You've gotta hope / That there's someone for you / Strange as you are
June 23, 2008 8:57 PM   Subscribe

A cat with no face is nonetheless loved very much. Let's be blunt, Chase the cat is a surprising creature. When she was only a few weeks old, she lost her face in a car accident. While this link isn't exactly NSFW by any use of the term, she is a disfigured cat - no face, no eyelids - and at first she's a little hard to look at. However, she is in no pain and she is obviously well loved and well taken care of. Chase is currently "employed" as a therapy cat, so that people can "feel just as great about themselves and realize that not everyone looks perfect and that is OK."
posted by Sticherbeast (74 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is gonna be like toenailhands, isn't it?
posted by Afroblanco at 9:01 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Huh, not all kitties are cute. How about that.

can't sleep no-face kitty is watching me
posted by Anonymous at 9:03 PM on June 23, 2008


Thanks. This is nice. The will to survive and thrive is serious stuff. I bet she's a big help as a therapy cat.
posted by Miko at 9:04 PM on June 23, 2008


Aw. Poor thing. This makes me go a little gooey inside.
posted by Artw at 9:07 PM on June 23, 2008


Jesus. :(
posted by Optimus Chyme at 9:08 PM on June 23, 2008


Wow. That is just....wow. Also, I like the "creepy" tag just above the "sweet" tag. Nice touch.
posted by friendlyjuan at 9:08 PM on June 23, 2008


While I appreciate your bringing this to my attention, and it's obvious you've put some time and thought into this post, I regret to say, Sticherbeast, there ain't no goddamned way in Hell I'm going to click on that link.
posted by lekvar at 9:08 PM on June 23, 2008 [9 favorites]


Aw, reminds me of Ugly Kitty.
posted by Ugh at 9:08 PM on June 23, 2008


This isn't going end like that "ugly" story did, is is?
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:09 PM on June 23, 2008


I know I should be utterly ashamed (or maybe disgusted,) but that actually brought tears to me eyes.
So glad that she was saved and is actually being cared for by someone who understands and cares.
posted by agress at 9:09 PM on June 23, 2008


Good point, Burhanistan - I guess the interesting thing is that the cat herself really doesn't have any issues. Not in pain, and doesn't comprehend her own image in a mirror, or have any expectations for how she ought to look. The reason her face is noteworthy is the reaction from people. Why should I be surprised at her will to survive, after all? It's what we all do after big accidents. The really surprising thing would be if she entered some kind of deep depression because of her ruined self-image and engaged in self-destructive behavior.

Again, this simple acceptance of and persistence with life is probably a great thing in a therapy cat.
posted by Miko at 9:10 PM on June 23, 2008 [4 favorites]


er, make that "my" eyes. I'm neither scottish, nor a pirate.
posted by agress at 9:10 PM on June 23, 2008 [2 favorites]


While it is nice that there is someone taking care of the cat I have to admit that when I saw that first picture I literally recoiled. Man, that was one nasty accident.
posted by GuyZero at 9:13 PM on June 23, 2008


That cat is completely off its face.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:14 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Needs a kitty comb-over.
posted by furtive at 9:16 PM on June 23, 2008


Oh my god, I think there's something wrong with that cat!
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:17 PM on June 23, 2008


After you look at a bunch of the pictures, she starts to look kinda cute.
posted by Miko at 9:18 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


*sniffle*
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:19 PM on June 23, 2008


The LOLCAT potential is....staggering.
posted by stifford at 9:21 PM on June 23, 2008


INVISIBLE FACE!
posted by sourwookie at 9:24 PM on June 23, 2008 [9 favorites]


This is the sort of post that makes me hunt down my cats in their "secret" hiding places and pet them until they bite me.
posted by stavrogin at 9:24 PM on June 23, 2008 [8 favorites]


I'm sorry Amy Winehouse...I didn't REALLY mean it when I laughed at your emphysema! :'(
posted by turgid dahlia at 9:24 PM on June 23, 2008


A Man without a Face
posted by blue_beetle at 9:28 PM on June 23, 2008


In this hat, I imagine the only thing missing is a sardonic look. This cat is missing the ability to express her extreme displeasure and embarrassment, and that is something of a handicap for a cat.

