Pauly the formerly six-legged street cat is down a couple of limbs and recovering nicely after life-saving surgery.

​The unique feline was rescued from the streets of southwest Edmonton, where he'd been eking out a life despite his deformed hips and two extra legs, earlier this year.

"They came right out of his chest, they were kind of connected in a V form," said Roxanne Kolmatycki, an adoption coordinator with the Little Cats Lost Society that helped care for Pauly.

The extra limbs, which appeared to be back legs rotated 180 degrees, weren't functional and just dragged along on the ground, Kolmatycki said.

Roxanne Kolmatycki points to where an extra pair of legs were removed from Pauly's chest. Today, he has only two small scars from surgery and is recovering well. (Kim Nakrieko/CBC) "They were more inhibiting than hurting him. They stopped him from doing a lot of things, jumping and that sort of stuff."

That changed in August as Pauly underwent a third and final surgery to remove the legs. He was also neutered at the same time.

The surgery was paid for through an online fundraising campaign by the Little Cats Lost Society.

"He's had amazing support from the public and our staff and vets," Kolmatycki said. "It's just been amazing, the support he's had."

Pauly's unique anatomy can be traced back to the womb.

"Based on vet checks, we are fairly certain he absorbed a twin, so (the legs were) actually part of a twin that he had absorbed. He also had three testicles," Kolmatycki said.

Now, she says Pauly has a bright future ahead of him.

"He was hospitalized for approximately a week after (his surgery) to be monitored and then he came to my house and we started socializing with him — and here he is today, happy and healthy and ready for his forever home."

He's now in the process of being adopted, she said.

Asked whether she gave any thought to keeping the cat herself, Kolmatycki said she was tempted but that it would have put an end to her caring for other cats in need.

"I will be following him and staying close in touch with his new family," she said.

As for Pauly's health prognosis, Kolmatycki said "he should live a happy, healthy life."