Last updated at 11:49 21 November 2007

Everybody knows that cats have nine lives. But one very special and much loved cat has been born with TWO faces - and very possibly, two brains.

The owner of the tomcat called Lil'Bit - as in 'A little bit of love' - nearly dropped the kitten in shock when its extra features were revealed.

But the 47-year old woman owner from Arizona, USA, was determined that the odd arrival, although ill, should not be put to sleep and she pledged to become Lil'Bit's carer.

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Now, seven months later, after feeding the mog from a pipette on baby milk and eventually more solid food, he is apparently thriving and seems likely to live to a grand old age.

Lil'Bit had four eyes when he was born, although the two middle eyes are on the point of merging, two mouths,

two noses, but just two ears. And vets believe the cat may actually have two brains as one face can go to sleep while the other remains awake. If Lil'Bit gets a cold, the nose on only one of her faces will run.

Lil'Bit was one of five kittens born in a litter from his mum, Lil'Pine, seven months ago. His two brothers and two sisters only had the regulation one face.

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The cat's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous as she believes unwanted callers to her home to see the cat may leave Lil'Bit stressed and ill, told how she discovered the puss with two faces.

She said yesterday: 'The kittens were born underneath my computer table. When I picked Lil'Bit up I suddenly spotted that he had two faces. I was so shocked that I nearly dropped him.

'I called a kitten rescue service and they told me not to expect him to survive. But I didn't see why he shouldn't be given the chance to live. Everything is possible.

'I got him a heating pad and started feeding him every 15 minutes from an eye-dropper. I fed him like that for two or three months before starting him on proper cat food.

'He finds it hard to walk normally so there was a litter problem because he couldn't do it himself. So I hit on the idea of using premature baby diapers on him. It seems to work well.

'The amazing thing to watch is that one of Lil'Bit's faces can be asleep while the other one is awake. I have also seen him sneeze out of one side and not the other and blink on one side of his face but not the other.

'And when he purrs it is like he is purring in stereo.

'We haven't had any X-rays done or operations under anaesthesia because I think that could upset Lil'Bit. But the vet seems to think there is a good chance there are two brains operating here. It seems logical as she breathes out of both mouths and noses.

The mother of two boys added: 'The whole family loves Lil'Bit.'