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BEND, Ore. – A rare intersex kitten at an Oregon animal shelter has surprised veterinarians with its unusual defiance of typical feline genetics.
A one-pound tortoiseshell cat, known for her stunning swirls of black and shades of orange, arrived at the Humane Society of Central Oregon in late April as part of a litter abandoned by her owner. Typically, tortoiseshell cats are female, but this kitten broke that norm.
Vets identified the hermaphrodite as female and initially named her Cindi based on the color of her coat and external genitalia. After five weeks in foster care, she returned for sterile surgery, but a uterus and ovaries were missing. After the discovery of the two testicles, the cat’s name was changed to Cinder.
“Calling him male is difficult, but with the binary nature of animals and people’s perception of animals, we chose male,” said the shelter’s medical director, Crystal Bloodworth.
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Cinder was seen on May 4 at the Central Oregon Humane Society Kitten Shower.
(Humane Society of Central Oregon)
Throughout her career in shelter medicine, Bloodworth has performed tens of thousands of operations on cats. She has encountered only one other male cane and only a few true hermaphrodite animals.
Clinic manager Bailey Shelton said this could be a once-in-a-lifetime moment, despite her nine years in the veterinary field.
“It was like spotting a unicorn,” she said. “They always talked about how rare male turtles are at school, but seeing one in person is something else. You just don’t know what amazing surprises await you in the humane society.”
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Cinder gets some love from Central Oregon Clinic Manager Bailey Shelton after surgery.
(Humane Society of Central Oregon)
Vets believe Cinder is likely a cat with three sex chromosomes, XXY. The presence of two X chromosomes causes the coloring of the turtle, while the Y chromosome allows the development of the testicles.
In her 20-year career, HSCO-certified veterinary technician Annie Pulzone has only encountered one other XXY cat.
“But it’s always fun to see these kinds of animals in one’s career because they’re so rare,” she adds.
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Cinder went in for sterile surgery and surprised everyone by not having a uterus and ovaries, but having testicles.
(Humane Society of Central Oregon)
There are many variations of hermaphroditism, or intersex, in cats, the shelter said.
“In the kitten, she didn’t have a uterus or ovaries, she had testicles and she had what looks like a vulva,” Bloodworth explained.
As Cinder grows into adolescence, veterinarians may consider the cat female due to her external genitalia, which resemble those of a female, including being a tortoise shell.
According to the shelter, Cinder has several families interested in having him join their family, and they expect to finalize an adoption soon.
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