Cat McAuliffe
When H Due, a certified veterinary technician, was on their lunch break on January 14, 2020, they saw a post on Dane County Humane Society‘s website about an earless tabby cat who was looking for a forever home.
“She came into the shelter as a stray and her ears were terribly infected and she had a ton of scar tissue in the pinnas from this,” explains H. “They were curled over to the point they couldn’t treat the ears so they had to remove them.”
At the time, H and their wife already had a cat, a three-legged pit bull, and a one-eyed Shih Tzu, and they weren’t looking to add another pet to their family. However, H felt a unique connection with the nine-year-old earless feline who had recently been rescued from the streets of Madison, Wisconsin. “I immediately fell in love with her,” remembers H, adding, “I have always had a very soft spot for special needs and senior animals.”
Thankfully, when H asked their wife — a special education teacher — to get the earless cat from the shelter, she didn’t need any convincing. In fact, just a few hours later, H’s wife arrived at the veterinary clinic with the adorable grey tabby. “I about died when I saw her,” says H, and after a memorable meeting, they ran various tests to make sure the earless feline wouldn’t pose any health risks to their resident cat.
Thankfully, the tests revealed the unique kitty, whom the couple named Nora, was in relatively good health, despite the neglect she’d suffered as a homeless cat. While it’s impossible to know exactly how much time Nora spent on the streets before she was rescued, it didn’t take long for her to adjust to her new home. “I think in general, people think that pets that look different can’t have good lives,” says H, “but I can assure you, Nora is living her best life.”
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More than a year after finding her forever home, Nora is still in good health and is doing extremely well! Like a typical cat, Nora loves to sleep, and she can often be found taking naps with Matilda, her family’s three-legged dog. “She sleeps about 20 hours per day,” says H. “She’s extremely comfortable. She also loves making biscuits!”
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While Nora is a deep sleeper, she definitely isn’t a deaf, another common misconception H has encountered, but the area around her ear canals is very sensitive. Consequently, H and their wife avoid touching this part of Nora’s body, but she doesn’t actually require any special care. “She’s like any other cat,” says H, and they encourage other people to consider adopting special kitties like Nora who often have trouble getting adopted because of how they look. “All cats deserve loving homes.”
When H saw Nora for the first time, they immediately felt a special connection with this gorgeous girl, and the bond they share has only gotten stronger over the past year. In fact, H believes the love they have for this adorable grey tabby cat — who they affectionately call Nora Jean the Earless Queen — is unparalleled. “I’m not going to lie, she means everything to me,” says H. “I always joke that I love her more than my wife. She and I are extremely bonded and she is so very important to me. She’s the best thing ever.”
To learn more about this gorgeous cat, you can follow Nora on Instagram.
