Two Headed Cat Meaning? All Answers

Double-headed beasts, like the symbolic eagle of the Holy Roman Empire, are heralded in mythology and often symbolize dual sovereign power and all-encompassing control. But in the wild, true two-headed animals aren’t so lucky. For one thing, they are incredibly rare, and their chances of surviving are even slimmer than their creation. Earlier this month, the Moscow Zoo received a two-headed California king snake (pictured above), which is now on display. Can you imagine anything more frightening than four beady eyes peering out of a body so eerily white and slippery? No? Scroll down for a peek at the cute, curious, and nightmarish Siamese twins of wildlife.

A two-headed fire salamander, shown front and back on February 22, was raised by a breeder in Plauen, Germany, and lived as a conjoined twin for a year and a half. (Jan Woitas/dpa/Corbis)

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Jay Jacoby, store manager at Big Al’s Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton, Pa., shows the retailer’s only two-headed red slider turtle September 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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A two-headed goat eats its mother’s udder May 26, 2004 in Bauta, Cuba. The birth of the animal amazed residents of the rural town outside of Havana. The goat reportedly breathed and ate with both heads, closing and opening its four eyes at the same time. (REUTERS/Courtesy of Juventud Rebelde CD)

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A rare two-headed terrapin is on display at the Thai government’s Ministry of Fisheries in Bangkok in 2004. The amphibious reptiles with a semi-hard shell are bred in Thailand and usually exported to Taiwan and China for human consumption. (REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang)

condition of having more than one head

Triple-headed redirects here. For rail transport, see double-heading

polycephaly

Polycephaly is the condition of having more than one head. The term derives from the Greek stems poly (Greek: “πολύ”) meaning “many” and kephalē (Greek: “κεφαλή”) meaning “head”. A polycephalic organism can be viewed as one being with a supernumerary body part, or as two or more beings with a common body.

Two-headed (bicephal or dicephalic) and three-headed (tricephal) animals are the only type of multi-headed creatures seen in the real world, and they form from identical twin embryos through the same process as conjoined twins.

In humans, there are two forms of twinning that can result in two heads being supported by a single torso. In Dicephalus parapagus dipus the two heads are next to each other. In craniopagus parasiticus, the two heads are directly connected, but only one head has a functional torso. Survival to adulthood is rare but occurs in some forms of Dicephalus parapagus dipus.

There are many occurrences of multi-headed animals in mythology. In heraldry and vexillology, the double-headed eagle is a widely used symbol, although no such animal is known to have ever existed.

Occurrence [ edit ]

Two-headed humans and animals, while rare, have been known and documented for a long time.

Occurrence in humans

Two headed girl

In humans, as in other animals, partial twinning can result in the formation of two heads supported by a single torso. This can happen in two ways: dicephalus parapagus, where two heads are side by side, and craniopagus parasiticus, where the heads are directly connected.

Dicephalus parapagus dipus[edit]

In Dicephalus parapagus dipus, the two heads are side by side on a two-legged torso, with organs and structures within the torso twining to varying degrees. The common body can have a total of four arms, or three arms, or only two arms. There are Greek medical terms for the variations, e.g. dibrachius means two arms, tribrachius means three arms. Both heads may contain a fully formed brain, or one may be anencephalic.[1] If carried to term, Dicephalus parapagus twins are usually stillborn or die shortly after birth. However, survival to adulthood occasionally occurs in cases where the twins are born with three to four arms.[2] Chances of survival are improved when two complete hearts are present.[3] Separation surgery is contraindicated except in cases where one of the twins is clearly dying.[4]

Giacomo and Giovanni Battista Tocci (born between 1875 and 1877) were Dicephalus parapagus dipus twins who survived to adulthood. Each had their own pair of arms. They learned to speak several languages ​​but never learned to walk. Born in 1990, Abigail and Brittany Hensel are another example of dicephalus-parapagus-dipus raised twins. They were born with two functional arms and a vestigial third arm that was surgically removed. Each Gemini has its own head, heart, and spine, and controls one arm and one leg. They developed good motor skills and completed courses at school and university.[5]

Craniopagus parasiticus[edit]

18th-century drawing of boy of Bengal infested with Craniopagus parasiticus.

Craniopagus parasiticus is an extremely rare condition in which the two heads are directly connected and one twin (known as an autosite) has a functioning torso while the other (known as a parasite) has only a vestigial torso. The parasite is aided by blood supplied by the Autosite head. This threatens the autosite’s life by putting additional strain on the autosite’s vital organs. Operations to separate the two heads were undertaken in hopes of saving the autosite.

Skeletal structure in Dicephalus parapagus dipus. From: Hirst & Piersol, 1893.

Occurrence in animals

Polycephalic animals often make local headlines when found. The most commonly observed two-headed animals are turtles and snakes.[6] Other species with known two-headed occurrences include cattle, sheep, pigs, cats, dogs, and fish. In 1894, a two-headed partridge was reported in Boston, Massachusetts.[7] It was notable as a dicephalic animal that survived into adulthood with two perfect heads. Scientists have published in modern journals on the dissection of such animals since at least the 1930s.[6] A 1929 paper examined the anatomy of a two-headed kitten.[6]

Polycephalic animals are a subject of novelty due to their rarity. “We,” an albino two-headed rat snake born in captivity in 2000 with female and male genitalia, was set to go up for auction on eBay with an expected price of $150,000 (£87,000), despite their policy of not live to trade Animals prevented the sale.[8][9] On October 31, 2006, the World Aquarium[10] announced that “We” had been adopted by Nutra Pharma Corporation, a biotechnology company developing treatments using modified cobra venom and cobra toxin.[11] “We” died of natural causes in June 2007 at the age of eight, not long after the acquisition by Nutra Pharma.[9]

Two-headed farm animals sometimes travel to county fairs with animal shows. Most notably, the Venice Beach Freak Show is said to house the largest collection of two-headed specimens in the world, including over 20 live two-headed animals. Many natural history museums contain preserved two-headed animals. The Museum of Lausanne[12] in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, have collections of preserved two-headed animals. A very well preserved two-headed lamb is on display at the Llanidloes Museum in Wales. A live two-headed turtle named Janus is on display at the Natural History Museum in Geneva, Switzerland.[13][14]

Anatomy and fitness[edit]

In cases where multiple heads are fully developed and non-parasitic, they share control of the organs and limbs, although the specific structure of the connections varies. Animals often move disorientated and dizzy, with brains “arguing” with each other; some animals just zigzag without getting anywhere.[15] Snakeheads can attack and even try to swallow each other. Therefore, polycephalic animals survive poorly in the wild compared to normal monocephalic animals.

