In the world of felines, calico cat are a rare and prized breed known for their unique tri-colored fur pattern. But what happens when a male calico kitten is found in an unexpected place, such as an old, discarded trash can? Such was the case for a little kitten who recently captured the hearts of many in a local community.
Kitten Rescued From Trash
She was found in 2016 in a dumpster after a passerby heard her soft meowing coming from inside. ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ there, the kitten suffered from a ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ front leg and ɢᴀɴɢʀᴇɴᴇ in a back paw.
Martyr sadly ʟᴏsᴛ her back paw due to the ɢᴀɴɢʀᴇɴᴇ she suffered from. Thankfully, her new mother knew exactly how to help her. Over time, she has been nursed back to health and still wears her cone proudly.
Her mother was experienced in fostering kittens and still helped her ʜᴇᴀʟ safely to get her to where she is today.
Despite his rough start, the little male calico kitten quickly proved himself a fighter, displaying a feisty spirit and an unyielding will to survive.
The Kitten’s Gender Was A Surprise
At first, the kitten’s gender wasn’t immediately apparent, as calico cats are almost always female due to the ɢᴇɴᴇᴛɪᴄ coding required for the unique fur pattern. But upon closer examination, it was clear that this little guy was indeed male – an extremely rare occurrence in the calico world.
He was called a “she” up until recently. Only 1 in 3,000 calico cats is male! This is due to the X ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴏsᴏᴍᴇ within cats, which helps to display orange and black fur in cats. The double X ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴏsᴏᴍᴇs in female cats give them the appearance of a calico cat–a white base coat with orange and black hair on top.
A male cat must carry two X ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴏsᴏᴍᴇs and a Y ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴏsᴏᴍᴇ to appear as a calico.
That makes cats like Martyr a miracle of nature. This, combined with his humble beginnings, makes this cat as rare as a mythical unicorn.
Martyr’s adorable face became an internet sensation on Imgur when his new mother’s niece posted all the pictures featured in this article!
Ultimately, the little male calico kitten found a loving home with a family who recognized his special qualities and was eager to give him the life he deserved. He will always be a reminder that even in the most unexpected places, there is hope and resilience to be found – and that sometimes, the most unique and special things come in the smallest and most surprising packages.
