This is the moment a shocked owner shows off his male kitten dubbed ‘cyclops cat’ that was born with a single eye in the middle of his face.
The rare birth was recorded in the municipality of Vilhena, in the Brazilian state of Rondonia, on the 4th November.
Video shows stunned owner Gilberto Almeida holding the tiny black feline in his hand before turning the camera towards the mum cat as she watches over her mutant baby from nearby.
Farmhand Gilberto said: “I’m 32 years old and I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.
“My cat has had several litters, but this was the first time something like this happened.
“Three kittens were born together with the ‘cyclops’ kitten, but only this one came out different.”
The kitten lived for only one day before dying on 6th November due to breathing difficulties.
Veterinarian Janete Silva said the kitten had a congenital condition known as cyclopia, a rare malformation seen in both animals and humans. The name comes from the Greek mythological creatures Cyclopes, who had only one eye in the centre of their forehead.
Silva explained: “When the embryo is developing, instead of the brain structure dividing into two parts, a single mass forms.
“As the eye follows this division, it ends up positioned in the centre.”
Silva added that genetic defects, such as chromosomal abnormalities or external factors like toxins or medication exposure during pregnancy, can cause the anomaly.
She also noted that animals born with cyclopia rarely survive long after birth because the condition often affects the nasal passages, making breathing difficult.
Veterinary expert Jose Luiz Timmermann, who has worked in the field for four decades. Said such cases are recorded in less than one in 100,000 births.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: newsX
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