Most two-headed snakes live only a few months, although some have been reported to live full lives and even reproduce, with offspring being born normally. A two-headed black rat snake with separate throats and stomachs survived 20 years. An albino two-headed rat snake named “We” survived 8 years in captivity.[16] There is some speculation that inbreeding of snakes in captivity increases the likelihood of a two-headed birth.[17]

One or two creatures? [ to edit ]

It is difficult to draw the line between “an animal with two heads” and “two animals sharing one body”.

Abigail and Brittany Hensel, born in 1990, were given two different names at birth. They identify themselves as two persons and are legally and socially recognized as two persons.[18] On the other hand, Syafitri, born in Indonesia in 2006, were given a name by their parents because they only had one heart.[19] In early Germany, conjoined twins who could not be separated were legally considered one person.[20] Millie and Christine McKoy were often referred to as “Millie-Christine”[21] in the singular, including by themselves, as well as in the plural.[22]

In the 17th-century Catechism of Peter Mogila, the following instructions are given for the baptism of polycephalic infants: if there are different heads and different breasts, it means that there are different persons, each of whom needs to be baptized normally; however, if the head and chest are not completely distinct, one person must be baptized normally, but the baptism of the other(s) should be preceded by the formula “if not already baptized.”[23]

In other animals, polycephaly is usually described as “an animal with two heads”.[8][24] One of the heads, particularly in three-headed animals, may be poorly developed and misshapen and not “join” much.[15]

Two faces on one head[edit]

If the twinning of the head itself is only partial, it can result in the condition known as Diprosopus – a head with two faces.

Earliest known occurrence[ edit ]

The February 22, 2007 issue of Biology Letters detailed the discovery of a 122-million-year-old fossil of a two-headed Hyphalosaurus lingyuanensis, representing the earliest known occurrence of an axial branch.[25]

List of notable occurrences[ edit ]

people [edit]

Two-headed Siamese twins (dicephalus parapagus dipus) [ edit ]

Lycosthenes described a pair of adult female twins who had separate necks but one body. Both heads ate, drank, slept and talked. They had to beg from door to door, “everyone gave (sic) her free”. They were banished to Bavaria because they feared that pregnant women they saw would give birth to similar children; nothing else is known of them. [26]

) her freely”. They were banished to Bavaria because they feared that pregnant women who saw them would give birth to similar children; nothing else is known about them. In 1990, Abigail and Brittany Hensel were born in Minnesota, USA. [5]

In 2000, Ayse and Sema Tanrikulu were born in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey [27]

In June 2000, Carmen and Lupita Andrade were born in Veracruz, Mexico. They later moved to the United States with their parents for health care. [28]

In 2003 Sohna and Mohna were born in India [29]

On June 13, 2003, twin girls named Huda and Manal Abdel Nasser Mohammed Mahmoud were born in Asyut, Egypt [30]

2006 Syafitri was born in Indonesia [19]

In 2007, Mary Grace and Mary Divine Asis were born in the Philippines with only one heart. [31] They died on April 30, 2008. [32]

They died on April 30, 2008. On August 25, 2008, a two-headed baby boy named Kiron was born in southwestern Bangladesh. [33] The baby was described by the gynecologist who was present at the birth as having “one tummy and eating with both of its mouths.” It has a sex organ and all limbs”. He died on August 28, 2009. [34]

The gynecologist who was present at the birth described the baby as having “one stomach and he eats normally with his two mouths. He has one sex organ and all limbs.” He died on August 28, 2009. In July 2009, dicephalic twins were born in Indonesia with two hearts but sharing all other internal organs. [35]

In 2011, Sueli Ferreira gave birth to a two-headed child in Campina Grande, Paraíba state, Brazil, but the baby died a few hours later because one of the heads lacked oxygen. [36]

On December 19, 2011, male twins Emanoel and Jesus Nazare were born on the Brazilian island of Marajó. The children had two heads, two legs and two arms and shared the whole body below the neck. Each child had its own spine, but shared a heart, liver, lungs, and pelvis, and both brains functioned. The boys appeared on Channel 4 program Bodyshock on 19 December 2012 where it was reported that they had died at the age of six months. [37] [36]

on December 19, 2012, where it was reported that they had died at the age of six months. In March 2014, dicephalic twin girls were delivered via cesarean section at Cygnus JK Hindu Hospital in Sonipat, Haryana, North India. The babies reportedly have two heads, two necks and two spines, but share all major organs.

Craniopagus parasiticus[edit]

Craniopagus parasiticus is a condition in which a parasitic twin head with an undeveloped or underdeveloped body is attached to the head of a developed twin. Recorded cases include:

In 1783 the “two-headed boy of Bengal” was born in India; The second head was placed roughly upside down on the developed twin’s head. The boy survived until 1787 and was killed by a snake bite.

In 2003, Rebeca Martinez was born in the Dominican Republic with an extra head but died 7 hours after surgery at the age of 8 weeks. [38]

In 2004, Egyptian Naglaa gave birth to Mohamed Manar Maged, to whom another child’s head and undeveloped torso were attached. In 2005 the second head was removed and later that same year Naglaa appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show with her surviving child. [39] Manar died of a brain infection in 2006. [40]

with her surviving child. Manar died of a brain infection in 2006. On January 20, 2021, a baby with two heads was born at Elias Hospital in Bucharest, Romania, but died a few hours after birth.[41]

Non-human mammals[ edit ]

cats [edit]

Kitten with two faces, Lausanne

Two-headed cat, born in Paris in 1773. She only lived a few hours.

