MEET Noel - he's literally one in 3,000.
The five-month-old kitten has been taken into the care of Gwent Cats Protection with his five siblings - but there's something extra-special about him.
Only one in around 3,000 tortoiseshell cats are male, meaning Noel is far from the regular moggie.
Glynis Davies, co-ordinator for Gwent Cats Protection, said: “I have been volunteering with Gwent Cats Protection for 19 years and have never seen a male tortoiseshell before.”
Noel is a one in 3,000 miracle
A tortoiseshell is classed as a cat that has two or more fur colours (apart from white) present and they are almost always female.
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Just like humans, male cats only have one X chromosome in their DNA, which makes it technically impossible for them to inherit the different colour genes that make up the colouring for a tortoiseshell. So Noel is a little miracle.
Noel has now been neutered, although the rare male tortoiseshells are usually infertile, and will be ready to be rehomed soon.
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