think back to when we were younger — going to parties was certainly something we all looked forward to, correct? Parties were the best entertainment during college years, and some of us had the time of our lives at underground raves.
Raves are all about psychedelic music and neon lights — they look like futuristic parties, really. And what’s more futuristic-looking than this unique frog? With those neon pink markings, this frog looks like it’s always ready to party and have a good time!
What are you up to?
Cats can look quite scary looking when they give you a hard, cold stare. If you have a cat at home, you know exactly what we’re talking about. But we would bet you 50 bucks that your cat doesn’t look half as scary as this next cat:
Look straight into this cat’s green eyes. Doesn’t it look like it is plotting something against you while you’re asleep? The black marking above his top lip looks like a mustache, and that made many people on the internet associate this cat with one of the evilest men in history- we are sure you know of whom we are referring to!
So cute!
Have you ever heard of a skin condition called “vitiligo”? This condition, which is not necessarily uncommon, happens when the cells responsible for pigment production die. Then, the skin of the person with this condition starts losing its color.
Vitiligo is a condition that mostly affects humans, but it can affect animals as well. This beautiful dog in the picture has vitiligo, and its fur, as well as its skin, started losing its color. This is quite a rare dog — and, thankfully, it doesn’t suffer any discomfort, as this condition isn’t painful.
We promise this is not fake!
When you look at this next picture, likely, you’ll immediately think that it is a fake picture. We thought the same at first, but we assure you that it’s not photoshopped. There’s a great explanation for what’s actually happening in this photo, so bear with us!
A green cat? That has got to be a fake picture! Well, believe us or not, this cat is real, and it lives in Bulgaria, apparently. The plot twist is that this cat doesn’t actually look like this. Here’s the context for this picture: this cat was walking by a construction site and decided to take a nap. He took his nap on top of green paint cans, and when he woke up, he looked like this!
Where have you been, doggy?
Most dog owners have been in the following situation: after you bathed your dog, it somehow managed to get out of the house and play in the mud. Not only do they get dirty when they do this, but they also get the house dirty.
When you look at this mischievous-looking dog, you may think that it did exactly what we described in the paragraph above. Well, that’s not true at all. This dog isn’t even dirty, actually. Those black “stockings” he is wearing are actually how he was born, and not thanks to a romp in the mud.
Is that really a zebra?
When we think of zebras, we immediately get a mental image of horse-like animals with thick black and white stripes. But what if we told you that not all zebras look exactly like that? In this next picture, we’re going to show a rare zebra that looks nothing like you would expect:
This beautiful zebra was called Zoe, and she used to live in a private sanctuary for exotic animals like her in Hawaii. Her tan-and-white color and icy blue eyes made Zoe quite famous in the veterinary world! Unfortunately, Zoe passed away (peacefully, may we add) a few years ago.
Beautiful hearts in your eyes!
If you’re an avid user of messaging apps, you know exactly what we mean when we say “heart eye emoji.” It’s that little face we use to express that we are seriously loving something. But who said that we could only see that face on the internet?
This dog is taking the concept of the “heart eye emoji” to a whole new level! He’s always sporting heart eyes, and that’s because he was born with these rare and stunning markings. It sure does represent the true essence of dogs — they’re loving and lovable, so the marking makes total sense in our eyes!
Drop the routine, sis!
Do you know how annoying it is sometimes when we see that men have naturally long lashes while lots of women have to get eyelash extensions? Or how men take little to no care of their hair, yet they’re always sporting luscious flowing locks? Well, now it’s time for us to be jealous of this dog, which has permanent and total even smoky eyes!
While we’re always looking for the right makeup brand and accessories to get the perfect smoky eye look, this dog was born with this beautiful eye shadow. Oh, how we wish we could be born with a unique marking like this one!
A pink grasshopper?!
While most of us don’t often pay grasshoppers too much attention, these animals are quite remarkable. Some species of grasshoppers have the ability to change colors depending on the weather — if it’s cold, they get darker; if it’s warm, they get brighter.
But there’s something even more impressive about these animals — as you can see in the picture, some grasshoppers are pink! Yes, that is a real female grasshopper. This unique creature turns pink because of something called erythrism, which happens when a bug’s body produces way too much pigment.
Am I in heaven?
Some creatures on this planet have always been the source of mystery and fable. Depending on where you grew up, you have probably heard a lot of stories about mystical creatures inhabiting the woods surrounding your town. While they’re just tales, imagine how surprised you’d be to see this group of deer:
White deer are so rare that some people truly believe they’re magical creatures. While that would be awesome, they’re actually just like other deer; they just have a condition called leucism — and this genetic condition turns them white. This group of animals in the picture is so pretty that they look like they came out of a fairy tale!