There have been numerous reports of cats with two faces; Most die shortly after birth. Reports of two-headed kittens are common compared to other animals due to their status as pets. Recent two-headed kittens include:

Polycephalic cats in museums include:

cattle [edit]

Two-headed calf, Lausanne

A full-body dissection of a two-headed calf is on display at the Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History on the Southern Utah University campus in Cedar City, Utah. “The Dancing Calves” were born naturally on Mother’s Day, May 8, 1949, with considerable assistance from S. T. Nelson of Cedar City, Utah, from a crossed cow owned by Willard Lund of Paragonah, Utah. The ‘Father Bull’ is unknown but must have been an outstanding Hereford. The twin calf was alive and well but died in childbirth. This calf or calf, connected from the base of the neck to the belly, with two complete, almost perfect body frames, had only one system of vital organs. Each of the two normal heads had a food duct to a stomach and a breathing duct or trachea to one lung. The two brisket or breasts shared by these calves on each side contained one lung on one side and one heart on the other. Two excretory ducts branch off from the stomach and digestive system. The calf weighed approximately 39 kg at birth. The overall dimensions when assembled are: 42.5 inches (1,080 mm) high, 20 inches (510 mm) tail to tail and 18 inches (460 mm) side to side, including the front legs. The “mother cow” lived and was sold in July 1949 as a “fat cow”. This calf was stuffed by C.J. Sanders, taxidermist, 2631 South State Street, Salt Lake City 5, Utah, who declared it to be the most unusual monstrosity he had ever worked with. dr A.C. Johnson of Cedar City, Utah, said it was the best example of an animal monstrosity he had ever seen or heard of in his 47 years as a veterinarian. “The Dancing Calves” was owned by West and Gail Seegmiller, who exhibited it for many years at their Desert Pearl Cafe (which no longer exists) in Cedar City, Utah. dr A.C. Johnson, Dr. T. Donald Bell, William H. Lund, Dr. R.G. Williams, Dr. J.S. Prestwich, Dr. A. L. Graff, S. T. Nelson, and James Hoyle, Jr. all signed as witnesses that they had seen the calf in the flesh shortly after birth and knew it was authentic. The calves and original document were donated to the Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History on Southern Utah University’s campus in Cedar City, Utah, where they are now on display.

pigs [edit]

two-headed piglet; Old State House, Hartford, Connecticut

Goats and sheep[edit]

Lamb with two faces, Lausanne

3-headed lamb, born 1577

mice [edit]

A two-headed mouse was seen at Hallæ.[51]

birds [edit]

2-headed Piegon, 1775

An account of a two-headed Piegon was published in France in 1734. [51]

In 2020, a two-headed song thrush was poached in Syria.[52]

Reptiles[ edit ]

snakes [edit]

Most polycephalic snakes do not live long, but some captive individuals do.[53]

turtles [edit]

Two-headed turtles and tortoises are rare but not unknown. Recent discoveries include:

Choristoderes[ edit ]

In 2006, Britain’s Royal Society announced that it had discovered a two-headed fossil of Hyfalosaurus, the first documented time such a reptile had been found fossilized.

Mythological occurrences[ edit ]

Mesopotamian mythology[ edit ]

Mušmaḫḫu, a seven-headed serpent related to the mythology of Ninurta,[68] and Ningishzida. [69] [70] Sometimes related to Mušḫuššu.

and Ningishzida. Sometimes related to Mušḫuššu. Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar forest where the gods lived. A description from Georg Burckhardt’s translation of Gilgamesh says: “He had the paws of a lion and a body covered with scales of thorns; his feet had the claws of a vulture and on his head were the horns of a wild bull; its tail and phallus each ended in a snake’s head.”

Greek mythology[edit]

Greek mythology contains a number of creatures with multiple heads. Typhon, a huge grisly monster with many snake heads, is often described as having multiple offspring with Echidna, a creature with the lower body of a snake but the upper body of a beautiful woman. Their descendants, from one source or another, make up many of the greatest monsters of Greek myth, including:

Cerberus – a monstrous multi-headed dog that guards the gateway to Hades.

Ladon – a sometimes hundred-headed snake-like dragon who guards the Garden of the Hesperides and is overpowered by Heracles.

Chimera – sometimes depicted with the heads of a goat and a lion.

The Lernaean Hydra – an ancient, nameless, serpentine chthonic aquatic animal that possessed numerous heads.

Orthrus – a two-headed dog owned by Geryon.

Scylla – sometimes described as a six-headed sea monster.

Other multi-headed creatures in Greek mythology include:

The Hecatonchires – giants with fifty heads and a hundred arms. The word “Hecatonchire” means “a hundred arms”. They were the sons of Gaia and Uranus.

Hekate – Greek goddess of witches, nightmares, crossbreeds and one of the moon deities; sometimes depicted with three heads.

Iranian mythology[edit]

Zahhak, an evil figure in Iranian mythology – also recognizable as Aži Dahāka (Azh dahak) in ancient Iranian folklore – is the most significant and long-lived of the ažis of the Avesta, the earliest religious texts of Zoroastrianism. He is described as a monster with three mouths, six eyes, and three heads (which presumably means three heads, each with one mouth and two eyes), cunning, strong, and demonic. But in other respects, Aži Dahāka has human qualities and is never just an animal.

Hinduism [edit]

Vishnu leans on the multi-hooded serpent Shesha while the four-headed Brahma is seated on a lotus rising from Vishnu’s navel.

Hindu deities are often depicted with multiple arms or heads.

The fire god Agni has two heads

Dattatreya: three

The Creator God Brahma: four [71]

The goddess Gayatri: five

The war god Kartikeya: six

Although usually depicted with one head, some deities such as Ganesha (in Heramba form) and Shiva (Sadashiva) have aspects in which they are depicted with multiple heads; five in this case. The Vishvarupa form of Vishnu is described as having infinite heads.

In addition to deities, demons (Asura and Rakshasa) can also be depicted with multiple heads. The demon king Ravana Ravana is depicted and described with ten heads, although he is sometimes shown with only nine heads because he sacrificed a head to convince Shiva. His son Trishira is depicted with three heads.

