Giant-eyed 'alien cat' Matilda raises money for surgery

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 17 (UPI) -- The owners of an "alien cat" named Matilda said the viral feline's unusually large eyes are due to a medical condition that will eventually require surgery.

Matilda's owners, who wished to be identified only as "the Bearded Man" and "The Lady," said the giant eyes that turned Matilda into a viral celebrity on Instagram are the result of a genetic disorder that became apparent after her first birthday.

"The regular vets were for the most part stumped. After she saw a specialist, we learned that it is a spontaneous lens luxation, which means that the lens detached from the rest of the eye for no known reason. This is the mysterious part of the problem since she is an otherwise healthy cat," the owners told People.

The owners started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the now-blind cat's eventual surgery to have the enlarged eyes removed. They exceeded their $2,500 goal in a matter of days.

Matilda and her humans have now started a fundraising website to help other pet owners pay for expensive surgeries and other medical procedures.