Adorable tortoiseshell kitten with abnormal sexual characteristic dropped off at animal shelter

An adorable tortoiseshell kitten with an unexpected secret was dropped off at an animal shelter in Oregon. 

Cinder, previously named Cindi, was originally thought to be a female kitten, but during a spay procedure, doctor's soon realized that that cat did not have a uterus or ovaries. 

Instead, veterinarians at the Humane Society of Central Oregon discovered that the one pound kitten had two testicles, making the feline a hermaphrodite. 

Instead, veterinarians at the Humane Society of Central Oregon discovered that the one pound kitten had two testicles, making the feline a hermaphrodite kitty. 

Tortoiseshell cats are commonly females, but Cinder is an exception as doctors believe the cat likely has three sex chromosomes, XXY - something that is rarely seen.

Just two XX chromosomes give cats the identifying orange and black swirls in their fur that make them a tortoiseshell. 

'To call it a male is tough, but with the binary nature of animals and people’s perception of animals, we chose male,' Crystal Bloodworth, the shelter's doctor said in a Facebook post. 

The hermaphrodite kitten was brought to the shelter in late April after his previous owner relinquished a litter. 

Shelter employees were speechless when they discovered the unique animal in front of them. 

'It was like spotting a unicorn. They always talked about how rare male tortoiseshells are back in school, but seeing one in person is something else,' Bailey Shelton, the clinic manager said. 

After nine years in the field, this was the first time Shelton got to meet a male tortoiseshell cat. 

'You just never know what amazing surprises await you at the humane society,' she added. 

Another clinic employee, Veterinary Technician Annie Pulzone, had only encountered one intersex tortoiseshell cat in her 20-year career before meeting Cinder. 

'But it is always fun to see these types of animals in one’s career because they are so rare,' she said. 

The shelter noted that there are multiple variations of hermaphroditism cats in the world. 

As Cinder grows, veterinarians might decide that the cat is female because its external genitalia matches the gender and the breed. 

The shelter said that they expect Cinder to be adopted very soon as multiple families are interested in bringing him home with them. 

According to Treehugger, one in every 3,000 male cats are born with an extra X chromosome. 

Male tortoiseshell cats are known to be sterile, according to Purina. 

The pet care company said that the cat breed is known for its 'feisty' personality, and though it hasn't been proven, some owners are convinced their cat's specific coloring makes them have a 'tortitude.'