When it comes to Pinocchio, we will think of the cute little boy with a round, chubby face and long nose in the protagonist of the children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence. However, in this article, Pinocchio is not a fictional character, it is the name of a kitten with a special face.
Meet Pinocchio, the little kitten who has a crooked face due to being born with a cranial abnormality. The skinny little kitten has big blue eyes, and a snaggletooth. Despite owning a unique look, the kitten seemed completely unaware that he was any different.
According to Jacqueline Santiago, owner of Friends for Life Rescue Network, when she first saw a photo of the little kitten, she could notice there was something different about his look. However, she didn’t realize how unique he was until she met him.
“I couldn’t really make out what was going on with his face until he arrived,” Santiago told The Dodo. “He was very, very sweet upon first meetings,” Santiago said. “[He] purred right away.”
Pinocchio is outgoing, so he quickly befriends every human and animal he meets. “Pinocchio isn’t the shy type,” Santiago said. “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,” she added. “He rubs on you, loves to play and bounces around. He’s a really happy guy who loves everyone — other people, other cats and dogs.”
Due to his misaligned jaw, he’s only able to eat wet food. While staying at a foster home, he also had some medical issues and underwent corrective surgeries to fix his umbilical hernia and his sternum placement.
Pinocchio’s health is now recovering, but due to his health problems he likely won’t be cleared for adoption 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.”
Once Pinocchio is ready to find a forever home, he will need a special family who will love him and meet his special needs. No matter what happens, Pinocchio refuses to stop smiling because his crooked face always gives him a lopsided grin.
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H/T: The Dodo