Kitten born with two noses and two mouths leaves cat rescue 'speechless' - AOL.com

What the report says

BBC News reported that a cat rescue in Llangedwyn, Powys, is caring for a newborn kitten with two noses and two mouths, a rare congenital condition known as diprosopus, or craniofacial duplication. The kitten, named Gemini, was born after a stray cat taken in by PurrfectlyFeral three weeks earlier delivered a litter of eight.

According to the BBC, rescue founder Shelley Jones said the discovery stunned staff and volunteers because she had not previously encountered the condition. Kittens with this type of facial duplication are often referred to as Janus cats, after the two-faced Roman god. Jones said many such kittens are stillborn or live only briefly, so Gemini is being watched continuously.

The BBC reported that Gemini was the first kitten born in the litter and was rejected by the mother, meaning the rescue is bottle-feeding the kitten every hour. PurrfectlyFeral said the kitten appeared eager to feed using both mouths, though carers can feed only one at a time. Jones described the situation as both remarkable and sad, and said the rescue would keep the kitten warm and cared for for as long as possible.

The case matters because diprosopus is extremely uncommon in cats and presents serious survival challenges, especially for a newborn that cannot nurse normally. The BBC also noted that the rescue relies on public donations to continue caring for cats and kittens taken into its care.