Meet Midas, the Four-Eared Kitten Defying Genetics and Winning Hearts

Four-month-old kitten Midas was born with two sets of ears and a defective jaw, the result of a recessive genetic mutation. Despite her unique condition, Midas has captured the hearts of over 73,000 followers on the internet.

Midas was adopted by Canis Dosemeci in the Turkish capital, Ankara, after being born in a friend’s backyard alongside six other siblings.

“Midas is a very playful cat. She likes to cuddle, sit on my lap, and sleep on my lap,” Canis said. “She gets along with our dog, Suzi, and Zeyno, our other dog. We are a big family.”

Canis and her husband fell in love with Midas at first sight and decided to bring her into their home, knowing that her chances of adoption might be lower than her siblings due to her unique condition.

“We have never thought of buying a cat; we just wanted to rescue a cat from the street and adopt her. I hope Midas’s popularity can raise awareness of adopting, not buying,” she added.

According to her vet, the additional ears do not affect her health or hearing in general. What sets her apart from other cats with similar genetic abnormalities is that all four of her earlaps are connected to the ear canal.

“Midas was born with four auricles as a result of a genetic mutation,” said veterinarian Resat Nuri Aslan in Turkey. “But unlike the other four-eared cats, both of Midas’s auricles are connected to the ear canal. In addition, her lower jaw is slightly wider on the sides, so her tongue is constantly visible outside. However, this mutation has no effect on the general health of Midas. She is able to continue her life like any other cat.”

Midas currently shares her home with two golden retrievers, Suzy and Zeyno. Her name is derived from the mythological king of Phrygia, who was cursed with donkey ears.

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