Animal races in Hindu mythology such as Nāgas (snakes) can have multiple heads. The Naga Shesha is depicted with five or seven hoods, but is said to have an infinite number of hoods. Uchchaihshravas is a heavenly seven-headed horse. The divine white elephant Airavata is depicted with multiple heads, trunks and tusks.

Taoism[ edit ]

Nezha, a god sometimes depicted in the form of “three heads and six arms”.

Occultism[edit]

Bune, a dragon with the heads of a dog, a griffin and a man in the occult

Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations[ edit ]

The two-headed Janus.

Janus, a two- or four-faced god in Roman mythology

Nehebkau, a two-headed serpent in Egyptian mythology

European culture[edit]

Eastern Europe[edit]

Northern Europe[edit]

Japan [ edit ]

Korea [ edit ]

Jihaguk Daejeok, a nine-headed giant in Korean mythology

Judaism [edit]

The Talmud (Brachot 61a) says that Adam was originally created as a single body with two faces (which were then separated into two bodies – male (Adam) and female (Eve)).[72][73]

The Zohar (Introduction 1:9B / p. 9B) speaks of descendants of Cain with 2 heads.[74][75]

The Talmud (Menachot 37a) reports an incident where Phlimo asked the prince Judah which head a two-headed person should put on tefillin. Judah was dismissive at first, but then another man came in and said his wife had just given birth to a two-headed baby and asked a (different) halachic question.[76][77]

heraldry [edit]

See also[edit]

Update: Biscuits and Gravy has died, the kitten’s owner said in a Facebook post shared on Sunday. “He was born with the greatest odds and after living almost 4 days he has surpassed those odds,” the post reads.

An Oregon cat gave birth to a brood of six kittens on Wednesday, including what appears to be a rare feline — a two-faced cat.

Kyla King of Albany, Oregon told KOIN-TV in Portland that a two-faced kitten is like “6-1/3 kittens.” She named the cat Biscuits and Gravy, or Biscuit for short.

Biscuit eats and breathes from two separate mouths and noses. Sometimes, King told KOIN-TV, it would meow out of one mouth while eating at the same time as the other.

However, it is unclear if it has four eyes or if two of them are connected.

While rare, two-faced cats are not unheard of: they are known as “Janus” cats, named after the two-faced Roman god.

According to National Geographic, Janus cats have an excess of a protein called “sonic hedgehog,” which affects how their face develops. Janus cats also have no identifiable gender.

Biscuit’s left face, she told the Albany Democrat-Herald, is stronger than the right.

However, his rare condition means his chance of surviving beyond a week is slim due to his congenital defects.

The world’s oldest Janus cat, Frank and Louie of Worcester, Mass., died at the age of 15 – but was able to survive because she only had one esophagus, making breathing problems less likely.

“It doesn’t really know how to breastfeed properly because it has two mouths, so I tried to feed it,” King told KOIN-TV.

Biscuit’s head is also too large to be fully supported by his body, King told the Albany Democrat-Herald. But if it can survive, she wants to keep and raise it.

In retrospect: 19 things that make life easier with a new kitten

Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote

Since cats can suffer from many of the same medical conditions as humans, many often wonder if cats can have Down Syndrome. In this article, we get to the bottom of the topic and provide answers to all your questions.

Can Cats Have Down Syndrome? This question has become more common in recent years due to the ease of sharing images through the internet. Seeing more cat photos means we have the opportunity to meet unique cats that we would not have seen otherwise. You may have seen or heard of cats that look and act a little “different” and have become known on the internet as “cats with Down’s Syndrome”. It is impossible that they really have “Down Syndrome” as this is something that only exists in humans.

What is Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is a congenital human condition that affects those affected both physically and mentally.

It is caused by a chromosomal defect. In humans, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, and people with Down syndrome have three copies — either complete or partial — of chromosome 21. They tend to have certain physical traits such as low muscle tone, short stature, and a flat bridge, and will also exhibit some degree of learning disabilities.

Duo, the two-faced cat, loves to play and has her tummy rubbed, but unlike most cats, she’s a Janus cat. Named after the Roman god of the past and future, the word Janus indicates the presence of two faces.

Born with four eyes, two mouths and two noses, Duo is now approaching his two years. An impressive feat given that most Janus cats rarely survive long due to their incredibly rare and often life-threatening condition.

A post shared by Duo The Two Faced Cat (@duotwofacedcat) (opens in a new tab) A photo posted by on

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However, Duo got lucky when a veterinarian named Dr. Tran, who had the knowledge to help her through the difficult early stages of her kittenhood. dr Tran has many years of experience caring for newborn kittens. When he received a call back from a Colorado animal rescue center in 2019 about a kitten that had been rejected by its mother and needed help, he was happy to come to the rescue.

He told Meow, “I had little doubt that I would do anything to help her survive,” and Duo has been in his care since she was just three hours old. And yes, he chose the name Duo because of their two faces.

A post shared by Duo The Two Faced Cat (@duotwofacedcat) (opens in a new tab) A photo posted by on

It was no small feat to keep Duo alive as Janus cats don’t typically live very long after birth. dr Tran had to feed her 24/7 every 2 to 3 hours via a tube down her throat for the first three months before she started gaining weight. That was while Dr. Tran also worked as a full-time vet!

Eventually, Duo learned to eat alone using both mouths! However, this caused many infections in their blindfolded middle eyes due to regular exposure to their food. It turns out two mouths fighting over food can be a messy experience.

dr Tran, fearing for her health and knowing how much pain the regular chronic eye infections caused her, chose to surgically remove these two non-functioning eyes and correct the inverted eyelids of her outer eyes. Thankfully she made a successful recovery from the surgery and Duo is now pain free, more coordinated in movement and fit to fight.

Speaking to Inside Edition, Dr. Tran: “Raising Duo has been an incredibly rewarding experience while also being incredibly challenging.”

He adds, “She may have her disabilities, she may have her challenges, but she loves life, she loves to play, she takes whatever is thrown at her and makes the best of it.”

What is a Janus cat?

