'One-of-a-kind' cat with two noses is put up for adoption
Cats are famously said to have nine lives. But one cat has become famous for another numerical reason - its two noses.
The "one-of-a-kind" double-snouted moggy has been taken in by Cats Protection's Warrington Adoption Centre.
Staff at the centre, in Cheshire, have named her Nanny McPhee - after the fictional film character with a distinctively shaped nose.
Staff initially believed the four-year-old feline had one large nose.
However, a check-up from veterinary staff revealed it to be two.
"A cat with two noses is a first for us in the field vet team," says Fiona Brockbank, a senior field veterinary officer at Cats Protection.
"This is a real rarity and, thankfully, it isn't causing her any problems at all."
Ms Brockbank says Nanny McPhee has what doctors call a "congenital malformation".
These conditions are commonly referred to as "birth defects" because they develop inside the womb.
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However, staff at the centre have described Nanny McPhee's malformation as particularly rare.
"Other congenital malformations within that area of a cat, such as a cleft lip and cleft palate, are not uncommon," Ms Brockbank says.
"They can either be inherited or due to an incident whilst developing in the uterus."
Nanny McPhee - who was given up due to her previous owner's ill health and financial situation - is now looking to settle in a home with a loving family.
Centre manager, Lindsay Kerr, said: "We have all fallen in love with our one-of-a-kind Nanny McPhee. We can't stop looking at her two noses.
"She has proven to be a gentle lady who adores a fuss and a cuddle and we are hopeful her new-found fame will mean she will have no shortage of potential adopters.
"She really does deserve a home where she can settle down and become the centre of a loving family."
