Frank And Louie: Oldest Ever Two-Faced Cat Dies At 15

Frank and Louie, the famous two-faced cat which held the Guinness World record for the longest living two-faced cat, has died.

According to WTSP, the cat died Thursday at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton. The two-faced cat, also called Frankenlouie, lived for 15 years — which is by far the longest any feline with a genetic mutation like this has lived. While the cause of death has not been ascertained, the owner of the cat, Marty Stevens, indicated that his pet could have been suffering from cancer.

Two-faced cats are also known as Janus cats, and are named after the Roman god Janus, who is usually portrayed as having two faces. In case of Frank and Louie, the two-faced cat had two faces, two mouths, two noses, and three eyes. According to Leslie Lyons of the University of Missouri’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, two-faced cats are generally known to die early due to complications stemming from the condition with which they are born.

The Inquisitr has in the past reported about two-faced kittens dying young. Frank and Louie, however, was an exception, and lived to the ripe old age of 15 – which by cat standards, is quite long. Lyons told the National Geographic that while the birth of a Janus cat is an extremely rare event, it does happen in nature, and that such phenomenon is also seen in other mammals — including humans. She adds that Janus cats usually occur when one embryo either splits to form twins, or two embryos, early in development and don’t quite properly fuse together.

“We know there’s a variety of genetic mechanisms that could cause it, though only DNA testing could pinpoint the exact cause,” Lyons added.

Lyons goes on to add that Frank and Louie would have in all likelihood shared one brain which sort of made things simpler. Add to it the fact that other crucial organs of the two-faced cat were functioning normally as it would have done on normal cats — all contributed to the longevity of the cat. One of the most important parts in animals like these is the esophagus. In case of Frank and Louie, the pet possessed a single esophagus, which meant only one of the mouths could be used to feed the cat.

“In this particular case, one [side] didn’t have a lower jaw or esophagus. If you had both sides of the face eating, I don’t know what kind of complications that would cause. Initially the complications are going to be with the ability to eat and breathe properly,” Lyons confirms.

In nature, two-faced cats or young ones with abnormalities are usually abandoned by their mothers, raising their mortality rates. Cats are known to even kill and eat such young kittens. Frank and Louie’s owner had on previous occasions said that she decided to keep the two-faced cat because she feared it would be euthanized. Marty wanted the animal to lead a normal life. It is highly appreciated that Marty took care of the two-faced cat for over 15 years, as it is definitely not easy to care for an animal that has medical complications.

RIP, Frank and Louie.

[Image via New York Daily News]