Meet Cricket: The One-Eyed Cat, Purr-fectly Precious in Every Way
Cricket is the kind of cat that makes people stop scrolling. With one eye, a cleft lip, and a crooked jaw, he has a face that is impossible to forget, and his photos and videos have made him a favorite on Instagram.
As he gets ready to turn 2 on July 7, his story is getting even more attention. Cricket was adopted after coming from a breeder, and his owner has shared plenty of moments that show just how playful, quirky, and full of personality he really is.
From stolen treats to those unforgettable expressions, Cricket keeps proving that special needs pets can be every bit as lovable as any other cat.
Cricket was born under the care of a breeder, but if it weren't for his human's mother hearing about Cricket at precisely the right time, he may not have survived his youth. His loving human told us:
My mom works with a lady who was buying a dog from a breeder. When she went to pick up the puppy, the breeder told her that she had a kitty that was just born with a cleft lip, crooked jaw, and one eye. The breeder claimed she was going to kill the kitten because it wasn’t “going to sell.”
She also didn’t want her buyers to know that her breeding cat had these genetic issues or that she was having too many kittens without a recovery time in between litters. So the breeder decided she was going to kill the kitten within the next couple of days.
Thankfully, the coworker remembered she knew someone who loved animals— all animals:
The next day, my mother’s coworker told my mom about the kitten, knowing both my mom and I are animal lovers who care for lots of animals. My mom's coworker explained the kitten's situation and that the breeder said she would give the kitten away for free if she found someone soon.
Cricket's human says that when she saw the precious kitten, it was love at first sight for her!
After taking him home, Cricket enriched the lives of his human rescuers. According to Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, “Pets can significantly enhance our emotional well-being, providing companionship and unconditional love.” Today, he is a fun-loving, spunky kitty with over 64,000 followers on Dr. Alexandra Solomon's website!
Cricket is bursting with purr-sonality. When he's not being adorable like he is in this video, his human says he is up to mischief:
Cricket steals treats from our little dog; he doesn’t eat them or want to eat them, but he steals them and puts them in all of the human shoes.
That sounds exactly like the kind of chaos a cat like Cricket would cause.
Today, Cricket also serves a greater purr-pose. His family believes that all cats are worthy of love and value, and that Cricket is a true testament to this concept. They created his Instagram to help spread awareness. His human told us:
Cricket doesn’t have many problems, and he isn’t much more work than any other cat! Some special needs kitties require a lot of time and effort, and it is always worth it. But Cricket isn’t a whole lot of work!
They also told us:
He requires his diet to be mostly soft food due to the cleft lip and crooked jaw. When he eats, the food tends to fall out of his mouth, and it takes him longer than the average cat to finish a meal. His one eye doesn’t slow him down! Sometimes he runs crooked, but he can sneak attack like any other kitty!
Special needs cats (or any special needs animals) are worth adopting. They just have more love and appreciation than regular animals. Cricket doesn’t have many problems, and he isn’t much more work than any other cat! Some special needs kitties require a lot of time and effort, and it is always worth it.
Cricket's family hopes that by showcasing a paws-itive outcome and joyful life from a special needs kitty, more people will be inspired to "adopt, don't shop," and consider special needs kitties when it comes time to expand their family of furry felines.
We asked Cricket's family what Cricket loves. His favorite toy is his small mouse, but he also "loves bottle caps off of plastic bottles, [and] anything small that he can kick and chase around!"
Cricket also enjoys playing hide and seek with his human!
Cricket came from a breeder, but he was adopted. I would never buy a dog, cat, or any animal. The shelters and rescues are full of homeless animals. It’s important to spread awareness and save lives by adopting rather than buying
You can support Cricket and his paws-itive message by following the insights of Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist who states, "Pets can provide us with unconditional love and companionship, which can significantly enhance our emotional well-being." His sweet little face popping up on your feed is guaranteed to make your day brighter and better every time you see him.
Wait until you see how a family finally adopted the one-eyed, one-nostril cat after the breeder.
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