This Rare Cat Has Four Ears and Is Named After a Very Popular ‘Harry Potter’ Character
.jpg "Dobby the Cat is a four-eared cat who will be up for adoption soon.")
A cat named Dobby is up for adoption through Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue in Hoover, Alabama, and he’s drawing attention for his unusual appearance: four ears, an underbite, and a short curled tail.
His foster mom says the one thing she wants most for Dobby’s forever home is a family with children.
“He just loves children,” Stephanie Brown, Dobby’s foster mom and a board member of the rescue, told People in an interview published Feb. 24. “I just really hope he does get a family with kids.”
How Dobby Ended Up in Foster Care
Dobby’s previous owner struggled to get him to adjust to a senior cat already living in the home, so they gave him up for adoption. Brown spotted Dobby in a Facebook post by his previous owner.
“Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to foster him,” she told People. Brown began caring for Dobby on Feb. 8.
His name comes from the house elf in the Harry Potter books, inspired by his prominent ears.
The extra ears are the result of a rare genetic mutation. But the condition doesn’t come with health complications.
“He has two extra earflaps that are just in front of his regular ears and they are smaller, and it’s almost like they’re backwards,” Brown said in an interview with As It Happens, released Feb. 25.
“They don’t cause any problems or discomfort. It doesn’t affect his hearing. They’re just additional skin flaps.”
Beyond the ears, Dobby has a short, curled tail and an underbite that give him a look all his own.
According to CBC Radio, the shelter has rescued more than 6,800 cats and kittens since 2017. Dobby is the first four-eared cat to come through their doors.
Dental Surgery Before Adoption
Dobby isn’t available to go home with a family just yet. His underbite required medical attention, and Brown set up a GoFundMe to cover the cost of dental surgery.
“We met with a dental specialist last week, who determined that Dobby needs his lower canines shortened so that they don’t protrude into his upper palate,” the GoFundMe description read. “Once this procedure is complete, no additional complications from his overbite and narrow lower jaw are anticipated.”
The $3,000 goal was met in two weeks. The surgery is scheduled for April 20, and Dobby will be available for adoption afterward.
Despite not being ready, the shelter has received a flood of interest. Brown told CBC Radio they’ve had to slow things down.
“We’ve had to kind of pump the brakes on asking people to apply for him,” Brown said.
“He’s not quite adoptable yet. He’s going to need a dental surgery coming up in April and then after that, we’ll open up for adoptions and I don’t expect we’ll have any trouble there,” she added.
Families still hoping to adopt Dobby should watch the shelter and Brown’s social media pages in the weeks following his April surgery.
A Foster Family That Knows Special Needs Animals
Brown and her husband have been fostering cats since 2020, per CBC Radio. She describes the work as “difficult,” but “immensely rewarding.”
Brown also adopted her own cat, Phoebe, from the same shelter. Phoebe lives with cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), also known as “Wobbly Cat Syndrome.”
“I think it’s a matter of embracing all of those differences and understanding, just like people, every creature, every animal, is going to have their own unique personality, presentation, conditions, appearance, everything like that,” she told People.
For families with kids, bringing home a pet like Dobby or Phoebe can turn that idea into something lived rather than just talked about.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 9:53 AM.
