Two-Faced Kitten

Two-Faced Kitten

by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)

I’ve lived for almost 50 years and I’ve just seen the strangest thing in my long life. I have to tell everyone about this because it’s all over the news in the U.S. West Virginia is now the home of a newborn two-faced kitten. The kitten, born on June 8, 2010, has already been named Two-Face.

If you’re like me, you’ve never heard of such a thing. As it turns out, the kitten(s) were born with 2 heads, 2 noses, 2 mouths and 4 eyes. This is a genetic mutation called Diprosopus or craniofacial duplication and causes double mutations of the face.

The Kanawha Humane Society is helping the family with the specialized care of the new addition, as cats born with this mutation don’t normally live long. Lets all get together and pray for this little cutie. So far the baby(s) are nursing normally with the brothers and sisters. Two-Face was one in a litter of six.


A poor quality still from the video
I can’t embed the video

After reading a few of the many articles now circulating on the internet, I decided to dig into the subject of Diprosopus. Here’s the best link I found on this genetic mutation. I caution you against going to this site, as the pictures of these poor babies is very disturbing. I’m including them as they are of importance to those studying cat mutations. Two Faced Kitten. There have been several other cases documented over the last decade. Sadly, these two-faced kittens don’t have a very good chance of survival.

Complications from pneumonia, cleft palate and organ conditions means this is usually fatal. Sometimes one cat gets all of the nourishment and the other gets none.

The proud human parents Two Face are hoping for a miracle. As of 11p.m. on June 10th the kittens are still alive.

Let’s wish them and their family lots of prayers and love.

Elisa

Comments for
Two-Faced Kitten

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Jul 20, 2010 INBRED
by: Anonymous

It’s West VA, that’s what you get for inbreeding!


Jun 12, 2010 Wise
by: Michael

Elisa, I think you make a wise distinction between men and women. It feels like a correct assessment to me. This is a sad story though.

Michael Avatar


Jun 11, 2010 It’s a No Win Situation
by: Elisa Black-Taylor

Whether the kitten lives or dies it will have a horrible life. I can understand Michael saying euthanize it. If it survives, it will be the constant object of study being poked, prodded, X-rayed, MRI’d and every other test available.

Chances are the mother will either kill it (survival of the fittest) or it will simply die.

I do think men and women have different views on how to handle the situation. Men are more readily open to euthanasia immediately. Women would probably want to fill this little kittens life with a few days of love before it leaves this world. It’s just the way we think. Women are nurturers and men want to solve the situation immediately.

I feel very grieved for all of those involved.


Jun 11, 2010 Miracles happen – or?
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

I agree with Michael, but nature usually puts an end to it before these poor creatures reach ‘freak show’ age. In the old days two-headed calfs were a popular attraction at fairs and markets, but luckily that was even before my childhood…
Anyway, miracles happen, like the 6-year-old two-faced ‘Frank and Louie’ pictured in Elisa’s link. Or maybe that story was just a photoshop hoax, as the cat had mysteriously disappeared just before the journalist arrived?

Finn Frode avatar


Jun 10, 2010 Hi Elisa
by: Michael

Hi Elisa, thanks for reminding me that these sorts of rare conditions exist.

I have seen and heard about 2 faced cats. As you might expect, I find it disturbing. These things happen but what I find disturbing is the way people look upon these cats as interesting from the perspective of a sort of old fashioned freak show.

That mentality is still with us. I believe that a kitten born with such a deformity should be euthanised. This would be a genuine use of the term “euthanised” as opposed to the way it is used at cat shelters where it is a substitute most often for plain killing.

Michael Avatar


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