The serious condition behind Kevin the cat's permanent surprise

Meet Kevin - the permanently surprised cat. Photo / Instagram

Meet Kevin, a four-year-old Russian Blue cat whose distinctive features make him look permanently surprised.

The reason for Kevin's distinctive looks is hydrocephalus. "It is a fancy word for 'fluid on the brain'," says his owner Tailah. "It is a serious condition and can impact sight, hearing and brain function.

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Mum can't type a caption, she's too busy laughing.. 😹😹😹😹

A post shared by Kevin (@theadventuresofkev) on May 13, 2016 at 3:36pm PDT

"Kev is a total characteristic of this as he is (not completely) blind and deaf and to put it gently... he's very 'special.'"

Tailah, a veterinary nurse, first met Kevin when he was a very small kitten: "A lovely lady found him in a carpark when he was around 4 weeks old and surrendered him to the clinic," she told Love Meow. "I fell in love with him straight away and knew I had to give him a chance."

"I was warned that he wouldn't live to see six months (if he was lucky) and to not become attached. I told myself that even if he passed away, I gave him all the loving I could."

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Taking part in @cuddleclones Thankful For My Pet Contest! #CCthankful14 | I am thankful to have Kev to brighten my day- each and every day. I couldn't imagine life without those eyes to melt my heart! ❤️😍🐱

A post shared by Kevin (@theadventuresofkev) on Nov 20, 2014 at 11:41am PST

Despite the grim prognosis Kevin survived. He's never had a seizure - one of the biggest risks for cats with hydrocephalus - shows no signs of nausea, and has what sounds like an extremely contended life.

Tailah has provided him with his own "personal balcony," fitted with cat grass, a "house" and an endless supply of toys.

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Kev apologises for not posting in a while! We have been such busy bees 🐝❤

A post shared by Kevin (@theadventuresofkev) on Jun 17, 2014 at 2:15am PDT

"He is the happiest, funniest, silliest little kid I know and I'm so glad I was able to give him a chance at life," says Tailah. "A chance he grabbed with both paws and ran with!"
And now he's become internet famous - his Instagram account has more than 11 thousand followers, and his profile has grown hugely since the website Love Meow brought him to the attention of the wider world.

Tailah says: "Four years later and he's still my best little love bug. If you met this little bundle in real life, you would see what we all see. A funny, happy, silly, loving little cat!"