Soft fur and pointy ears are not what ‘alien’ brings to mind, but one special kitty named Matilda has gone viral and gained thousands of followers in the process. Because of her big, bulbous eyes, her fans have nicknamed Matilda ‘the alien cat’.
Matilda was born in a hoarder’s home on Valentine’s Day of 2013. She was immediately rescued and adopted by her two “servants”, “The Bearded Man” and “The Lady”, as Matilda refers to them on social media.
When she was younger, Matilda looked the same as any other playful kitten.
Eventually, though, The Bearded Man and The Lady noticed she was squinting a lot with one of her eyes. Later, her pupil randomly became enlarged.
The couple made several trips to the vet’s office, but nobody could diagnose the problem. They eventually contacted the rescue where they got Matilda and learned that her siblings had been having eye problems too. After visiting a veterinary ophthalmologist, Matilda was finally diagnosed with spontaneous lens luxation.
According to PetMD, spontaneous lens luxation occurs when the eye lens detaches or dislocates, separating from the fiber-like processes that hold it in place. Although it can occur as a result of things like tumors, Matilda’s case appeared to be genetic. Because Matilda was also collagen-deficient, it would be difficult for her to heal from any type of surgery. The Bearded Man and The Lady, not wanting to put her through anything traumatic, decided to let her eyes grow naturally.
As Matilda got older, her eyes continued to get bigger and bigger, giving her an alien-like appearance. Photos of Matilda were posted on an Instagram account and the unique-looking kitty captured hearts worldwide.
By May 2016, although Matilda’s big, bulbous eyes had brought her internet fame, they would now have to be removed completely. “Lens luxations in cats are real and are usually the result of other diseases going on inside the eye,” Dr. Matthew Fife from the Veterinary Ophthalmology Center in Orlando, Florida, told ABC News. “From looking at [Matilda’s] pictures, the main problem in addition to the detached lenses, is her glaucoma, which means the pressure in her eyes is very high, causing the eyeballs to enlarge and stretch.”
Although Matilda can no longer see, she remains full of joy and is unconditionally loved.
On her website, her family writes, “No matter what happens, her servants think she’s perfect and beautiful and will love and care for her the absolute best way that they can for however long this little alien is here.”
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