No one likes to feel different. More often than not, we humans are conditioned to want to fit into a group with the rest of our comrades. We’re social animals, after all!
This isn’t just true of people though. One cat named Lobstah became an outcast after he faced a nightmarish list of medical emergencies that some didn’t view as “normal.” After being abandoned at four weeks old because of those life-threatening health problems, things weren’t looking good for him.
But, like his human counterparts, Lobstah was a survivor—and he found a unique way to make friends…
It’s always inspiring when an animal is able to overcome a debilitating injury, and having a support group helps with the recovery. However, if an animal is abandoned and alone, it’s up to shelter groups and charities to provide life-saving surgeries and moral support.
FelixSS / Flickr
Homeless cats often arrive at the shelter in rough shape. Just take this little guy, for example. When he first showed up at an animal rescue site, he had a laundry list of problems that made him undesirable to his past owner.
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
Born without a sternum, this abandoned kitty couldn’t eat, sleep, or breathe normally because his intestines pushed on his lungs. Corrective surgery was needed, though the odds were against him: his chance of survival was slim, and even if he did survive it, it was unlikely that he’d go on to have a happy, healthy life.
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
Still, the rescue team had to try. Incredibly, the surgery was a success! Not long after the procedure, a married couple named John and Leda Bigelow noticed him in the rescue shelter’s window. The kitten was still wearing the “cone of shame” and pressing his face against the pane of glass when they walked by. Charmed, they moved closer—and that’s when they noticed something strange about the goofy little cat…
Barcroft Animals / Youtube
The first thing John and Leda noticed wasn’t the slew of surgical scars. What they noticed about him was the claw-like paw that led to his name: “Lobstah.” This birth defect made him look much different from other cats, but it was also what John and Leda instantly loved about him.
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
While the birth defect gave him a deformed paw that looked more like a lobster claw than anything you would ever expect to find on a feline, he seemed to make it work! John and Leda fell in love with the cat and adopted him that same day…
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
Once at his new home, John and Leda realized that Lobstah wouldn’t let his deformity hold him back from being an ordinary cat. He’d use it almost like a thumb to help grab items, like the flap of this cardboard box. Just watch him crank it back and forth like a lever! Nice work, Lobstah!
Barcroft Animals / Youtube
Despite the surgery, the couple marveled at Lobstah’s strength in an interview with Barcroft Animals. “It’s kind of shocking, given what he’s been through, how agile and strong he is,” John said. Not only that, but he loved to eat—and his diet would surprise you!
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
You won’t find the items on Lobstah’s list of favorite foods in the pet food aisle. That was because this feline loved… greens. That’s right: Lobstah the cat simply couldn’t get enough of his vegetables!
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
He was particularly fond of spinach, arugula, and green beans, and he’d take a bowl (or two) of one any chance he could get. Talk about a strange diet for a cat! Hey, at least he was a healthy eater, right?
Barcroft Animals / Youtube
Considering his abandonment and surgery, you might expect a cat who’s been through so much trauma at an early age to have a skittish, closed-off personality. But John and Leda said that was far from the truth…
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
In fact, Lobstah was as high-energy and playful as any cat. Many pictures and videos on his Instagram page showed him running, jumping, and putting his “lobster claw” to good use. If that paw was supposed to slow him down, he certainly didn’t get the memo!
Barcroft Animals / Youtube
“He’s a very affectionate and amorous cat,” Leda said in an interview. “He likes to give kisses on the nose.” While he might have had a rough start to life, you wouldn’t know it by watching him in action!
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
Leda and John love their little feline, and they never once questioned their decision to rescue a cat that some might not have deemed to be worth saving. Lobstah, of course, repays their kindness with lots of love and attention! What a cutie!
lobstah_the_cat / Instagram
It’s truly amazing what animals are capable of. It’s so inspiring that cats like Lobstah are able to recover from surgery and put it behind them, moving forward to a happy, healthy life.
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