Somewhere in there is a Michael Jackson joke, but I'm not going to touch it.

Chase is pretty amazing, but still probably takes a little while to get used to that face poking at yours first thing in the morning. It does look painful. I take their word that it's not. The cat can see, right? She acts like she does in the pictures. That's pretty crazy in itself. How did she lose her face and not her sight?
posted by krinklyfig at 9:33 PM on June 23, 2008


Isn't the will to press on with life after catastrophe interesting?

Oh wait, I get it. "cat"astrophe...
posted by tkolar at 9:33 PM on June 23, 2008


On a more serious note, I'm glad the kitty is doing well but I can already tell her face will be appearing in my dreams tonight.
posted by tkolar at 9:34 PM on June 23, 2008


I doubt a cat would wear it, and I guess it would go against the idea of the blog,
but the idea of a cat wearing some type of Dr Doom-esque mask would be pretty bad-ass.
posted by stifford at 9:36 PM on June 23, 2008 [7 favorites]


Burhanistan writes "I don't know much, but I know that it's really bad form to mock disfigurement like this."

It's OK, cats don't need to save face.
posted by krinklyfig at 9:38 PM on June 23, 2008


Faceless cat will hardly ever conceive of self-pity.

Exactly, which is kind of neat when you think about it. This is a cat that had a bad, bad day but is just doing his thing now. Go cat.

This isn't going end like that "ugly" story did, is is?

Hopefully not. After all, this cat
- doesn't live in Geo City,
- has a nice blog and attentive owners, and
- actually exists.

INVISIBLE FACE!

itym "faceless cat is faaaaaceless"
posted by cortex at 9:45 PM on June 23, 2008


Krinkylyfig, that is the worst pun ever. God bless you sir.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 9:46 PM on June 23, 2008


You guys are such suckers. That isn't a cat. That's Gizmo.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:46 PM on June 23, 2008


After you look at a bunch of the pictures, she starts to look kinda cute.

She looks like a Furby. :)
posted by amyms at 9:49 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


that will to survive is probably the same exact force that a tree manifests when it recovers from a major setback but that might seem a bit too spiritual for this crowd

That's funny, I agree with you and it pretty much seems like the opposite of spiritual to me.
posted by adamdschneider at 9:53 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Cat without a face,
Got no feline grace,
Cat without a face.
posted by homunculus at 9:56 PM on June 23, 2008 [5 favorites]


Gives a whole new meaning to "cats got your tongue?"
posted by pearlybob at 10:09 PM on June 23, 2008


Don't get Gizmo wet!
posted by vorpal bunny at 10:13 PM on June 23, 2008


Anyone who wasn't moved to tears and made a joke,
I hope that face haunts your dreams forever.
posted by real_paris at 10:23 PM on June 23, 2008


Anyone who wasn't moved to tears and made a joke,
I hope that face haunts your dreams forever.


Sometimes a tasteless joke is a self-defense mechanism against helpless wracking sobs.
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:30 PM on June 23, 2008 [2 favorites]


Also, some people just don't fucking cry very often. Can we get away from this binary helpless-sobbing-or-Hitler thing, please?
posted by cortex at 10:32 PM on June 23, 2008 [8 favorites]


In case that face does haunt your dreams forever heres some youtube videos of cats with faces, songs about cats, cats dancing. Actually, that last one haunts my dreams forever.
posted by Artw at 10:34 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


I can't look, but I am so glad that faceless kitty has a loving home & is doing well. I know that if my cat lost his face that I would love him just the same, no, I would love him even more. I'd be so happy that he was alive and not in pain & he would still be beautiful to me. But this isn't my kitty, and I just can't bear to see the results of the awful thing that happened to him.

runs off to find own kitty to kiss it and pet it and call it george until it tries to kill me with it's back feet and puts a hole in my shirt
posted by zarah at 10:53 PM on June 23, 2008


Animals amaze me by their sheer resilience. My foster cat had to have one of her forelegs amputated, and as soon as the stitches came out, she threw herself right into the task of re-learning how to jump and climb and bat at the dogs. The only way you'd ever guess that she wasn't born without that leg is that when she wants attention, she'll waggle her stump at you. She was 10 when she had the operation.

