A lion cut is a pet grooming term for a particular style that makes the animal, in 99 percent of the cases, a cat, look like, well, a tiny lion.
Except for the fur around the head, the feet and the end of the tail, the cat is completely shaved. Honestly, they look hilarious.
A lion cut is usually performed on a long-haired cat such as a Persian. Sometimes it is done because the fur is too matted to brush, comb or wash thoroughly. I can only image that circumstance happening with an outdoor cat.
In our case, our vet recommended one because of GirlieCat's shedding. Except for patches on her face, belly and feet where it looks like she ran through a pool of white paint, GC is a black Persian mutt with a tail longer than her body. She has been an extremely skittish cat for the past 12 years. Brushing and combing her with any regularity is next to impossible. The fact that we found her abandonned and with a BB in her head might have something to do with it.
After the lion cut, GirlieCat was a new woman. Cool and clean and fresh. She walked around regally with a little bit of Miss Thang attitude going on. A little bit more affectionate, which is saying a lot. Allowed people to touch her.
A new haircut, even for a cat, can do wonders.