Frankie and Louis are one of the most famous Janus cats in the world (Image credit: Guinness World Records)

Janus, also known as craniofacial duplication or diprosopus, is a very rare congenital condition in which a cat’s body and limbs develop normally but their facial features become duplicated. The cause of the condition isn’t fully understood, but it appears to be due to an overabundance of the bizarrely named Sonic Hedgehog protein.

In mammals, the sonic hedgehog protein is responsible for controlling left-right symmetry during an animal’s early development in the womb, and when present in too high a concentration it causes the face to spread further than usual , and this can trigger a duplication of the facial features. If there is too little, cyclops develops – in which only one central eye develops.

In case you’re wondering, the Sonic Hedgehog protein is named after the Sega character. When researchers tested the protein’s effects on fruit fly larvae, they found that they would become spiny. One of the researcher’s children’s favorite cartoon characters at the time was the spiny blue hedgehog, and the protein was named for the way the larvae resembled Sonic.

What is a Janus cat like?

Janus cats behave like regular cats, but often have difficulty eating and navigating around furniture due to their additional traits. Due to Duo’s corrective surgery, her coordination is almost that of a normal cat, and the only difficulty she has when feeding is when she wants to eat with both her mouths at the same time!

How rare are Janus cats?

The longest living Janus cat is Frankie and Louis, who made it to the old age of 15 (Image credit: Guinness World Records)

Janus cats are extremely rare, largely because many are stillborn or find feeding incredibly difficult due to complications like cleft palates. Because of this, they often make headlines when they survive into adulthood.

The longest-living Janus cats are Frankie and Louis, who made it to the ripe old age of 15, although owner veterinary assistant Martha Stevens said he wouldn’t live more than a few days. Franke and Louis, or Frankenlouis, became Guinness World Record holders at the age of 12.

Owner Stevens loved the fact that people far away didn’t realize they weren’t dealing with an ordinary cat. She laughingly told The Toronto Star: “It was funny because people would walk up to him and think it was a nice fluffy white cat and they would come over to pat him with a big smile on their face, like ‘Oh what a beautiful cat,’ and I see a horrified look on their faces when they actually see his face.” She added, “I thanked God every day that I still had him.”

The famous two-faced cat Frank and Louie (sometimes called Frankenlouie) died this week at the ripe old age of 15. The Massachusetts cat held the Guinness Book of World Records title for the longest-lived Janus cat.

Named after the Roman god Janus, who was usually depicted with two faces, domestic cats with two faces are extremely rare, noted Leslie Lyons of the University of Missouri’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, which specializes in feline genetics. (See also: “R.I.P. Duecy: The Two-Faced Kitten.”)

The animals also generally don’t live very long due to health issues related to their deformity — which makes Frank and Louie’s 15-year run all the more impressive, Lyons said.

The cause of Janus cats isn’t fully understood, but “we know there are a variety of genetic mechanisms that could cause this,” Lyons said. Only DNA testing can pinpoint the exact cause.

For example, Janus cats may have too much of the sonic hedgehog protein (SHH), which plays a role in an animal’s facial formation during development. In some experiments, chick embryos exposed to excess SHH were born with two widely spaced beaks and eyes.

Frank and Louie were ragdoll cats, and while cats – both purebred and otherwise – can fall victim to a range of genetic issues, Lyons doesn’t believe breeding plays a role in the occurrence of Janus cats, given the condition’s so rare nature .

lucky cat

Though she may have two faces, a Janus cat almost certainly shares one brain, Lyons said. (See also: “Venus the Two-Faced Cat, a Mystery.”)

“I would suspect that there would be abnormalities in brain function.”

Lyons says that not doubling other organs, such as the esophagus, likely saved Frank and Louie’s life and allowed them to survive. (Take a cat quiz.)

“In this particular case, one [side] had no mandible or esophagus. If you were to eat both sides of the face I don’t know what kind of complications that would cause. Initially, the complications will be with the ability to eat and breathe properly.”

Two-faced animals aren’t limited to cats either, she added.

“It can probably occur in almost any mammal, vertebrate or marsupial,” Lyons said.

Compassionate owner

Although Janus cats often die young, if left to their own devices, cat mothers will often abandon, kill or even eat a kitten with such severe deformities.

Frank and Louie’s owner Marty Stevens has said in previous interviews that she took the cat home so she wouldn’t have to be euthanized, which Lyons applauds. (Check out National Geographic cat videos.)

“It’s very nice that there are people in our society who have that kind of compassion,” Lyons said.

“Like caring for a disabled child, they have cared for a cat with special needs for 15 years.”

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Venus, the two-faced cat, is currently the most famous cat in the world.

Tortoiseshell, three, has her own Facebook page and a YouTube video that has been viewed over a million times and appeared on the Today Show last week. (Check out National Geographic cat videos.)

One look at this cat and you can see why: one half is solid black with one green eye – the other half has typical orange tabby stripes and one blue eye.

How come a cat looks like this? Leslie Lyons, a professor at the University of California, Davis who studies domestic cat genetics, said she had never seen a cat like Venus.

“It’s extremely, extremely rare,” said Lyons. “But you can explain it and you can understand it.”

(See “Origin of the domestic cat, attributed to the ancestor of the wild cat in the Middle East.”)

Is Venus a chimera?

Many accounts of Venus refer to the cat as a “chimera”. In mythology, a chimera is a mishmash monster made up of parts from different animals. A cat chimera is a cat whose cells contain two types of DNA that are formed when two embryos fuse together.

Among cats, “chimeras really aren’t all that rare,” Lyons said. In fact, most male tortoiseshell cats are chimeras. The striking orange and black speckled fur is a sign that the cat has an extra X chromosome.

But female cats, Lyons said, already have two X chromosomes, so they can wear this coat without the extra X. This means that Venus is not necessarily a chimera.

Genetic testing would be needed to find out, Lyons said. With skin samples from each side of the cat, “we can do a DNA fingerprint – just like CSI – and the DNA from one side of the body should be different than the other.”

(See also image: “Lobster caught half-cooked in Maine.”)

Cat’s Blue Eye Another mystery

If Venus isn’t actually a chimera, what would explain her amazing face?

“Absolute luck,” said Lyons. A theory: perhaps the black tint was activated randomly in all cells on one side of her face while the orange tint was activated on the other, and the two spots met in the midline of her body as she developed.

