DINGMANS FERRY, Pa. — UPDATE: Rocky had his surgery and is doing well. The surgeon removed his cheekbone where it fused to his jawbone and is now learning to move his jaw for the first time. His foster says through surgery and recovery, he has been the most adorable, loving kitty. Rocky is still available for adoption.
Original story:
In this week's 16 To The Rescue, we meet a 4-month-old kitten who is scheduled to get a pretty big surgery next week. Rocky needs some help, and to find his forever family and home.
"Jackpot, jackpot, once-in-a-lifetime jackpot," said Sharon Craig, Rocky's foster mom.
That is how Rocky's foster family describes the 4-month-old kitten, and if that's not enough to sell you on him, this face surely will do it. Rocky was a stray but is now being fostered through the rescue Precious Paws & Friends in Pike County.
"Rocky came to me when he was just a few days old. He had been bitten by something, so he had at least six punctures, two under his chin and one by his eye," Craig said.
Those injuries have created some deformities, and now Rocky can't open his mouth to eat and has to be bottle-fed. But Rocky is getting surgery next week to try and fix that.
"His jaw is a quarter of the length it should be and crooked. So he has an extreme overbite, I guess you would call it. What they think is either when he was a baby because of the bites, his cheekbone over processed and attached to the jaw bone, so that's why he can't open, or his TMJ joint is locked," said Craig.
The surgery is going to be complicated and high-risk, but Rocky is worth it, and if it works, he'll be able to eat and chew on toys like a normal kitten.
Rocky loves other cats and gets along with dogs, too, so he could have other pets in the home. He is great with meeting all people, young or old, so the only requirement for his forever family is someone who is going to love him the way he deserves.
"He's adorable, he's sociable, he's very loving, which is one of the pros from bottle feeding; you have that bond with him. He's very playful, but after he's popped out, he'll come and lay down with us, my husband and I," Craig said.
His foster family says he is just the perfect pet, and they will do everything they can to give him the perfect family and life. If you are interested in meeting Rocky, you can find his adoption information by clicking here.
If you are interested in helping Rocky with his surgery, you can donate through the GoFundMe that has been set up.
RELATED: Pet Adoption Resources