The Humane Society of Central Oregon discovered a rare intersex tortoiseshell kitten. The little one has left the vets surprised and excited, defying typical feline genetics. The best part is that the kitty is up for adoption, and several families want to provide them with a loving, forever home.
Intersex tortoiseshell kitten surprises vets at Oregon shelter
Intersex tortoiseshell kitten Cinder, formerly Cindi, arrived at the Humane Society of Central Oregon in April. According to the shelter’s Facebook post, the little one was only one pound with beautiful patterns of black and orange.
What makes the vets so excited is tortoiseshell cats tend to be female. This led to the misunderstanding that Cinder was indeed a female, thus being named Cindi previously. The coat color and external genitalia made the professionals make that assumption.
However, when it was time for the spay surgery, vets realized the kitten didn’t have a uterus or ovaries. Instead, professionals surgically removed two testicles. After the surgery, everyone decided it was best to rename Cindi to Cinder.
Cinder is indeed a hermaphrodite and is more than likely a three-sex chromosome feline. The Oregon shelter’s clinic manager, Bailey Shelton, CVT, noted that it felt like she had found a unicorn. Although she has been in the veterinary field for nine years, the intersex tortoiseshell kitten was sure to be a career highlight.
Moreover, the shelter’s medical director, Crystal Bloodworth, DVM, also stated that after operating on thousands of animals, they had seen only a few hermaphrodite animals. Even Annie Pulzone, CVT, has only seen one other three-sex chromosome cat in her 20-year career.
Cinder was under foster care, and their foster parents noted that they were an average kitten. The intersex tortoiseshell kitten was interested in playing and going on grand adventures like any other kitty. Cinder was also very loving towards their foster family.