Cat lovers intrigued by Venus’ split face may be missing the real story: her single black eye. Cat eyes are usually green or yellow, not blue. (Take a cat quiz.)

A blue-eyed cat is usually a Siamese or “a lot of white” cats, she explained.

Venus only appears to have a white patch on her chest, which isn’t enough for Lyons to explain the black eye.

“She’s a bit mysterious.”

Frank and Louie Species Cat Sex Male Born September 8, 1999

North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA Died December 4, 2014 (aged 15)

North Grafton, Massachusetts Known for the owner of the world’s oldest Diprosopus cat, Martha “Marty” Stevens

Frank and Louie, sometimes referred to as Frankenlouie[1] (September 8, 1999 – December 4, 2014) were a Diprosopus cat (aka “Janus” or “two faces”) known for their unusual longevity . He was named the longest surviving Janus cat by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012.[2]

Early life[edit]

Frank and Louie were born in September 1999. A breeder brought Frank and Louie to Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine because the kitten was born with two faces, a condition called Diprosopus. The kitten was originally not meant to live more than a few days, as Janustiere usually die within that timeframe. Vet Martha “Marty” Stevens took the kitten home for care anyway, eventually tube-feeding her for three months. Frank and Louie eventually learned to eat alone and “thrived.”[3]

Frank and Louie were born with one brain but had two faces, two mouths, two noses and three blue eyes. However, he had only one functional mouth while the other was born without a lower jaw. He had an esophagus connected to the mouth with both jaws. His middle eye was nonfunctional and did not blink, causing “Frank and Louie to appear to be staring even when his other eyes are closed”.[4]

title[edit]

In 2012, Frank and Louie were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living Janus cat in the world. This was an unusual distinction as most Janus cats die within a few days. Armelle deLaforcade of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine stated, “The condition itself is very rare and I think the fact that this cat came of age, a healthy adult, is remarkable.”[5]

Leslie A. Lyons, associate professor in the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, called Frank and Louie’s longevity “impressive.”[1]

Later life[edit]

Owner Stevens described Frank and Louie’s temperament as adults as “very, very easygoing, not afraid of people, very friendly and he’s actually more of a dog than a cat. He walks on a leash, he goes straight into the car; he loves car rides”.[5]

In November 2014, Frank and Louie’s health began to deteriorate. Stevens took Frank and Louie back to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, where she was told that Frank and Louie probably had an aggressive form of cancer. Since Frank and Louie were “probably suffering,” Stevens decided to put him to sleep.

Sometimes Jack Noonan spoke to her softly as he passed. Her husband, he told her, was killed by a blow to the back of the head, administered with a heavy blunt instrument, most likely a large piece of metal. They looked for the gun. The killer may have taken it, but also thrown it away or hidden it somewhere on the premises.

“That’s the old story,” he said. “Take the gun and you have the man.”

William Blake’s poetry appears on the surface quite simple and slightly persuasive, but in reality this carries a deeper note and has a depth of mystery and suggestion. His poems, contained in the volumes Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, express the simplicity and sense of wonder of an innocent child in the course of his acquaintance with the world in a state of innocence as well as experience. But beneath the child’s simple song lies a deeper meaning. Blake’s child speaks through his simple songs about everyday things and matters, but a certain deep understanding, some mystical hints are well perceived in it. There is a sort of symbolic undertone here, or what is popularly called symbolism.

Symbolism is often found as a distinctive feature in literature. In many literary works, recourse to symbolism is remarkably dominant. Certain elements or materials are used in symbolism to represent or mark certain aspects of life or affairs. A particular thing or thought can serve to indicate a particular meaning, perspective, or shade of life. Of course, the symbolism involves a sophisticated literary process to carry an inner truth or idea beneath the simple and common surface.

As already indicated, Blake’s simple songs have a symbolic meaning to mark their depth and meaning. His symbolism is even evident in the conception of the titles of his two volumes of poetry – Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Both volumes contain some children’s songs and are intended for childhood. Songs of Innocence refers to childhood’s innocent view of the small world around a young child. The child sees the world in its purity, beauty and simplicity and finds in it something very close, similar to itself. The other volume contains the Songs of Experience. These songs bring the poetic expression of a child’s feelings as they move from complete innocence to growing experience of their surroundings. The songs here are about the wounds and sorrows that the experience brings. The child sees serious, unkind, and even terrible things around him, and his innocent mind, confronted with the newfound experience of reality, is amazed and somewhat doubtful at the very creative machinery being manipulated by the mysterious and with strength and skill majestic creator.

Blake’s two poems – “The Lamb” and “The Tyger” – from his “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience” respectively – are the songs of childhood. The Lamb is a song about the small, shy lamb and the other sings about the strong, ferocious tiger. The child addresses the Lamb, questions it about its knowledge of its Maker, teaches it about Him and asks for His blessings on it. In The Tyger, the child does not address the tiger. Rather, his speech contains his sense of wonder and awe at the sight of the tiger, as well as his fascinating vision of the creation of the tiger by the powerful and mysterious Creator, and his apprehension of the implications of such a terrible creation, the appropriateness of which may well be questioned.

Also read; Summary and critical analysis of The Nurse’s Song by William Blake

The titles of the two poems, like those of the two volumes, have a symbolic undertone. The lamb represents innocence and simplicity, gentleness and gentleness. The tiger stands for strength and ferocity, power and violence. In fact, the two creatures symbolize the two different aspects of life and creation.

Again, Blake’s use of different materials in the songs is of meaningful symbolism. “The stream” and “the mead” destined for the lamb mean “clarity” and “smoothness,” respectively. The reference to God calling himself “a lamb” and synthesizing with him and the child symbolizes his nobility, generosity and tenderness. The Lamb and the Child are undoubtedly the symbols of God in their purity and simplicity.

Similarly, in The Tyger, “the woods of darkness” represents the darkness of evil that needs the strength of a savage force to banish completely. Also, the tiger’s “fearful symmetry” suggests the tiger’s balanced form and frightful appearance. “The Fire”, grasped by the creator’s hand to put it in the tiger’s eyes, has a mythological symbol of the Promethean fire stolen from the sky by the great Titan for the benefit of mankind.

