Did you know that the beautiful Scottish Fold felines have their distinctive folded ears due to natural dominant mutation in the Fd gene? Or that Manx cats, a breed originating from the Isle of Man, have a small stub instead of a tail due to a naturally occurring mutation?

Well, some of the genetic anomalies can result in very interesting differences in physical appearance. Just think of Instagram’s supawstars like Midas the cat taking the internet by storm with its four ears, or the deceased Grumpy Cat whose ‘grumpy appearance’ was due to underbite and feline dwarfism.

So this post is about the tricks of nature that resulted in unusual and occasionally even wholesome genetic surprises in the animal kingdom. After you’re done with this post, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous feature about unique-looking pets!

#1 Meet Narnia, A Rare Two Faced Cat

This blue-eyed kitten’s face was precisely divided into two halves: a gray half and a black half, and everyone was surprised when they first saw him.

Image credits: amazingnarnia

#2 Holy Toebeans Big Foot

Image credits: Pirate_Redbeard

#3 Zeus The German Shepherd Dog With Dwarfism

Image credits: zeus_the_dwarf_gsd

Genetic mutations which lead to alterations in the physical appearance of cats are designated as body-type mutations. According to Basepaws, in the wild, mutations that lead to the unusual appearance of cats would often quickly disappear from the population because unique-looking individuals would fail to breed in large numbers.

But in domestic cats, some of these body-type mutations like folded ears can be considered an attractive feature, and so breeders select them and they perpetuate within the domestic cat population. Having said that, it’s important to highlight the fact that such mutations, even if considered attractive, are not always healthy for our pets and can have a huge impact on a pet’s health.

#4 Dexter And His Abnormally Long Tail

Image credits: jubileesoph

#5 Feel Free To Boop Or High Five The Snoot

Image credits: dog_rates

#6 Cat With 4 Ears

Image credits: midas_x24

Among many genetic mutations found in cats, the ones that alter ears are especially appealing in breeds. Think of the internet’s beloved folded ears, which is a trait associated with a natural dominant mutation in the Fd gene. Basepaws writes that the mutation is specific to the Scottish Fold breed, whose ears are folded forward and down to different degrees of folding. However, this gene is also associated with cartilage defects such as swollen feet and a thickened tail. The mutation is harmful in homozygous form (Fd Fd) and it’s why breeders breed folds only with non-folds to avoid homozygous fold offspring.

#7 Rainbow Reticulated Python. Just Another Reminder That There Are So Many Beautiful Things In This World That Are Underappreciated – Including Snakes

Image credits: thereptilezoo

#8 This Is Fanny. She Has A Rare Skin Condition Called Vitiligo, Causing Her Hair To Depigment

Image credits: fannyasfresh

#9 This Stunning Cat With Striking Two Coloured Eyes Due To A Rare Genetic Condition

Image credits: oddity_olive

#10 She Has The Most Gorgeous Eyes

Image credits: DragonKittyNSFW

#11 This Cat Must Have A Secret Identity

Image credits: chrisbarnett64

#12 Frankie, One-Eyed Kitty With Four Ears Finds A Foster Home

Image credits: frank_n_kitten

#13 My Cat Has A Genetic Mutation That Makes Her Eyes Weird, Her Sight Is Perfect

Image credits: ViVilma

#14 Rowdy Met A New Friend Today. This Is Marcus And He Has Such A Great Attitude About His Vitiligo. He Thinks It’s Pretty Cool

Image credits: white_eyed_rowdy

#15 A Golden Retriever With A Rare Black Patch On Its Face

Image credits: mister.enzoviola

#16 I Foster With My Local Shelter And Received A Litter With One Kitten Who Has Dwarfism. She’s Half The Size Of Her Littermates. Highly Criminal. Just Dastardly

Image credits: Yvaika

#17 My Girl Has Vitiligo. She Was Solid Black When We Got Her, And Every Year She Gets A Few More Spots

