Meet Quimera, the (maybe) chimera.
This striking creature looks like two cats in one. One side of her face is orange, with an amber eye; the other is black, with a blue eye.
Though Quimera's name means "chimera" in Spanish, it's unclear if she's a real chimera (i.e., an individual made up of cells from two or more different embryos) or just a normal cat who happens to have some unusual markings.
Quimera may remind you of another two-faced cat that stole the internet's heart a few years ago – Venus, whose face was half black with a green eye and half orange with a blue eye. Basically, the reverse of Quimera's look.
With regard to Venus, geneticist Virginia Papaioannou told The New Republic that she was probably not a true chimera, but simply "a striking example of a calico cat." (If you want to get deeper into the science of it, follow the link above.) The same may be true in Quimera's case.
Not that it really matters. Quimera is a stunner no matter what her genetic makeup is. I mean, just look at her.
Despite her newfound internet celebrity, Quimera's still just an ordinary cat who likes doing ordinary cat things. Like sitting in boxes.
Or having her head scratched.
Or preventing her human from getting any work done.
Aww.
Topics Animals