The poem “The Lamb” emphasizes the simple, innocent belief in the great and blessed creation. The other poem, however, evokes a different sensation. This is a time of wonder and excitement, fear and confusion. The child’s intuitive belief is replaced by his naive curiosity. He no longer speaks complacently of the Creator. Rather, he is haunted by doubts about the adequacy of creation. This change in approach shows the growth of childhood from absolute innocence to angering experience. A symbolic sense is not missing here.

Then the seemingly simple and spontaneous question from the child:

Did he who made the lamb make you?

The child does not answer, because that would not be appropriate to childhood. But this simple question confirms a significant truth about creation. The lamb and the tiger, two completely opposite creatures, signify the diversity of creation. And diversity is always a sign of the immensity of creation. The wondrous power of the Creator is subtly symbolized here. This definitely defeats a symbolic mysticism about creation, although it is expressed very clearly in the wonder and questioning of a small child.

It should be noted here that Blake’s symbolism, while highly meaningful, is neither abstruse or incoherent like Coleridge’s in Christabel or Kubla Khan, nor subtly mystical like Wordsworth’s in Tintern Abbey or the Immortality Ode. It’s all clear, compact, deeply impressive and coherent through and through. Blake is simply childish, yet mystically suggestive, and eminently compelling and meaningful.

Also read; Summary and critical analysis of the poem The Little Vagabond by William Blake

Also read; Summary and critical analysis of the poem The Lilly by William Blake

title for Jesus

Lamb of God (Greek: Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Romanized: Amnòs toû Theoû; Latin: Agnus Dei, Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈaɲ.ɲus ˈde.i]) is a title for Jesus found in the Gospel of John. It appears in John 1:29 where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” It appears again in John 1:36.

Christian doctrine holds that a divine Jesus chose the crucifixion at Calvary as a sign of his full obedience to the will of his divine Father as “God’s agent and servant” in bearing away the sins of the world. In Christian theology, the Lamb of God is seen as both fundamental and an integral part of the message of Christianity.

A lion-like lamb that rises to deliver victory after being slain appears several times in the Book of Revelation. It is also mentioned in Pauline writings; 1 Corinthians 5:7 suggests that Saint Paul intends to refer to the death of Jesus, the Paschal Lamb, using the theme found in the writings of John. In Genesis 22, the binding of Isaac foretells the gospel of Jesus Christ when Isaac asked his father Abraham, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering,” to which Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” ” (Genesis 22:7-8). However, it was a ram (not a lamb) that was ultimately sacrificed in Isaac’s place, and the ram was caught in a thicket (i.e. bramble). (Genesis 22:13). The lamb -Metaphor is also consistent with Psalm 23, which depicts God as a shepherd leading his flock (mankind).

The title “Lamb of God” is used frequently in Christian prayer. The Latin version, Agnus Dei, and translations are an integral part of the Catholic Mass, as well as the classical Western liturgies of the Anglican and Lutheran churches. It is also used in the liturgy and as a form of contemplative prayer. The Agnus Dei also forms part of the musical accompaniment to the Mass.

As a visual motif, since the Middle Ages, the lamb has most often been represented as a standing, haloed lamb whose foreleg “holds” a pennant with a red cross on a white background, although many other modes of representation have been used.

Gospel of John[ edit ]

Lamb bleeding into the Holy Chalice and wearing the vexillum

The title Lamb of God for Jesus appears in the Gospel of John with the initial proclamation: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” in John 1:29, the title is reinforced the next day in John 1:36. The second usage of the title Lamb of God takes place in the presence of the first two apostles of Jesus, who immediately succeed him, addressing him respectfully as Rabbi and later in the narrative offering others to meet him.

Adoration of the Mystical Lamb. The lamb’s face was painted over with a more animal appearance (left). The originally intended version (right) has unusually humanoid facial features, with prominent ears and forward-facing eyes that appear to be looking directly at the tablet’s viewer. Close-up of the restored. The lamb’s face was painted over with a more animal appearance (left). The originally intended version (right) has unusually humanoid facial features, with prominent ears and forward-facing eyes that appear to be looking directly at the tablet’s viewer.

Agnus Dei with the vexillum

These two proclamations of Jesus as the Lamb of God are closely related to the other John 1:34 the Baptist: “I testified that this is the Son of God.” From a christological perspective, these proclamations and the descent of the Holy Spirit as a dove in John 1:32 reinforce each other to establish the divine element in Christ’s person. In Johannine Christology, the proclamation “who takes away the sin of the world” begins with the unfolding of the redeeming theme of Jesus’ redemptive and sacrificial death, followed by his resurrection, which is built up in other proclamations such as “this is indeed the Redeemer of Jesus the world” uttered by the Samaritans in John 4:42.

Book of Revelation[edit]

The book of Revelation contains over twenty-nine references to a lion-like lamb (“slain but standing”) bringing victory in a manner reminiscent of the risen Christ. At the Lamb’s first appearance in Revelation (5:1-7), only the Lamb (who is of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David) is found worthy to take the judgment scroll from God and break the seals. The reference to the Lamb in Revelation 5:6 refers to the seven Spirits of God who first appear in Revelation 1:4 and are associated with Jesus holding them together with seven stars.

In Rev. 19:6-9 it is said that the Lamb celebrates a wedding feast and that his bride’s pure linen robe are the “righteous deeds of the saints.”[14] A wedding feast, in Jewish law, is an obligatory banquet after a Jewish wedding.[15] In Jewish eschatology, the Messiah holds a marriage feast with the righteous of each nation (people), called the Seudat Chiyat HaMatim, at which the Messiah and his wedding guests will dine on the flesh of Leviathan.[16] The identity of the Bride of the Lamb is not given in the passage, but the Christian church is referred to elsewhere in the New Testament as the Bride of Christ.

In Revelation 21:14 the Lamb is said to have twelve apostles. The delivery of the scroll (i.e., the book containing the names of those who will be saved) to the resurrected Lamb signifies the changing of the Lamb’s role. At Calvary the Lamb submitted to the Father’s will to be slaughtered, but now he is entrusted with the judgment of mankind.

