DEFYING THE ODDS
I've certainly defied the odds with my mystery condition, and my humans are certain I've got more than 9 lives! The future looks bright for me and I'm living a happy, healthy life full of fun and love.
CHECK ME OUT ONLINE
Come and check out my page on Instagram! My username is @Jack_Gepetto.
I've got a lot of wonderful fans, and other inspiring animal friends. I'm also on Twitter under @Jack_Gepetto. See you there!
OPERATIONS
It was obvious that because I didnt chew, or move my mouth, I didnt need my teeth. They began to deteriorate, quite quickly, and surgery was needed to remove them. Over the space of a year, I had 3 operations to remove all of my teeth, except my front fangs, which I do use!
HOW DO I EAT?
You may be wondering how I eat, if my 'mouth won't open'? Well remember how I have a huge overbite? There is a gap between my top and bottom jaw (where my tongue hangs out) and I manage to get my food in there! I've adapted really well and managed to figure out my own special unique way of eating. (Although messy!)
THE TONGUE
My tongue first made its appearance at about 3 months. It happened overnight, I woke up in the morning and my tongue was hanging out. As i've grown its made it's way further and further out. My bottom jaw has not grown a lot, resulting in a huge overbite. This is why my tongue hangs out. I get a lot of things stuck to my tongue, and if I sniff something, I accidently lick it too. It's become my trademark!
SOLDIERING ON
Surgery was not an option to repair my jaw, as I was still growing, and also because it baffled the vets. There was risk in getting me neutered, as no tubes would fit in my mouth during the operation! We took another risk, and did the surgery which was a success. While I was under anaesthetic they learnt my jaw was fused by bone, not by muscle.
EATING ON MY OWN
After months and months of licking up slushy food, and sometimes being fed by syringe, I worked out my own little messy way of eating proper food. I weaned myself off the slush and began eating ordinary cat food. All was going well for me, I even caught my first mouse. It was during this time that my tongue decided to start poking out.
THE BEGINNING
I was welcomed into my human family at 6 weeks of age, where a vet check revealed that my mouth wouldn't open at all. The vet advised my humans to euthanize me because I couldn't eat properly. My humans (luckily) refused, and took me home to be syringe fed. This was a tedious and messy task for all involved!
Hi I'm Jack. I'm a handsome black cat with 'more than nine lives' as my humans would say. I'm a lucky boy who has beaten the odds and won some hearts along the way. I'm two years old and was born with my jaw fused shut. Read more about me below.
Who am I?