I'm sure she and her mom make a great therapy team.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 10:56 PM on June 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Anyone who wasn't moved to tears and made a joke, I hope that face haunts your dreams forever.

How's that wishing-harm-on-others thing working out for you? Think there's any sort of karmic irony gonna come along and bitch-slap you for wishing harm on fellow humans? Does it sit right with your god?
----
That cat's eyes make my eyes dry and itchy. All bugged-out and eyelidless. Shudder.

If I ever lose my eyelids, I want my eyeballs scooped out with a melon-baller.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:59 PM on June 23, 2008


What a wonderful person (Melissa) to have opened her home and her heart to this cat. I find the cat difficult to look at, too, but she seems really well-loved and happy.
posted by arnicae at 11:37 PM on June 23, 2008


This cat is going to give me a nightmare. Thank you, faceless cat.

Imagine waking up with it looking at you. oh god
posted by sonic meat machine at 11:43 PM on June 23, 2008


how does she sleep with no eyelids?
posted by mrbill at 12:32 AM on June 24, 2008


The cat has lots of "purr"fectly snorgleable catfur left. ittybittypitykitty wantsKEEEEEESES


No one saw me say that.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:45 AM on June 24, 2008


What a wonderful person (Melissa) to have opened her home and her heart to this cat.

Not to mention her pocket book. The vets bills for a faceless cat like that can't be cheap.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:56 AM on June 24, 2008


Though perhaps she writes them off as a business expense in her faceless cat therapy programme?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:57 AM on June 24, 2008


jamaro writes "a bucketful of diabetic amputee hamsters"

Metafilter: a bucketful of diabetic amputee hamsters.
posted by orthogonality at 3:15 AM on June 24, 2008


omg, They Live
posted by mrzer0 at 4:35 AM on June 24, 2008


how does she sleep with no eyelids?

In the article (for those who scared to click) it says she sleeps fine but prefers darkened rooms or under beds. Which is kind of interesting, but in no way leads to a faceless cat joke.
posted by Sparx at 5:12 AM on June 24, 2008


Therapy cat? Poor thing... but some of us would NEED therapy after seeing that.

But it is wonderful that the kitty has a good home and is loved and cared for.
posted by konolia at 5:34 AM on June 24, 2008


My foster cat had to have one of her forelegs amputated, and as soon as the stitches came out, she threw herself right into the task of re-learning how to jump and climb and bat at the dogs.

God, I know this is exactly how my cat would feel if injured.

I will overcome this- in order to kill again!
posted by 235w103 at 5:50 AM on June 24, 2008 [2 favorites]


Hmm, her fur is looking kinda bedraggled. She probably has difficulty grooming herself because her sight is limited. Otherwise she looks a hell of a lot healthier and happier than several overweight, diabetic and depressed cats I've seen.

Faceless Cat is watching you hungrily from The Direction That Cannot Be Pointed To.
posted by xthlc at 5:57 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Thanks for posting this!
posted by hecho de la basura at 6:27 AM on June 24, 2008


DO NOT WANT.
posted by Debaser626 at 6:32 AM on June 24, 2008


When you wake up in the middle of the night, certain that something is there,
be afraid! Be very afraid. It is Faceless Cat, come to steal your eyelids!
posted by Goofyy at 7:21 AM on June 24, 2008


I love cats, and animals in general, but I actually don't see what's so horrid here.

I'm sure the accident was very bad, but apparently the cat recovered well and is in no pain, and, I have to break it to you, cats don't really care so much what they look like.

I don't see any reason to feel sorry for the cat: he(?) has a good home and a loving family, I'd imagine that by now the accident and hospital stay is a distant, unpleasant memory.

I adore animals, but people are more important. However, most Americans don't see it that way: most Americans care more about pets than other people. I can kind of see it - animals are innocent - but I think it's a bit crazy anyway.

