Ed Sheeran

If resilience had a face, it would look a lot like Mr. Nacho.

This big, handsome 5-year-old boy hasn't had the easiest start to life. When Mr. Nacho first arrived at the shelter back in November, he made it very clear that he was not impressed with the world. There was hissing, there was grumpiness, and honestly, we can't say we blamed him.

Because once our vet team took a closer look, it became obvious that Mr. Nacho had been living with some pretty awful pain.

Almost every tooth in his mouth was rotted and sore, making eating incredibly uncomfortable. On top of that, he had a condition where his eyelashes rolled inward and rubbed against his eyes, leaving them constantly irritated, infected, and painful. Imagine trying to go about your day with that level of discomfort, you'd probably be a bit cranky too.

So Mr. Nacho began his glow-up journey.

Since arriving, he has undergone multiple medical procedures, spent time recovering in a loving foster home, and patiently waited for the day he would finally get a clean bill of health. His teeth have been treated, his eyes have been repaired, and the grumpy boy we first met has slowly started to realise that life doesn't have to hurt anymore.

Now? Mr. Nacho is ready to find the home he should have had all along.

Because of his dental work, Mr. Nacho will need soft food or very small kibble for the rest of his life, but he's more than happy to remind you when it's dinner time. Food is still one of his favourite things, it just needs to be served the right way.

Mr. Nacho is also FIV positive, which simply means his immune system needs a little extra support. FIV cats can live long, happy, completely normal lives indoors, and many share homes with other cats without issue. Mr. Nacho may be able to live with another friendly feline companion pending slow and thoughtful introductions.

After everything he's been through, Mr. Nacho is looking for something pretty simple: a warm home, a comfy bed, regular meals that don't hurt to eat, and people who understand that sometimes the grumpiest cats were just hurting the most.

He's waited a long time for life to finally turn around.

Now all he needs... is someone to choose him.