Herbie is a shelter kitten known for permanently lowered "airplane ears," big round eyes, and an unusually expressive face. Rescuers first spotted him in a shelter email and placed him in foster care, where a neurological specialist diagnosed bilateral facial nerve paralysis as the cause of his droopy ears and reduced blinking. Herbie cannot blink normally but uses a cat's inner eyelid to protect his eyes, so his caretakers take extra precautions such as keeping blinds closed and cleaning his room frequently. Behind his distinctive look, Herbie has a playful personality: he chirps, sprints in zoomies, plays fetch with a tiny fabric ball and even brings toys into his water bowl. His owner says people compare him to Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle and that living with Herbie reinforced how differences can make an animal easier to love.