(Talk to a newspaper reporter if you don't believe people care more about animals than other people. My friend who worked on a newspaper community desk said that when they had articles about people, even kids, who had had terrible things happen to them, they'd sometimes get a few dollars sent to the newspaper, but if it was a dog, they'd always get a flood of donations.)
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 8:22 AM on June 24, 2008


most Americans care more about pets than other people

Yeah, but I think that's because we don't get all mixed up with questions of deservingness and personal responsibility where animals are concerned. It's pretty clear that mistreated or sick animals have brought nothing on themselves and haven't deserved their treatment. People are far more complicated. Yes, we want to help, but there are questions of pride, privacy, appropriate degree of involvement, whether or not we agree with the needy people on issues, whether they could have prevented the negative occurrence, whether it was a result of their own choices (as in not treating illnesses for religious reasons), etc. etc. etc. I'm not forgiving this, just saying it's not so strange. When people get involved with one another in a helping relationship, there can be tremendous psychological and social implications. When they get involved with animals, the helping relationship is simple and not likely to demand quite as much introspection or as many value judgements.
posted by Miko at 8:34 AM on June 24, 2008 [4 favorites]


When my cat woke me up this morning I did ended up thinking about how glad I was he had a face.
posted by Artw at 8:39 AM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Man, imagine if Chase had a brother. Forget Rorscach, let's talk gaslighting.
posted by cortex at 8:53 AM on June 24, 2008


Metafilter: helpless-sobbing-or-Hitler thing.
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:08 PM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Talent: Never lost a staring contest

Okay, I laughed when I read that.
posted by yhbc at 12:13 PM on June 24, 2008


Helps to remind you just how small some cats are underneath all that fur. And skin.
posted by sandraregina at 1:55 PM on June 24, 2008


Wow.
I don't even know how to feel

Sad
Horrified
Confused
Mortified
Empathy
Pain

and somehow a little warm that it's all fine in that cat's world.

Damn it. Animals suffering or lasting effects of thereof just puts me into total despair. Thanks a lot.

Off to give each of my animals (2 cats, 2 dogs) a huge hug and kiss. I let them know every day how much I love them.

Off to go get some Kleenex.
posted by dasheekeejones at 4:37 PM on June 24, 2008


Holy cats! Since Kitty seems to be perfectly happy and healthy, I think he is awesome. Plus, he has a job which rocks - and a better job than my cat's job, which is to sit on my chest and jab at my face until I wake up in the morning. Tell you what, it isn't the cat in my house that is starting to look disfigured. Oi.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:16 PM on June 24, 2008


most Americans care more about pets than other people

That isn't even close to true...
Do most Americans euthanize their friends or family members because the alternative is too expensive? That's pretty routine for pets (I'm not talking about unendurable suffering, I'm talking about $20,000 surgery for your cat). Not to mention all the pets dumped, left in cages most of the time, etc.

A handful of Americans do go to extreme lengths to pamper their pets, but "most" Americans either don't care at all or value them much below people. The number of unwanted/mistreated pets is much higher than the corresponding number of humans.

BTW, I'm not saying this because I think pets == people, I fully agree that people are more important, if only because we're people too. But the idea that pets have some privileged position beyond humans is laughable when you look at the reality. The pets that do have those lives are the minority.
posted by wildcrdj at 5:50 PM on June 24, 2008


Upon further reflection, I have been thinking that I should not be allowed to ever own a cat with this sort of injury. I would take wonderful care of it (because I love kitties), but I would take demented pleasure in not warning my guests about the cat's situation before they reached down to pet it.

I could have hours and hours of really warped fun, followed by treats for kitty.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:29 AM on June 25, 2008


I can ha....


Nope, can't do it. Poor kitty.
posted by airways at 10:15 AM on June 25, 2008 [1 favorite]


My goal is to eventually be as sanguine as that cat.
posted by batmonkey at 10:17 AM on June 25, 2008


Worse than a cat with no face is a dog with no body.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:12 PM on June 25, 2008


Worse than a dog with no body is a man with a detachable face.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:10 AM on June 27, 2008


Great. Now I've got King Missile and Ani DiFranco vying for earworm space in my brain.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 8:02 AM on June 27, 2008


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