Janus cats are those kittens born with two faces. They are named after Janus, the Roman god who had two faces.
Generally, the survival probability of these cats is not very high, but many have managed to defy the odds.
Others manage to melt the hearts of the entire Internet with their unique beauty. In Eastern Cape, South Africa, a kitten was born with two faces. Veterinarians were not sure if the kitten would be born alive, and after overcoming birth, her chances of surviving 24 hours were very low.
But the little one defied all statistics and showed every day that she was eager to fight for her life. This story reminds us of Frank and Louie, a Janus cat that lived for 15 years, being the oldest Janus cat.
The two faces of Bettie Bee and all Janus cats are due to an excess in the production of a protein known as “SHH”. This protein affects embryos in their spinal cord, neural structures, digestive system, teeth, and face. Bettie Bee, despite having three eyes, could only see through the eyes at the ends and could eat through one of her mouths. The most serious thing in this little one’s life is that her mother rejected her and she was forced to be fed with a gastric tube.
The little one was strong for 16 days until she died, leaving her legacy of tenderness on social media. Her owner posted several photos of the kitten’s daily life on her Facebook page “Bettie Bee 2 faces”.
“Bettie Bee is now an angel. I took her to the vet to let her go in peace. I’m devastated. She was doing great until 2 days ago when she started with pneumonia. We suspected that somehow a little milk entered her lungs, and we started treatment immediately.
I thought we were making progress until she vomited (probably with nausea from the antibiotics or mucus) and had more milk in her lungs. She was fighting, and from the beginning, I told myself I wouldn’t let her suffer,” reads the owner’s post about Bettie Bee. Nature gifts us with unusual and beautiful cases like this one. Unfortunately, they are usually animals that live very briefly but will always be remembered with much love. Share this touching news with your friends!
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