Caitlin McAuliffe
The first time we saw Dorito on social media, we were instantly smitten by his bright orange coat, expressive face, and stunning green eye, so we reached out to his mom Michelle to learn more about this handsome one-eyed cat! She graciously agreed to share Dorito’s story with us, including the damage he suffered to his eye before he was rescued, as well as how he ended up finding his forever home with Michelle in October 2017.
We also discovered Dorito isn’t the only one-eyed kitty in his household, nor does he allow having one eye to prevent him from living his life to its fullest! Finally, we learned all about how Dorito spends his days in his forever home in Halifax, Canada, and the sweet story about how he got his unique name.
We really enjoyed getting to learn Dorito’s story, and we hope you’ll find it as entertaining and inspiring as we did!
Meow As Fluff: How did you end up meeting Dorito?
Michelle: Dorito was found as a stray on a small farm in New Brunswick [Canada]. He just showed up one day and ended up staying there for a couple months. They noticed his injury; however, they assumed that he was born that way and that it wasn’t a concern. Winter was just around the corner, and the owner of the farm didn’t want Dorito to get cold outside, so he was going to surrender him to SPCA. At the time, it was kitten season, and the SPCA from our area was already flooded with animals.
Most other rescue organizations were at maximum capacity and were closed for intake. I heard about Dorito’s condition through a friend, and they asked if I was able to help. I picked him up that day and immediately brought him to the vet. When I picked him up, he was in a plastic container with holes in it, so I wasn’t aware he was feral or what he even looked like. When I got to the vet and let him out of the container, my heart melted, and I immediately fell in love.
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He was so friendly and sweet. He just wanted to be pet, and you could tell he was very fond of people. As cliché as it might sound, it truly was love at first sight. After his check-up, we found that he had an ear infection and he had an ulcer on his cornea, and because it was left untreated for so long, his eye had to be removed.
MAF: What made you decide to adopt a one-eyed cat?
M: I’ve always had a soft spot for special animals. We also have a three-legged cat (Ziggy) and another one-eyed cat (Herbie), so I knew he would fit right in.
It wasn’t a hard decision to keep him; he has the best personality and is the absolute sweetest! People tell me all the time they wish that they would’ve found him first.
MAF: Can you tell us a bit about the corneal ulcer that caused Dorito to lose his eye?
M: We don’t know how Dorito ended up with a corneal ulcer; we just know it severely damaged his eye. At his first examination, the vet said he had had this injury for at least a year.
MAF: Can you tell us the story behind his name?
M: When I was trying to find a name for him, my friend and I were sharing a bag of Doritos. I glanced over at the bag and thought, “There it is! His name! Dorito!”
MAF: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you think people have about one-eyed cats and cats who look different?
M: The biggest misconception that people have about one-eyed cats and cats who look different is that they’re “broken.” I also get the classic, “Aww, poor baby,” “How sad,” and “I can’t even look at him; it makes me want to cry.” I dislike those comments so much. Dorito has no limitations, and having one eye has never slowed him down; in fact, he has amazing hunting skills.
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Catching black flies around the house is one of his favorite things to do. He also loves catching June bugs in his catio, so much so we need to make sure he doesn’t overindulge.
MAF: What are some of the challenges — if any — you’ve faced as a result of Dorito having one eye?
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M: Dorito’s brother Herbie seems to have lost some depth perception; however, Dorito doesn’t have any challenges due to having only one eye.
MAF: What do you wish more people knew about special cats, particularly cats with one eye?
M: I wish people knew that one-eyed cats aren’t that different from other cats. They simply look different. They adapt very quickly to having one eye and have just as much love to offer, if not more!
MAF: What are some of Dorito’s favorite activities?
M: Dorito’s always looks forward to play time! He absolutely adores tunnels, he loves to run and hide in them. He also enjoys chasing after his laser cat toy and birdwatching in his catio.
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It doesn’t matter what time of day it is; Dorito is always down to play! Oh, and did I mention how much he loves food?
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MAF: What does he mean to you?
M: Dorito means the absolute world to me! I can’t describe how deep our bond is. When I’m home, he’s always by my side, he sleeps with me every night, and he wakes me up every morning. Sometimes he just sits by my head and waits for me to get up.
I feel Dorito is very thankful to have been rescued. I know it sounds crazy for a cat to be thankful, but he genuinely seems appreciative of everything he has. We are so happy that he is a part of our lives.
To learn more about this handsome cat, you can follow Dorito on Instagram.
