By Emma Esteves

Lil Bub has taken the internet by storm and truly deserves some special recognition. Born with several medical mutations, these problems proved to be no match for her and her owner, Mike Bridavsky. With severe dwarfism, shortened limbs, a deformed jaw (which causes her tongue to stick out), missing teeth, extra toes, and even osteoporosis (low bone density), these issues only contributed to Lil Bub’s adorable appearance, capturing the hearts of many around the world.

Lil Bub was the runt of the litter, found in an Indiana Tool Shed. However, it was not until she was rescued when individuals discovered her complicated medical history. Along with her countless genetic mutations, Lil Bub is also a Perma Kitten-an extremely rare condition in which felines will maintain kitten size and features their entire life, even as they grow old. But despite these malforumatities, Bub is continuing to thrive today. With over 200,000 followers on Youtube, guest appearances on a variety of shows, and an even extensive merchandise website, Lil Bub’s unique look has become a familiar face to many of her supporters.

In addition to Lil Bub’s accomplishments, this particular feline is also an advocate for homeless and special needs pets all over the world. Even before she rose to stardom, Bub and her owner worked to spread a message of positivity, acceptance, and inspiration, helping others to understand that being different isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Then in 2014, the Lil Bub’s Big Fund was created to help provide resources for shelters with special needs pets. As Bub continued to gain supporters through meet and greets, merchandise, and media platforms, she has raised more than $200,000 for various animal shelters-a large achievement for such a little creature.