This is Venus.
The first thing you might notice about her is the fact that she has beautiful, bright eyes.
Then it might be the fact she hasn’t got a tail.
What most people don’t notice about her, though, is that she actually doesn’t have an anus.
This issue was discovered in Venus when she came to live with foster carer Jodie Dewane, who is now fundraising for surgery for the cat.
Jodie got Venus from a rescue centre called Feline Friends, who are based in London and supported by donations and volunteers.
She said: ‘I was thinking about fostering a cat. I’ve grown up with cats and wanted to help take care of vulnerable animals.’
It wasn’t long after that that Feline Friends’ organiser Barbara got in contact to say they had a stay that needed a home – Venus.
The tiny black kitten had been found in a bush with no tail and no place to call home, and so Jodie was more than happy to help.
But, ‘it soon became apparent that she had other health complications aside from not having a tail,’ said Jodie.
‘She was seen by the vet and we found out she didn’t have a bum and had been pooping from her vagina, ouch!
‘It appears as if she was born without a tail or a bum and was abandoned when it became apparent that she was such a special little girl.’
This is likely due to a condition called imperforate anus, which is a birth defect that affects the development of the anus. In some cases the rectum opens into other structures – in Venus’ case her vagina,
Venus, who is estimated to be around four months old, sometimes cries from the pain, and Jodie understandably wants to get things sorted. As a result, the vet suggests surgery for the brave little cat.
Jodie says: ‘Nonetheless she’s still one of the most loving, affectionate, sweet kittens I have ever met!’
The surgery will cost up £5,000, which includes x-rays, medication and the surgery itself. Jodie said that this is a ballpark figure as vet consultations are ongoing, but any excess will be donated to Feline Friends.
Currently, the GoFundMe page has racked up £205, but there’s still a long way to go. If you’d like to help Venus, you can do so here.
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