A cat overcomes grief to show a bright smile, the cat doesn’t have to hide anymore.

A kitten with a ‘pirate’ smile emerged from his shell and began to shine when he no longer needed to hide. Jen, who fosters for City Dogs and City Kitties Rescue in Washington DC, received a call about a kitten with a damaged eye in desperate need of rescue.

City Kitties immediately took action and agreed to take him in. Jen rushed to the shelter to pick him up and brought him straight to an emergency vet, where his ruptured cornea was removed. Despite being left with one eye, the future looked much brighter for the kitten.

The kitten, named Uno, was only six weeks old and weighed a mere 1.5 pounds when Jen brought him home. He was nervous, scared, and in need of a lot of comfort as he recovered from surgery.

Jen’s husband, Ian, stepped in to offer pets and encouragement. He spent ample time with Uno, reassuring him that he was safe.

Uno quickly adjusted to his ‘pirate’ appearance, but it took him a few weeks to warm up to humans. Jen used to carry him around in her sweatshirt to help him get used to being near people.

“He would hide in the strangest places, which is funny to look back at now because he now runs this household,” Jen told Love Meow.

Uno began to appreciate the luxuries of indoor life and being pampered every day. He was thrilled to have a consistent source of food, a cozy bed to nap in, and doting foster parents to rub his belly.

Once he was ready to meet the resident cats, he felt a bit unsure about venturing into uncharted territories. Jen helped him acclimate to open spaces in the house by chauffeuring him around.

After a few minutes of touring from room to room, Uno mustered the bravery to poke his head out, check out the other cats, and watch their antics from the safety of his pouch.

Hagrid, one of the resident cats, took Uno under his wing. He decided to show him the ropes, teach him courage, and pass on important feline wisdom to live by.

A couple of weeks later, Uno needed a second surgery due to some eye issues from the incision site. The surgeon wanted to ensure that everything was taken care of, leaving no chance for infections.

“This resulted in an adorable little ‘sneer’ as the skin was pulled tight and lifted his upper lip upwards. The ‘sneer’ should lessen over time as the skin stretches out, but for now, it makes Uno all the cuter and more mischievous-looking.”

During his recovery, Hagrid and Pokey, another feline resident, invited Uno to join their cuddle puddle. He sauntered right in, cone and all, and they gave him a few smooches before settling down for a long nap.

Uno has healed beautifully and is thriving in his foster home. He has no lingering issues with his eye, and his personality shines through. He has asthma, which is well controlled by an inhaler, and he takes his medication excellently. He exudes so much joy wherever he goes.

Nothing seems to slow him down as he zooms around the house and sneak-attacks like a cannonball.

“Uno tackles his foster brother, Hagrid, and has recently become great friends with a new pair of foster kittens. He is energetic, playful, goofy, and absolutely adorable,” Jen added.

“Uno has been with us almost five months now, and it’s hard to overstate how much we love him. He has such an incredibly sweet, quirky, and endearing personality. My heart melts every time I see his ridiculous and unspeakably adorable little pirate sneer.”

This little guy is brave, silly, sweet, and just wants to be in the midst of everything. “Uno may be a big tough pirate, but he’s also a sweet little baby. Someone is going to be very lucky to adopt him.”

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