A British Shorthair cat named “Domiino,” born with a rare two-toned face, has captured the hearts of the internet due to its unique appearance. Now three years old, Domiino resides in the Netherlands with its owner Joy Antonio van de Pol, who is originally from the Philippines, and two other cats – 5-year-old “Hann” and 10-year-old “Frosty.”
Initially, 56-year-old Antonio came across a photo of the rare kitten on a Facebook page of a cattery in Belgium. The cat’s face appeared as if it was divided in the middle, with one side orange and the other black. Additionally, its eyes were different colors, with one being orange and the other blue.
Antonio fell in love with Domiino’s unique beauty at first sight when the photo was taken when the cat was about three months old. She contacted the cattery owner inquiring if Domiino was available for sale.
Unfortunately, the initial response was a “no.” Disappointed, Antonio messaged the cattery owner again, expressing her willingness to adopt Domiino if they ever needed to find a new home for the cat.
Two years later, Antonio’s wish came true when she received a message from the cattery informing her that she could now adopt Domiino. In December 2023, Antonio and her husband drove two hours from the Netherlands to Belgium to pick up Domiino, and upon seeing the cat for the first time, Antonio was speechless with excitement.
Over time, Domiino, described as “playful, curious,” integrated well with the other cats in the household, forming a particularly close bond with Hann.
To share Domiino’s uniqueness with the world, Antonio began posting photos and videos of the cat online. The response from netizens was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing awe at the cat’s dual-colored face.
Despite some skeptics questioning the authenticity of the photos and suggesting the cat’s different coat colors were edited, the majority believed in Domiino’s genuine two-toned features.
One internet user commented, “Undoubtedly, this is one in a million. Life is truly wonderful!” Another remarked, “This is nature’s masterpiece! It’s really beautiful.”
Some curious netizens asked Antonio if Domiino was deaf due to its unusual eye colors and connected it to heterochromia, a condition where the irises of the eyes differ in color.
Antonio clarified that Domiino is actually a “chimerism” cat, a rare genetic mutation where two or more fertilized eggs merge during development, explaining the cat’s unique features.
While Domiino has gained some fame, its popularity is set to soar as it will be featured in the upcoming book “Feline” by renowned photographer Tim Flach, to be published next fall.