All pets deserve love, no matter what they look like. Some animals are just born with disfigurements that make them look a little different, but all they want is to be loved just the way they are.
Pinocchio is a peculiar kitty who has overcome intense obstacles and taken quite the roller coaster ride with [ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs] but he’s still living his best cat life.
When Jacqueline Santiago first saw a photo of Pinocchio, she could tell there was something different about him. The skinny little kitten had big blue eyes and a snaggletooth.
“I couldn’t really make out what was going on with his face until he arrived,” Santiago said.
“He was very, very sweet upon first meetings,” Jacqueline Santiago, owner of the rescue, told. “[He] purred right away.”
But Pinocchio also required some medical attention. Pinocchio was born with a [ᴄʀᴀɴɪᴀʟ ᴀʙɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟɪᴛʏ], giving his face a twisted look. Due to his misaligned jaw, he’s only able to eat wet food. Luckily, the rescue often specializes in special needs cases since they have a vet in-house.
When Santiago met the 4-month-old kitten, he seemed completely unaware that he was any different.
“He was very, very sweet upon first meetings,” Santiago said. “[He] purred right away.”
Pinocchio quickly befriends every human and animal he meets, and couldn’t be more outgoing.
“Pinocchio isn’t the shy type,” she added. “He’s extremely confident and greets everyone almost immediately. “He runs up to anyone who enters the room and climbs up to their shoulder to perch.”
Pinocchio is healing nicely but due to his medical issues, he likely won’t be adoptable until he’s closer to adulthood.
“During treatment, we don’t accept any apps or inquiries as we don’t yet have the full scope of what his later needs will be,” Santiago said. “We know what his needs are now, but as he grows and changes, those could change as well.”
