Nobody Wants to Adopt This Shelter Cat Because They Think She’s Ugly
Not every shelter cat gets a flood of adoption applications. Some wait days, others wait weeks, and then there are the ones who sit and wait while potential adopters walk right on by. Sausage Link, a six-year-old cat at the Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, falls firmly into that last category. Her face stops people in their tracks, but not for the reason any cat deserves. People have been calling her ugly, and so far, not a single person has stepped forward to bring her home.
What makes Sausage Link so striking is her lower jaw. Her bottom lip juts out well past her top lip, giving her a permanently lopsided expression that shelter workers initially found alarming. When she first arrived at the shelter last month, staff suspected the unusual look was the result of an old injury, perhaps a healed fracture or some kind of trauma to her jaw. A trip to the vet quickly put those worries to rest. “She was born with a unique bottom lip that sticks out further than her top,” the shelter explained. It is simply how she is built, and it causes her no pain or discomfort whatsoever.
Shelter coordinator Shawna Donahue confirmed that the vet visit found no underlying health issues. “They determined that there’s no painfulness,” Donahue told The Dodo. Despite that clean bill of health, Sausage Link’s unusual face has made her one of the harder sells on the adoption floor. Visitors either do a double-take or move along without a second look. The one thing almost no one has done is fill out an application for her. It is a frustrating reality that shelter workers know all too well, where a cat’s chances of finding a home can hinge almost entirely on how conventionally cute her face happens to be.
Those who have spent time with Sausage Link describe a completely different picture from the one her expression might suggest. Far from grumpy or standoffish, she is apparently a mellow, affectionate cat who just wants to spend her days lounging with someone who appreciates her. “She seems like a laid-back girly who would love to just lounge on a couch and hang out with you,” Donahue said. Shelter volunteer Kathryn Custer was even more direct in her defense of the cat, writing on Instagram, “People may call her ‘ugly,’ but she has the sweetest soul with so much love.” Custer added that Sausage Link simply does not know she is any different from any other cat.
In an attempt to find her a home, shelter staff shared a video of Sausage Link online, and the internet responded. The clip racked up over 60,000 views, with many commenters falling instantly for her quirky, mob-boss energy. The attention was heartening, but views do not equal adoptions. Shelter workers are hoping that the viral exposure translates into someone actually showing up at the shelter and choosing her. She has all the qualities of a wonderful companion, minus whatever conventional prettiness people seem to think is a prerequisite for love.
Stories like Sausage Link’s are unfortunately common in shelters across the country. Animals with unusual appearances, medical histories, or simply faces that do not photograph well tend to linger far longer than their more photogenic kennel neighbors. It says something uncomfortable about how people choose pets, applying the same surface-level filters they might use for an online purchase. Meanwhile, the animals waiting behind those overlooked profiles are frequently the most grateful, most bonded, and most loyal companions imaginable.
Cats actually have a lower jaw built slightly differently from humans, with more flexibility in the joint, which is part of why jaw deformities like Sausage Link’s can sometimes occur without causing pain at all. Feline underbites, while rare, have been documented across multiple breeds and are generally considered cosmetic rather than medical issues. The name Sausage Link, by the way, is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, because it is scientifically impossible to hear it and not smile.
If you have ever adopted or passed over a pet based on looks, share your thoughts in the comments.
