How Jimothy the raccoon became the internet's latest animal obsession

Why Jimothy the raccoon has become a mega meme onlineImage source, Instagram/Kiana HallByLiv McMahon and Laura Cress, Technology reportersPublished24 July 2026, 13:40 BSTUpdated 9 minutes agoCharli XCX might be hoping the release of her new album sets off another Brat summer, but many believe the season has already been claimed by a furrier force - Jimothy.First spotted bounding across streets in Washington, the Seattle raccoon with an unusual, spindly shape and the scamper of a Tasmanian Devil has been seized on by the internet as a new hit meme.Like Moo Deng and Neil the Seal before him, he is the latest cute, distinctive and seemingly chaotic creature to be immortalised in amateur footage, sometimes cringeworthy brand posts, and even murals.But what is it about Jimothy, as he's been nicknamed, that has gripped the internet?This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on InstagramThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip instagram postAllow Instagram content?This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.Accept and continueThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.End of instagram postIt all began with an innocuous video shared by Seattle resident Kiana Hall on Instagram."What am I looking at?" Hall could be heard exclaiming, as the unusual-looking raccoon hurtles across a pavement and up some nearby steps.A caption alongside it referred to the creature as "Jimothy the raccoon with short spine syndrome".While it is not known for sure if the condition has caused his appearance, many have assumed as such, and the description has stuck.As Hall'...