Meet Jimothy: Seattle’s Adorable New Cryptid, a Chubby Raccoon Stealing Hearts!

Earlier this week, residents in Seattle, Washington, began noticing a peculiar little creature making its rounds. Was it a new cryptid, perhaps a relative of Bigfoot or Nessie? Not quite. What folks were actually spotting was a raccoon with a unique spinal deformity, affectionately dubbed Jimothy by the locals. Unlike those legendary creatures, Jimothy is very much real and undeniably charming.

On July 14, Kiana Hall encountered Jimothy near a local Goodwill and decided to film the plump raccoon. She shared the video on Instagram, where it quickly gained traction, amassing over 6 million views by July 17. As for the name, Hall thought he looked like a Jimothy, and honestly, it fits perfectly.

“I hope he stays safe wherever he is,” Hall expressed.

The video of Jimothy made its way to the Seattle subreddit, sparking a flurry of stories and additional clips of the adorable raccoon. One user shared a video of Jimothy sneaking around their porch, while another captured him on their back patio, “living the good life.” Fans even began creating artwork inspired by Jimothy, who has rapidly gained a dedicated following.

Interestingly, Jimothy wasn’t entirely new to the area. Before his viral fame, he had been spotted previously. A Reddit user shared a sketch from 2023 that resembled Jimothy, and another posted a video of a similar raccoon from the same year, possibly a younger version of him hanging out with friends.

“Nice to think there’s some evidence he’s doing OK and other raccoons treat him normally,” one Redditor noted.

One reader, Amanda, sent in a photo claiming she and her family had seen Jimothy as a baby back in 2023, when they affectionately called him Nubby. “He’s very sweet and harmless,” Amanda shared.

I can’t help but love Jimothy. It’s not just his cuteness that wins me over; it’s the reminder that many so-called cryptids aren’t mythical beasts or extraterrestrial beings. Nature can create some truly fascinating creatures all on its own, and that’s pretty awesome.

However, there are concerns that all this newfound attention could lead someone to try to capture him. So let’s be clear: feel free to snap photos of this adorable raccoon with his unique spine, but don’t feed him, don’t attempt to catch him, and definitely don’t harm him. Otherwise, you might find a large portion of Seattle on your tail, ready to toss you into a dumpster.