The book of Revelation is presented from the beginning as “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” and thus the focus on the Lamb as Savior and Judge represents Jesus’ dual role: redeeming man through self-sacrifice, yet holding man accountable on the Day of Judgment .

Christology[ edit ]

The concept of the Lamb of God fits well with John’s “agent Christology” in which the sacrifice is made as God’s agent or servant for the sake of ultimate victory.

The theme of a sacrificial lamb rising in victory as the risen Christ was used in early Christology. For example, in 375, St. Augustine wrote: “Why a lamb in its passion? Because he accepted death without being guilty of any sin. Why a lion in his passion? Because he was killed and slew death. Why a lamb in his resurrection? Because his innocence is eternal. Why a lion in his resurrection? For eternal is also his power.”

The 11th-century Christology of Saint Anselm of Canterbury explicitly separates the Lamb of God from the Old Testament concept of a scapegoat who is subjected to punishment for the sins of others without knowing or wanting it. Anselm emphasized that Jesus, as the Lamb of God, chose to suffer at Calvary as a sign of His full obedience to the Father’s will.

John Calvin presented the same Christological view of “The Lamb as God’s Agent”, arguing that Jesus could have argued for his innocence in his trial before Pilate and while at Herod’s court, but instead remained largely calm and acquiesced in crucifixion submitted to obedience to the Father, for he knew his role as the Lamb of God.

In modern Eastern Orthodox Christology, Sergei Bulgakov argued that Jesus’ role as the Lamb of God was determined by the Father “preeternally” before the creation of the world, considering the scenario that it would be necessary to send the Son as a means to Redemption of mankind, fallen from grace by the fall of Adam, and that this is a sign of His love.

The cross of San Damiano shows the sacrificed Christ as Agnus Dei

Within different Christological frameworks, several hypotheses have been advanced as to the appropriate symbolism for the Lamb of God, ranging from interpretations of Old Testament references to those of the Book of Revelation. One view suggests the symbolism of Leviticus 16 as a scapegoat linked to Romans 3:21-25 for atonement, while another view draws parallels to the Easter lamb in Exodus 12:1-4 linked to John 1:29-36, and yet Another symbolism draws on Revelation 5:5–14, in which the lamb is viewed as a lion destroying evil. However, as above, the view taken by Saint Anselm and John Calvin rejects scapegoating. They view Jesus as a conscious victim as an agent of God as opposed to an ignorant scapegoat.

In modern Roman Catholic Christology, Karl Rahner further elaborated on the analogy that the blood of the Lamb of God and the water flowing from Christ’s side at Calvary had a purifying nature, similar to baptismal water. In this analogy, the blood of the Lamb washed away the sins of mankind in a new baptism, redeeming them from the fall of Adam.

Liturgy and music[ edit ]

In the Roman Rite Mass, and also in the Eucharist of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church, and the Western Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Agnus Dei is the invocation of the Lamb of God sung or recited during the breaking of the host. It is said to have been introduced into the Mass by Pope Sergius I (687–701).[28]

Agnus Dei has been set to music by many composers, usually as part of a Mass setting.

art [edit]

Lamb of God with Vexillum, Herz-Jesu-Kirche (Berlin), 1898

In Christian iconography since the Middle Ages, an Agnus Dei is a visual representation of Jesus as a lamb, usually wearing a halo and holding a flag or banner with a cross, symbolizing victory.[31] This usually rests on the lamb’s shoulder and is held in its right front leg. Often hanging from the cross is a white banner laden with a red cross (similar to St. George’s Cross), although the cross can also be depicted in a variety of colors. Sometimes the Lamb is shown lying on a book with seven seals attached. This is a reference to the imagery in the book of Revelation 5:1-13ff. Occasionally the Lamb may be shown bleeding from the heart (cf. Revelation 5:6), symbolizing that Jesus shed His blood to pay for sins to take away from the world (cf. John 1:29, 1:36). .

Mosaic in Santi Cosma e Damiano

The symbol appears very early in early Christian art. Several mosaics in churches contain it, some showing a row of twelve sheep representing the apostles flanking the central Agnus Dei, as in Santi Cosma e Damiano, Rome (526–30). Agnus Dei stands on a hill beneath which flow four rivers of Paradise.[31]

The Moravian Church used an Agnus Dei as a seal with the surrounding inscription Vicit agnus noster, eum sequamur (“Our lamb has triumphed, let us follow him”).

Although the depiction of Jesus as the Lamb of God is of ancient origin, it is not used in the liturgical iconography of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The reason for this is that the depictions of Jesus in the Orthodox Church are anthropomorphic rather than symbolic, as an affirmation of the Orthodox belief in the incarnation of the Logos. However, there is nothing wrong with applying the term “Lamb of God” to Jesus. In fact, the Host used in the Orthodox Divine Liturgy is referred to as a lamb (Greek: άμνος, romanized: amnos; Church Slavonic: Агнецъ, romanized: agnets). In AD 692 the Synod of Constantinople forbade the use of a representation of the lamb as a symbol of Christ, but this policy was largely ignored.[31]

Lamb of God Easter declarations over Poland

Lamb of God is also part of the Easter decorations.[32]

heraldry [edit]

A Paschal Lamb is a charge used in heraldry, for example as the coat of arms of the Davie Baronets, and is emblazoned with: A Paschal Lamb This charge is depicted as a lamb standing with the body to the dexter (viewer’s left) with nimbus standing and with head forward (or turned backwards to be sinister, called the Reguardant) holding under his right front leg a flagpole with a small cross resting at a diagonal angle over his shoulder and a banner of the cross of St. George flies (except in the coat of arms of Perth where a banner with the St. Andrew’s Cross flies).

Catholic Sacrament[ edit ]

In the Roman Catholic Church, an Agnus Dei is a wax disc embossed with an image of Jesus as a lamb carrying a cross and consecrated as a sacrament by the Pope. These were often set in jewelry and could be worn on a chain around the neck or as a brooch.

Gallery [ edit ]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

quotes[edit]

Sources[edit]