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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Jimothy the raccoon has taken the internet by storm this week after a video showed him bouncing around Seattle with his oddly shaped body**—**a side effect of a rare congenital condition that more commonly affects dogs.
The viral videos have helped the raccoon win the hearts of millions and have prompted concerns about his outlook.
Jimothy rose to internet fame after Kiana Hall spotted him on July 13 and took a video to share on social media. The video quickly garnered millions of views because of Jimothy's strange, shortened shape, making him look rounder and smaller than a normal raccoon. He also drew attention for appearing to have no neck, which a Cornell University veterinarian told Newsweek could be caused by short spine syndrome (SSS).
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Jimothy has quickly risen to internet fame: there's apparel and a bobblehead designed after his likeness, as well as a video game and plenty of artwork. On Sunday, Democratic Seattle Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck will present a city proclamation at Bergen Place Park in Jimothy's honor to commemorate "Jimothy Summer."
"Jimothy is an example to all of us that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved. In fact, it’s what makes us different that makes us sensational," Rinck told Newsweek. "He’s also a very real creature in a world full of fake digital images. Jimothy’s impact will be a lasting part of Seattle’s culture because it is another example of the quirky lore across Seattle from the Fremont Troll to the Hot Rat Summer mosaic to the Gum Wall."
The good news, according to Cornell veterinarian Dr. Brian Collins, is that SSS probably won't shorten Jimothy's natural lifespan, but the doctor told Newsweek that the raccoon could face additional challenges.
"It seems like he gets around very well, but in general raccoons need to be able to find food, shelter, and they need to avoid predators," Collins said.
Since Jimothy lives in an urban area, he might not struggle much to find food given raccoons' scavenging tendencies. However, evading predators could be his biggest challenge.
"Raccoons don't have a lot of predators, especially given where he's living. I think the biggest concern would be dogs," Collins said, adding that cars might also be a threat.
Julian Avery, a professor with Penn State University, told Newsweek that Jimothy faces a risk of habituation.
"It's common to entice with food, or to augment diet, but these things can lead to reduced welfare for Jimothy," Avery said of animals with SSS. "The raccoon is clearly making it in an urban setting, so the last thing we want to do is make it likely they will be hit by a car, get too close to house pets, or otherwise act in ways that reduce survival."
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What Is Short Spine Syndrome?
Collins believes Jimothy suffers from SSS, although he said that without X-rays, it's a presumptive diagnosis. The rare congenital condition more typically affects dogs and causes abnormalities in the vertebrae.
"It can lead to missing vertebrae, or deformed or fused vertebrae," Collins said. "The end result is it causes an abnormal shape to their back and it gives them a different appearance. It can sometimes affect their mobility. They generally can't move their head and neck as much."
Dr. Catherine Love, the state wildlife veterinarian for Arkansas, said SSS is incredibly rare among dogs, with fewer than 30 documented cases worldwide. This makes it "ultrarare" for raccoons, she said.
"This rarity likely stems from the fact that severe spinal deformities can be fatal early in life, with many animals dying before or shortly after birth," Love told Newsweek. "However, if an animal survives the nesting phase, this diagnosis is not inherently a death sentence. Since Jimothy is at least three months old—the age raccoons typically leave the nest—and is already independently foraging and climbing, he has cleared the most significant developmental hurdles and has a strong chance of survival."
In addition to the deformed spine, Jimothy also has an unbalanced gait and a corkscrew tail, Love said.
Collins added that SSS is believed to have a genetic component, alongside environmental factors. Something also could have happened to Jimothy's mother while she was pregnant with him that caused his condition.
Although SSS can cause mobility issues and digestive issues, such as vomiting and constipation, dogs with SSS can live well into their teen years, Collins said, so Jimothy's lifespan might not be drastically altered by the physical symptoms of the condition. However, it could make him more susceptible to predators, such as off-leash dogs or other raccoons, but Collins said it appears that Jimothy can still get around relatively well.
"In the wild, his biggest challenges will be predator evasion and physical agility," Love said. "Because he cannot easily turn his head or flex his spine, escaping predators or avoiding cars is much more difficult. Additionally, a shortened torso can lead to internal organ compression, potentially causing digestive issues or joint and back pain as he ages. He seems like a resilient little traveler, though!"
In addition to making him vulnerable to predators, Collins said SSS could affect Jimothy's relationship with other raccoons, who may not want to associate or mate with Jimothy. It's also unclear if he can reproduce, and it is possible that his condition would be genetically passed down to his offspring.
How Old Is Jimothy?
It is unclear exactly how old Jimothy is. Some social media accounts say he has been seen around the Seattle area for a few years, whereas others claim to have videoed him as a baby in 2025. The discrepancies have contributed to how Jimothy is viewed as akin to an urban legend in the area.
Some people claim to have seen Jimothy as far back as 2017, Fox 13 reported, which could mean there has been more than one raccoon in the Seattle area with SSS.
Because Jimothy has been seen out in the wild on his own, he is at least old enough to have left his nest, which would be 3 months.
How Long Do Raccoons Live?
Raccoons typically only live two to three years in the wild, although they can live much longer in captivity.
Jimothy's internet fame could help him survive longer, Collins said, with one caveat.
"I think it could help him as long as people don’t try to interfere with him, touch, or corner him," Collins told Newsweek. "As long as they admire him from a distance without stressing him or forcing him into situations where he could become hurt or run into traffic."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jenna deJong, Geoffrey Rowland, Sam Wilson.
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