7/26/2002: Siamese-sextuplet kittens

[jinx]

From here

MISTAKEN DIAGNOSIS OF CONJOINED KITTENS
In July 2002, I received information about "Siamese sextuplets". The six apparently conjoined kittens were born to a cat in Pusan, 281 miles (450 km) south of Seoul, South Korea. There were 3 ginger and 3 black kittens. Their bodies were joined to each other. The mother cat was named "Nabi" (Butterfly). The kittens were two males and four females. Local vets blamed genetic defects or external environmental factors. A genetic defect is unlikely; conjoined kittens are due to incomplete separation of an egg or, in lesser cases, to duplication of body parts.
It is unlikely that the mother could give birth to six fused kittens - her birth canal simply could not accommodate them. Conjoined individuals originate from a single egg. This means the kittens should have been identical sextuplets and all the same colour and same gender. I therefore find it unlikely that they were born conjoined. It is more likely that they became stuck together after birth. Similar things have been seen in so-called "rat kings" or "squirrel kings" where the newborns become glued together by blood, amniotic fluid, tangled umbilical cords, excrement etc, or by tangled tails. Tangled kittens not unknown where the mother cat is inexperienced or cannot cope (or has given birth in wet, dirty surroundings).