You enter the African Wildlife section of the zoo and look around. It's getting really late; it's hard to tell what you're looking at. One of the exhibits in particular seems darker. As you lean in closer to look, in a freak accident, you somehow fall in. After a few moments to regain your strength, you try to get out, but escape seems impossible. You don't see anything around you, so you wander deeper in. Curiosity got the better of you.
You approach what seems to be some kind of shadowy den. You don't hear breathing; however you do feel extremely drowsy. Against better judgement, you close your eyes and fall asleep on the cold ground.
You're not so cold in the morning. You're snuggled up with something warm and obviously fuzzy. It has a paw curled protectively around your body. You open your eyes to get a better look, and you see tawny fur and a mane. A male lion seems to have taken a liking to you.
What's worse, you have a bit more hair than you're supposed to, and it covers your head and upper body like a lion's mane with a pair of feline ears poking through. Your clothes are mysteriously gone, and a light layer of fur is starting to coat your body.