Cat McAuliffe
When Kaitlin Zezeski came across a photo of George, a handsome black and white cat with an adorably different face, on Petfinder, she felt an immediate connection with the one of a kind tuxedo kitty.
“I instantly knew he was going to be mine,” remembers Kaitlin. Certain she was destined to adopt George, Kaitlin arranged to meet him in August 2015 at an animal shelter near her home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he’d ended up after he was rescued from the streets as a kitten.
“I was told he was attacked by an animal when he was a homeless kitten,” explains Kaitlin. “A kind couple saved him and nursed him to health before a local rescue took him.” While no one knows exactly how George received his injuries, the suspected animal attack left the adorable black and white kitten with scars around his nose and eyes. “He’s missing part of his lip,” says Kaitlin. “He basically had his face put back together.”
Despite everything George had been through in his young life, when Kaitlin met him in person, she was pleasantly surprised to learn that he was a very happy and outgoing cat. However, Kaitlin wasn’t sure if the handsome tuxedo boy would get along with her two cats, so she decided to foster George before making the commitment to adopt him. It didn’t take long for the young cat with the unique face to make himself at home with Kaitlin and her other kitties, and she formally adopted George a week after meeting him for the first time.
It’s been more than two years since George joined Kaitlin’s family, and he’s as healthy, happy, and friendly as ever. “He’s extremely social,” says Kaitlin, “and welcomes all of our foster [cats].” In addition to greeting guests to his home, George loves to play, especially with plastic springs, and he enjoys wrestling with his five siblings.
This handsome black and white cat also likes keeping his mom company in the kitchen, and at meal times, George can often be found next to the sink, supervising Kaitlin while she prepares food. One of George’s favorite activities involves a rainbow maker his mom got for the kitchen. “He loves chasing rainbows,” says Kaitlin. “He’s such a ham.”
Overall, George is a typical cat who can do pretty much anything the average feline can, although he does have some difficulty when it comes to jumping, which may be related to his permanently crossed eyes. “His depth perception isn’t very good,” explains Kaitlin, but neither she nor anyone else knows if George’s eyes are crossed as a result of the injuries he received as a kitten or if he was simply born with them.
Aside from being unsteady on his feet when it comes to jumping and walking on soft surfaces like blankets, George — who’s missing a portion of his lip — has a unique purr, which is the result of the damage to his face. “His cute nasally snoring kind of purr is adorable,” says Kaitlin.
While many people passed George by when he was available for adoption as a kitten, fearing he would require more time or money than a typical cat, Kaitlin has found that this handsome black and white boy is different in some ways from the average feline. “People assume they require extra care or they won’t be like a ‘normal’ cat,” says Kaitlin. “In a way, I guess that’s true — they’re extraordinary.”
Thankfully, George, who was attacked by an unknown animal while living on the streets as a kitten, now has a happy and loving home where his unique appearance and personality are celebrated. In fact, this adorably different boy has inspired his mom to share his story with the world in hopes of raising awareness about special needs animals and less adoptable pets. “Special needs and the less adoptable are amazing animals,” says Kaitlin, and judging by the many followers George has on social media, lots of people agree.
This tuxedo cat may mean something different to each and every one of the more than 40,000 followers he has on Instagram, but the relationship George has with his mom is truly unique. “He came into my life at a time when I really needed it,” says Kaitlin. “He gave me a joy and shared his light with me. George means everything to me!”
To learn more about this incredible cat, you can follow George on Instagram.
