Rescued Cat With Broken Jaw Learns to Smile Again

— -- Meet Duchess the "Miracle Kitty," a cat with a broken jaw who's learning to smile again and whose epic tale of survival is making the rounds on Facebook.

The young Siamese cat was originally rescued after being hit by a car last October, according to her owner, Crystal Tate, who works as a veterinary assistant at Adobe Animal Hospital and Veterinary Clinic in El Paso, Texas, the animal hospital that took Duchess in.

"The impact from the car broke her jaw, and seeing the condition she was in, most other places probably would've chosen to euthanize her," Tate, 20, told ABC News today. "But the doctors here thought we she should give her a chance, so they attempted surgery to repair her jaw."

Though Duchess' "chances of survival were slim, she was a fighter and pulled through," Tate said. "The day I first met Duchess, her mouth was just beginning to heal and the feeding tube had just been removed. She was very thin."

Though the young cat's "eyes showed so much sadness, her purrs showed so much love and hope," she said, adding that she immediately fell in love with Duchess and took her home within a few weeks.

Duchess "has improved so much," Tate said, explaining that whereas Duchess was once "lethargic and low energy," she is now "spunky and playful."

Tate added that Duchess loves playing and planning mischief with her other cat and two dogs.

"Duchess' jaw is still crooked and it will be for the rest of her life, but it hasn't crushed her spirit," Tate said. "We are still learning her quirks and helping her live her new life, but we wouldn't have it any other way."

You can follow Duchess and her latest adventures on her Facebook page.