Such beautiful colors!
When we think of Labradors, we usually think of those furry yellow dogs who are big goofy balls of energy. However, Labradors can come in two colors other than yellow — chocolate and black. And then there are some Labs that have a rare tri-color fur.
This Labrador is one of those rare dogs with a genetic condition that causes them to have a mix of two or more colors. These Labradors are called “chimera,” and in this fellow’s case, this dog has cells derived from two different lines, one black and one yellow Labrador.
Sorry?
While this article mostly features dogs and cats, we also included a couple of other animals with rare markings. One of those animals was a cow that the number 7 marked on her face. It looks like she’s not alone — we found another cow with a rare marking!
Instead of having a number on its face, this adorable cow has a question mark! When this cow looks in your direction, you always think that it is asking you a question — or maybe it is questioning why people keep staring at it!
Time of the opposite!
The most common type of owl is called a barn owl. These animals are found all over the world, and they’re usually quite shy, flying away as soon as you try to approach them. Barn owls are typically pale and have light brownish-yellow or gray wings.
Because barn owls are usually pale, this black barn owl is incredibly rare. Some animals on this list had a condition called leucism, which turns them white — and this owl has the opposite condition, which is called melanism. Melanism is the overproduction of melanin, which is why this owl is so dark.
A different Bambi!
Just a few slides ago, we showed you a group of white deer that looked like mystical creatures. Those deer are incredibly rare, but so is this next fawn pictured below. This lovely animal has an awesome name but a sad backstory.
This beautiful and rare fawn is called Dragon, and it was born with a genetic mutation called piebaldism. A piebald deer has irregular patches of two different colors, which explains why Dragon is half white and half brown. While his condition is harmless, his mother abandoned him when he was just a baby because she thought he wouldn’t survive long. Nowadays, Dragon lives happily in Michigan and is taken care of by a group of amazing carers!
Yes, this is a real butterfly!
If we’re talking about unique animals, it’s impossible for us not to talk about butterflies. These animals are unique from the get-go — after all, how many species go through the same transformation that butterflies go through? And not many animals look this marvelous:
When you first glance at this butterfly, you may think that this is a fake butterfly. It looks like someone sewed two different animals together and got this unique butterfly with different wings. Well, this is a real butterfly, and its appearance is easily explained by science. This butterfly has a condition called gynandromorphism, which means that it is half-male and half-female!
A different kind of leopard.
Leopards are majestic animals, and no further explanation is needed. These animals usually have tawny fur, which is a light brown (sometimes brownish-orange) color. However, a photographer found an incredibly rare leopard roaming the wild plains of Africa. Check out the “strawberry” leopard:
Instead of having tawny fur and black spots, this leopard has a strawberry coat and lighter spots. According to researchers, this leopard probably has the same condition as that pink grasshopper we showed you, which is called erythrism. What we do know for certain is that this leopard is magnificent!
How are we supposed to know if it’s really a zebra?
If we asked you to describe a zebra, you probably would say that it’s an animal that has black and white stripes. But what if we told you that not all zebras have those famous stripes? Some zebras are born with certain genetic conditions, like melanism.
This zebra is a clear example of an animal with melanism. The excessive production of melanin caused this zebra to have large dark patches on its back instead of having the usual stripes. While this zebra is not alone in terms of having melanism, it sure is a rare sight to see!
A truly rare species!
The world is really huge, and even though science and technology have evolved greatly over the years, it’s not unusual for researchers to find new species every once in a while. That was the case of Graham Reynolds, who discovered this unique snake when exploring the Bahamas:
Metallic snakes like that one are incredibly rare, and the biologist who found it also found 5 other snakes just like it. The researcher and his fellows named this unique snake the “Conception Bank Silver Boa,” paying homage to the location where they discovered the species and to the rare coloring of the snake.
Brighter than the sun!
Remember that blue and yellow bird we showed earlier in this article? This time we have brought another unique bird — the only difference is that this bird is completely yellow, and that is actually not as common as you may think!
This variety of macaw is called “Lutino,” and Lutino or golden macaw’s— that is, completely yellow birds — are quite rare and uncommon. Their plumage is yellow because of a condition called xanthochromism, which also happens in other species!
I never would’ve thought this was a cheetah!
There are a couple of characteristics that make cheetahs stand out among other animals. They have dark spots all over their bodies and also have two distinctive tear-shaped markings on their faces. And then there’s this incredibly exceptional cheetah:
While this animal does have the tear-shaped markings that all cheetahs have, it doesn’t have the characteristic spots. The media has called this a “spotless” cheetah, and it is so scarce a find that the reason behind this lack of spots hasn’t been discovered yet!