Image credits: Polywordsoup

#18 Found This Bunny With Unique Markings- Wanted You To Know That You’re Unique. You’re Loved. Just Like This Bun

Image credits: rkprado_

#19 I Am A Little Tiger… Vitiligo

Image credits: elli.vitiligo

#20 People Always Tell Me My Cat Has The Most Beautiful Eyes

Image credits: myhightide

#21 Meet Pixel, My Beautiful Kitten With Heterochromia

Image credits: MayaKitsu

#22 House Cat Suffering From Myostatin-Related Muscle Hypertrophy – A Rare Condition That Causes Muscles To Grow Excessively Large

Image credits: bsmith2123

#23 Spade, The Albino Doberman

Image credits: shutupsamir

#24 Did Anyone Say Dalmatian Pied? Hands-Down One Of The Most Unique Pieds I’ve Ever Seen

Image credits: thepythonpit

#25 Supernumerary Teeth

Image credits: catszdiary

#26 I Was Told My New Rescue Pup Has The Rarest Of Ears

Image credits: flytingnotfighting

#27 Elli Was Born With Tuxedo Markings And Turned Almost Completely White In Three Years Due To Vitiligo

Image credits: RespectMyAuthoriteh

#28 I Saw An Adult German Shepherd That’s Diagnosed With Dwarfism Today And It’s The Cutest Thing I Saw All Year

Image credits: Hebahx

#29 Bernese Mountain Dog With Vitiligo

Image credits: siegfriedthedog

#30 Frankie Was The Only One In A Litter Of Sixteen That Was Born With A Limb Difference

Image credits: nessie_mcnubs

#31 New Housemate Has More Thumbs Than I Was Expecting

Image credits: Veggie_Therapy

#32 Meet Avgust, The Extraterrestrial Albino Dog From Moscow, Russia

Image credits: keerio_

#33 This Rottweiler With Vitiligo Is Gorgeous

Image credits: fireysaje

#34 Local Pet Rescue/Shelter Had Someone Drop Off A Male Kitten That Was Born With 2 Faces

Image credits: kcpetproject

#35 Eggleston Has Some Extra Toes

Image credits: highrollerbipolar

#36 Those Ears

Image credits: tvich1015

#37 My Cat Has One Little Curly Whisker

Image credits: amlight

#38 My Curled Ear Girl

Image credits: spicyyaria

#39 My Cat Pickles. He Was Born Without An Ear

Image credits: joerommel_

#40 This Cat That Lives At The Parking Lot At My Job Has Extra Toes

Image credits: neon_noire

#41 Ranger Is A Fully Grown German Shepherd With Dwarfism

Image credits: ranger_thegshepherd

#42 Please Do Not Support Unethical Doberman Breeders Who Purposely Create Dogs Affected With Albinism. Too Many Health Issues Plague These Sensitive Canines As They Age

Image credits: amyeiler

#43 This Is A Ghoulish Creature. I Recently Learned That She Is A Lykoi Cat. It’s A Rare Natural Mutation. She’s Extremely Vocal And Affectionate

Image credits: EtherealEffigy

#44 These Boys Have A Rare Genetic Condition And Just Got To The Us From Pr And Clearly They’re Happy To Be Here

Image credits: SideRepresentative38

#45 A Python With Piebald Mutation

Image credits: DaniStormborn

#46 I Would Show Off Too, If I Had Paws As Cute As This

Image credits: junkyardmolly

#47 Astrex Bunnies. A Rare Rex Fur Mutation, Have Curly Coats. Little Sheep Bunnies

Image credits: The_Last_Minority

#48 A Cat With Two Functional Noses That Came To The Clinic I Work At

Image credits: theyenyen

#49 This Is Jinx – He Was Born With One Ear

Image credits: NinjaFiasco

#50 This Is Dino. He Has Dwarfism. He’s A Very Small Boy

Image credits: dogememes_dinoruby

Source: boredpanda.com