Jimothy has become a local celebrity in the Ballard area of Seattle and may be suffering from a rare congenital spinal disorder.
Sarah Kuta
July 20, 2026
Kiana Hall, a 33-year-old marketing professional, filmed a viral clip of Jimothy while he was walking in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.
Kiana Hall via Instagram
An unusual raccoon is winning the hearts of Internet users.
The creature, affectionately nicknamed “Jimothy”, likely has a congenital spinal condition that gives it a short, round body. Otherwise, experts say the animal appears healthy as it runs around Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.
Kiana Hall, a 33-year-old marketing professional, is responsible for Jimothy’s recent fame. On July 13, she was on an evening walk with her husband when she noticed an animal moving under the car. At first she expected it to be a cat, but she quickly realized that she was mistaken.
“I was very surprised and confused because the body shape was unlike anything I was familiar with,” Hall told NBC’s Kimmy Yam. Today. “He turned around and I saw the mask pattern on his face and that’s when I knew he was a raccoon.”
She decided to record a short video. The name Jimothy came to her mind, although Hall doesn’t know exactly why.
When she posted the short clip online, Jimothy became an overnight sensation, racking up millions of views.
“I’m confused, but I’m happy,” Hall tells KING-TV’s Alex McLoone of Jimothy’s sudden fame. “I’m glad he seems to bring joy to people.”
While it’s difficult to make a definitive diagnosis based on the video alone, some speculate that Jimothy has a rare condition called short spine syndrome, which can also affect dogs.
“It does look quite unusual, but the condition occurs in other mammals,” Carrie Schneider, a veterinarian at Pet Veterinary Hospital in Seattle, told KIRO-TV’s Jack Bilyew.
Did you know? Short spine syndrome
In dogs, short spine syndrome causes the vertebrae to remain soft and pliable during the fetal stage rather than hardening into bone. Over time, the vertebrae compress and may eventually fuse. Dogs with this condition usually have a short, sloping back and short tail. Scientists don’t know what causes the disease, but they suspect inbreeding may play a role in its development.
After Hall’s video went viral, another Ballard resident helped uncover some details about Jimothy’s backstory. Ben Trammell posted a video of Jimothy as a baby, showing the tiny, short-spiked raccoon walking along a fence with several other family members.
According to Trammell’s post, Jimothy was born in a clump of cedar trees in a neighbor’s yard “to a family of raccoons that lived there for many years.”
“We saw Jimothy… almost every day for months,” Trammell wrote on Instagram. “The family used our backyard as a protected ramp for nighttime walks. He was so small and clumsy, but his mother and siblings were always so patient and caring, keeping him from falling and sometimes just carrying him in their arms.”
Trammell didn’t have high hopes for Jimothy’s survival, especially after the neighbor’s homeowner cut down the cedar trees where the family lived. But earlier this year, Trammell’s Uber driver spotted Jimothy alive and well.
Another resident posted a CCTV video of Jimothy crawling on the balcony.
“I’m just stunned by this little creature,” one commenter wrote. “We must protect Jimothy at all costs.”
Apart from his online fame, Jimothy has also become a celebrity in real life. Artist Andrew Miller painted a mural of the creature behind Ballard Clay Pottery, and several people asked for Jimothy tattoos at the nearby Electric Kitten Tattoo shop. The Seattle Mariners took notice of Jimothy during a recent home game, and many artists have taken inspiration from the raccoon for their latest creations. And later this month, Alexis Mercedes Rink, a member of the Seattle City Council, is expected to make an official announcement in Jimothy’s honor.
Jimothy is not only “just a cute little animal,” but also “a symbol of resilience,” Laura Exley, owner of Electric Kitten Tattoo, tells KING-TV.
“He approaches life a little differently and seems to be doing okay,” she says. “And I think that resonates with a lot of us.”
Some experts speculate that Jimothy may live a shorter life due to his condition. But Marcy Logsdon, a veterinarian at Washington State University, says: Seattle TimesCatalina Gaitan said Jimothy’s spine doesn’t seem to be holding him back. Judging by the video, he looks “very chipper,” she adds.
“The fact that he made it to this age tells me that he is coping and adapting,” she tells the publication. “I was surprised and, frankly, a little inspired that he was so resilient.”
So far, everyone seems to be giving Jimothy the space he needs to thrive as a wild animal. Regardless, Logsdon and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are reminding fans to keep a safe distance and leave him alone.
“Raccoons are amazing because they have done an amazing job of adapting and sharing urban and suburban areas,” Logsdon says. “But respectful communication should remain just that.”
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