Published Apr 8, 2026
Phoebe the CH Kitty / Facebook.com
Now hear this: A famous black kitten in foster care has an extra set of ears!
That’s right; Dobby, a 9-month-old kitten in Alabama, has four ears. He has the two main ears, plus a bonus smaller ear protruding up from the base of each main ear. This unusual condition resulted from a genetic mutation, which also caused a curled tail and a severe overbite.
“I think the differences are completely beautiful,” Stephanie Brown, Dobby’s foster mom, tells CNN in a viral video on TikTok that earned more than 145.3K views. “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.”
Indeed, many people are doing just that and falling in love with the uniqueness of this kitten, who has a long line of applicants hoping to adopt him once he is ready. Dobby is scheduled for surgery on April 20 to shorten his lower canine teeth and alleviate the palate-poking caused by the overbite. Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, of which Stephanie is a board member, is providing the medical care and handling Dobby’s adoption. You can support Dobby’s care by making a donation.
At this time, the Brown family’s plans are to keep Dobby in foster care until after he recovers from his dental surgery, Stephanie tells Cats.com in an email.
“I’m grateful for however much time I get with him,” Stephanie says. “He really is an abundantly sweet-natured cat! … He’s certainly one of the most interesting cats I’ve ever seen!”
Phoebe the CH Kitty / Facebook.com
Thankfully, Dobby’s genetic mutation causes no health issues, except for the correctable overbite.
“Dobby’s genetic mutation with his extra ears causes no impact, except to make him exceptionally cute, of course,” Stephanie says. “They’re not functional, don’t affect his hearing, and are simply decorative. I adore them!”
As for Dobby’s purrsonality, Stephanie describes him as a darling.
“I’ve been able to see more of his personality in the time he’s been in my care, and he’s such a sweet, sensitive guy,” she says. “He’s submissive to some of the bigger personalities of my cats, and loves cuddling with people and our other foster kitties.”
You can follow Dobby on social media through the pages of Phoebe, Stephanie’s resident rescued cat who has cerebellar hypoplasia, which causes a wobbly gait. The Facebook page is Phoebe the CH Kitty, and the Instagram page is @phoebe_the_ch_kitty. Unfortunately, Phoebe isn’t the biggest fan of fosters, and Dobby is no exception, although the kitten respects the boundaries the cat has set.
“I would love to see some of her walls come down, so that she, too, can experience what a lovely cat he is,” Stephanie says.
Dobby’s ears have earned many admirers, and the comments on the news stories are cute, funny, and sweet. One TikTok user summed up cattitude with this popular comment on the CNN video: “It still won’t listen to you.” An Instagram user responded to CNN’s Dobby reel with: “Supersonic!” Many commenters just cooed about how handsome and adorable and unique Dobby is.
We have no doubt that Dobby will have a great life, which Stephanie hopes is a home with children, because he is good with kids. We are all ears for the happy ending coming soon!
Cats with unusual appearances due to genetic mutations, birth defects, or injuries are just as worthy of homes and can live full and happy lives. Take Peanut, a torbie who was born a tiny runt, with her right eye and half of her nose missing, and a problem with her mouth. She needed special care, but now, Peanut has a happy home, and her snaggletooth is part of her charm.
On The Cat Chronicles, one of our YouTube channels, we created a video about Cheddar Bob, a cat who had both ears removed due to chronic infections. Someone saw this orange tabby cat, fell in love, and adopted him. Cheddar Bob may be earless, but he is not loveless!
We hope a Dobby-like cat will enter your life and bring you joy.
