A stray cat rescued from a Welsh street has given birth to a rare Janus kitten with two noses and two fully functioning mouths. The kitten, named Gemini, was born on Thursday 16 July as the first of eight at PurrfectlyFeral cat rescue in Powys.
The condition, known as diprosopus, is caused by an overproduction of the Sonic Hedgehog protein during early development. It results in the widening and partial duplication of the face, a phenomenon so rare that rescuer Shelley Jones said she had never seen anything like it in her life.
Shelley, 45, is now caring for Gemini, feeding both her mouths every hour. However, the outlook is poor; it is exceptionally rare for Janus kittens to survive beyond the first few weeks. 'Unfortunately there is a very slim chance of the kitten surviving,' she said. 'I am not holding out much hope but at the moment it is just a case of keeping her comfortable.'
Despite the challenges, Gemini is 'very keen to feed', and Shelley is doing her utmost to keep her warm and comfortable. The rescue has not taken Gemini to a vet, as it would cause further distress and little could be done. 'It is a bit of a waiting game at the moment,' Shelley added.
