Uplifting News: Dobby, the rare kitten with 4 ears, is bringing attention to pets with disabilities | An Encouraging Development

Why this story matters: While challenges remain, stories like this demonstrate that constructive action can make a real difference.

Quick summary: This story highlights recent developments related to disabilities, showing how constructive action can lead to meaningful results.

It’s nearly impossible to scroll on social media today without being fed AI-generated content. So when Dobby the four-eared cat made the rounds on Reddit, a lot of people weren’t sure if they could believe their eyes.

“Dobby has continued to win hearts right and left, although we did have to clarify that he’s not AI, amusingly,” Dobby’s foster mom, Stephanie Brown, told Newsweek.

“Many people have humorously noted that his double ears mean that he can ignore you twice as much,” she joked. “True to the cat community I’ve come to know and love, Dobby has been welcomed and adored.”

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Brown, a board member of Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue in Hoover, Alabama, first spotted Dobby in a Facebook post from a local cat owner who was looking to rehome him.

“They had tried for months, and it wasn't a right match,” Brown told People Magazine. “Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to foster him.”

Due to a rare genetic mutation, the 7-month-old kitten has a pronounced underbite, a stubby, curled tail, and — most notably — an extra set of ears.

Through Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, Brown once adopted another cat, Phoebe, who has cerebellar hypoplasia, also known as “Wobbly Cat Syndrome.”

Brown told People that animals with different needs are “completely beautiful” and worthy of the same love as any other pet.

“I think it's a matter of embracing all of those differences and understanding, just like people, every creature, every animal, is going to have their own unique personality, presentation, conditions, appearance, everything like that,” she said.

Although his mom says his ears and tail are features — not bugs — his underbite needs to be repaired.

“Dobby’s double ears are beyond perfect, but his teeth (unfortunately) are not,” Brown wrote on GoFundMe. “We met with a dental specialist last week, who determined that Dobby needs his lower canines shortened so that they don’t protrude into his upper palate.”

Fortunately, Brown was told by vets that they don’t expect any “complications from his overbite and narrow lower jaw” once his procedure is complete.

In an Instagram video, Brown added some additional context to Dobby’s surgery, saying that they need to wait until he’s about 10-months-old to perform the procedure.

“We certainly don't mind the extra time with him,” she said, holding him close to her chest, “and it will give us a moment to do some fundraising because we're gonna need to raise about $3,000.”

“If you have any kind of out-of-the-box ideas for fundraisers for Dobby, I'm all ears,” she joked. “Something beyond just your regular GoFundMe, maybe we need some Dobby merch to be able to fundraise, or ‘painting with Dobby.’”

As Brown held him, he began making “air biscuits” and purring.

“You're making some biscuits, yeah?” Brown laughed.

“We are so grateful for all the love that y'all have poured out for him,” she said, pivoting back to the camera. “He is not yet adoptable. We're gonna get in through his surgery [and then] will need to be adopted locally in Hoover, Alabama.”

Brown said that Dobby’s surgery is currently scheduled for April 20, and then he will be adoptable after a short recovery window.

As of February 25, Dobby’s GoFundMe was 60% towards its $3,000 goal.

“Thank you so much for supporting Dobby!” Brown said in a donation update.

“Donated for sweet Dobby!” one of Brown’s followers replied.

One cat lover said, “I wanna rub all those ears.”

“With everything going on in the world, it's Dobby who I want to see!” another Instagram user chimed in.

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Header image via Stephanie Brown

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