Smushie was abandoned on the streets of Virginia as a kitten, left to fend for herself. Smushie has a smushed-in face, a cleft palate, and an undeveloped nose as a result of several medical problems. She may have appeared frightening to some people due to her unique looks, but she soon met some people who felt she was perfect exactly the way she is.
Lisa Ancarrow-Maltby and her husband Brian first discovered Smushie in the alley next to their house. Their next-door neighbor, who works at a vet clinic, also saw Smushie and tried to feed her, but the young cat was resistant. She looked hesitant to take food or attention — until she stops before the couple’s door one day.
“She stopped by our house in late December and we fed her food,” Ancarrow-Maltby told The Dodo. “She began to visit more frequently, and on one especially cold and snowy day, she joined me onto the front porch.” As I entered, she approached our glass door, sat, laid her paw on the glass, and began weeping. We quickly pulled her inside, and she has been part of our family ever since.”
Smushie seemed to be looking for the perfect family, and when she found them, she let them know they were supposed to be hers.
As soon as she became theirs, the couple brought Smushie to the vet to have her examined out and to see the extent to which her medical concerns would impact her. Her cleft palate and undeveloped nose lead her to have difficulty breathing at times, but otherwise, the year-and-a-half-old cat is completely healthy and appears to have no idea she’s any different.
“If she gets too enthusiastic, she has trouble breathing through her nose,” Ancarrow-Maltby explained. “She is quite loud, and her joyous noises are a little strange, but absolutely original and lovable, maybe due to her breathing troubles.” It’s fantastic. People realize her face and nose are a little unusual, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying life.”
Smushie now likes almost everyone she encounters and enjoys spending time with her parents and her cat brother, who was also rescued as a stray from the streets. Brian, Smushie’s father, is allergic to cats, but that hasn’t stopped him from loving them and taking in those who are in need.
“His allergies may be terrible, but he adores animals and me, so we make it work,” Ancarrow-Maltby said. “When given the opportunity to help an animal in need, we do.”
Smushie met a lot of people while living on the streets, but she didn’t really connect with anybody until she met her new parents. She was simply looking for a family that would embrace her for who she is, and her parents are happy that she selected them.
“She appears to be happier and healthier by the day,” Ancarrow-Maltby remarked. “We love her so much!”
