Dumped kitten has rare quality

This cute little kitten was cruelly dumped on a doorstep, despite having a rare genetic quirk.

Virtually always female, only 1 in 3,000 tortoiseshell cats born in the UK each year are male.

But Kawaii was found dumped in a bag outside a charity shop.

The pint-sized puss was abandoned with his two brothers Amai and Farore, who are black-and-white, before being whisked to Cats Protection's National Cat Adoption Centre for a routine check-up.

The trio, now nine-weeks old, are being cared for by staff at the Chelwood Gate site until they are old enough to be adopted.

"We couldn't believe it when we discovered Kawaii was a boy, and kept checking and re-checking," said Danielle Draper, National Cat Adoption Centre manager.

"At Cats Protection we help 235,000 cats nationally every year and I've not heard of us having a male tortoiseshell before, it really is incredibly rare.

"Little Kawaii has been a real talking point and is enjoying all the fuss and attention he's been getting. We think all cats are special, so we hope his brothers and him will all get the loving homes they deserve.

"Kawaii is extremely rare, as there is only a one in 3,000 chance of a tortoiseshell cat being male.

"It doesn't affect him or his health in any way because male tortoiseshell cats are the same as any other domestic cat, but it certainly is a very unusual find."

The kittens were discovered outside a Cats Protection shop in Gillingham.

To offer a home to Kawaii, Amai or Farore, contact the Cat's Protection's National Cat Adoption Centre on  01825 741 330     

Source: This is Sussex