Inherited traits are passed down through an animal’s genetic code which is found in the animal’s DNA—a long molecule that is present in every cell in the body. The DNA contains thousands of genes. A gene is a specific DNA sequence that leads to the expression of an inherited characteristic. For example, there are genes that determine eye color, coat color, and other body characteristics.
And while we’re used to, for example, cats with 18 toes and puppies with 2 ears, sometimes an animal’s genes decide to play a trick on us, and it comes to this world with more (or less!) of these features. Continue scrolling and take a look at this Bored Panda list, compiled to show you what genetic surprises some of our beloved creatures possess!
#1 Frankie Was Born With Four Ears And An Eye Deformity But He’s Still Purrfect
Image source: Missy-Andry
#2 Cat Named Yoda Was Born With An Extra Set Of Ears
#3 Ren Is A Polydactyl With 6 Toes On Each Foot
Image source: Aliendiaperbaby
#4 I Adopted A Stray Dog With 2 Mouths, One Where The Ear Should Be
Toad is about 6 years old, she found her way to the shelter that I worked at several years ago. The whole staff was kind of in shock at her appearance. She was also highly aggressive when she came in. A shelter officer muzzled her and carried her to the vet clinic and while she was there being examined, it sounds goofy but literally, we made eye contact and she immediately relaxed.
That day I took her into my office to evaluate her and she immediately crawled into my lap. This big scary, insane-looking dog, just climbed into my lap and rested her head on my shoulder. I adopted her and we have been inseparable ever since.
Image source: toadsearmouth
#5 My Sister Found This Adorable Guy With Extra Toes
Image source: TorchedBannana
#6 This Is Skadi, The Norwegian Lundehund Puppy
This is one of the oldest breeds in the world and is recovering from near-extinction – in 1963, only 6 remained. Now there are 1600. They are naturally polydactyl, can close their ears to water, and bend their heads back 180 degrees.
Image source: twenafeesh
#7 This Unicorn Puppy Named Narwhal Was Found Abandoned With An Extra Tail On His Forehead
Image source: Mac the pitbull
#8 Too Many Peets
Image source: RickMcFlick
#9 Polydactyl Maine Coon
Image source: robert_sijka
#10 Sansa Is A Special Needs Rescue Princess With Feline Hyperesthesia, Different Colored Eyes & More Toes Than You
Image source: sansa.thecat, sansa.thecat
#11 A Cat With An Opposable Thumb. I For One Welcome Our New Cat Overlords
Image source: cronkgarrow
#12 Met This Cat Today With Two Tails
Image source: Fulcrum71
#13 My Cat Is Polydactyl And Has 26 Toes. So I Named Him Toes
Image source: Papa-Wu
#14 Meet Phoebe, The Polydactyl Highland Lynx Complete With Curled Ears And A Bobtail
Image source: kaykykelkip
#15 Doubled Fangs Of a kitten
Image source: iceage2012
#16 Amelia And Her Two Faced Cat
Image source: GallowBoob
#17 Got My Cat Wholesale And He Came With 75% Extra Beans
Image source: sobraticmethod
#18 This My Nugget At 2 Months Old And 1 Year Old. She’s My Stunted Growth, Cross Eyed, Head Tilted, Polydactyl, Special Kitty
Image source: Sikarum
#19 Say Hi To Our New Kitten Maximillion! He’s A Polydactyl Siamese
Image source: damatt09
#20 The Cat At Our Warehouse Gave Birth To A Kitten Who Has An Extra Tiny Paw That Functions As A Thumb
Image source: Bragapple
#21 Sleepy Polydactyl Kitten With An Extra 6 Toes
Image source: highrollerbipolar
#22 Polydactyl Peek-A-Boo
Image source: Cynthiadawn
#23 This Kitten With 7 Beans!
Image source: Triceratons
#24 Here Is My Rescue Baby
Image source: SayianPrincess19
#25 I Drove Over An Hour One Way To Pick Up My Purrito With Extra Beans From A Shelter In The Middle Of Nowhere. Meet Zula
Image source: Daiiga
#26 Joey
Image source: eimeardelarosa
#27 My Polydactyl Kitty Stella
Image source: jene-brooke
#28 Polydactyl Kitten In Clinic Today
Image source: DrySheckles
#29 My Friend’s Polydactyl Half-Lynx Kitten. Her Name Is Nimh
Image source: BaronVonDouchebag
#30 Our Little Ginger Polydactyl Kitten
We rescued him and his calico sister from under a neighbour’s deck when they were ~2.5 weeks old. We had to bottle feed them at first, and now they’re eating machines. And super playful and healthy!
Image source: StreetSpiritFO
#31 At Work Today We Literally Had A Mutant Cat Come Through… Extra Canine Tooth, Strongly Rooted
Image source: saintlindsay
#32 Leg Broken In 2 Places But Still Got Sexy Legs And Thumbs
Image source: Pemigewasset
#33 Found A Kitty With Extra Beans At The Lake. Meet Pawla Abdul
Image source: unlimitedJUICE
#34 My Kitten Showing Off Her Polydactyl Toe Beans
Image source: ChunkyBlowfish
#35 Friend’s Cat Has Black Chin, So It Always Looks Surprised. It’s Also A Polydactyl And Had Thumbs
Image source: placeboob
#36 My New Love! She’s A Polydactyl She Has 6 Toes On Each Foot! Any Names?
Image source: ladygargoyle
#37 Extra Beans
Image source: smartas
#38 This Is Migi, Our Polydactyl 6-Year-Old Cat
Adopted another older, shy girl from the shelter. When we met her, she looked sad, wasn’t food motivated and poor girl still needs some dental work done.
Image source: chomps44
#39 Skippy’s Toes. He Was A Kitten I Fostered Last Year Who Had Radial Hypoplasia And A Lot Of Toes
Image source: youngestoldcatlady
#40 This Cat Has Both Heterochromia And Extra Toes
Image source: sansa.thecat
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