A foster kitten has melted hearts online due to his unusual double ears, but even this unique feline is searching for a forever home.
Cat owner Stephanie Brown, 39, was scrolling through Facebook when she saw a post about the black kitten named Dobby. His previous family discovered that he wasn’t getting along with their senior cat, so, after months of trying to acclimate them, the family decided to rehome Dobby.
Brown, from Pelham, Alabama, told Newsweek that she “audibly squealed” as soon as she saw Dobby and his remarkable features. The 7-month-old kitten was born with a genetic mutation that causes him to have double ear flaps, making it look as if he has four ears.
After Dobby’s previous family made the decision to put him in rescue care, Brown immediately stepped in. She volunteers for Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue and offered to take Dobby in as her latest foster.
“His double-ears are so unique and cute, it’s impossible not to be drawn to him,” Brown said. “Dobby has a wonderful temperament. While his ears certainly are a unique physical attribute, how much he prefers kids makes him even more unique.
“From the moment he came into my care and into a new environment, he has shown curiosity, affection, and playfulness. I’ve yet to see him hiss even once. He is particularly drawn to my young daughter and lights up when she comes into the room,” Brown continued.
Fortunately, Dobby’s double ears don’t impact his hearing in any way. He also has a short, curled tail and an overbite that requires some medical attention. He has a dental surgery scheduled for April, and Brown plans to foster Dobby until at least May to give him chance to recover.
“Once he’s medically cleared, Dobby will need to be adopted by a family local to Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue out of Hoover, Alabama (preferably one with young children),” Brown said.
Since she started fostering Dobby on February 8, Brown has introduced him to her resident cats. She wasn’t sure what to expect at first; however, she told Newsweek that Dobby has been “a perfect gentleman” so far. He loves interacting with the other cats but remains respectful of their boundaries, nonetheless.
Brown took to social media to share pictures of Dobby, including on Reddit (posting as user u/flydove7) and Instagram (@phoebe_the_ch_kitty). The Reddit post about “double-eared Dobby” has gone viral with over 27,000 votes and more than 340 comments at the time of writing.
Social media users can’t get enough of his adorably unique features, and Brown said she is incredibly grateful for all the love and support shown toward her foster kitty. She is hopeful that it may one day translate into a loving forever home for Dobby.
Brown said: “Dobby has continued to win hearts right and left, although we did have to clarify that he’s not AI, amusingly. Many people have humorously noted that his double ears mean that he can ignore you twice as much. True to the cat community I’ve come to know and love, Dobby has been welcomed and adored.”
The overwhelming response has led to hundreds of comments on social media, as many people hailed Dobby’s remarkable characteristics that make him so special.
One comment reads: “Omigosh his ears remind me of butterfly wings so unique!”
Another Reddit user said: “He looks like a tiny face in front of a bigger one! Much loves to Dobby.”
A third person joked: “So he can doubly ignore you.”
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