Help! Emergency Bills For My Cat Fae

Hi, my name is Tiffany. I'm a visual artist and a cat mom of two. Unfortunately, one of my cats started to get sick about a week ago. Despite going through multiple tests and ruling out major illnesses, she has continued to decline to the point where I had to admit her to the emergency clinic yesterday (December 23rd). This is just before Christmas, and I am trying to stay strong through this battle, but the cost of inpatient treatment and care at an emergency clinic is shocking, to say the least. I put down a $3,000 deposit, and this is on top of nearly $1,500 in previous visits to my normal vet over the last week. Her urinalysis and blood work showed nothing remarkable, but she is still not eating or drinking, and they have her hooked on IV fluids to prevent any damage to her organs. She was admitted with a slight fever, but from a phone call this morning (Dec. 24), it has continued to climb to 39.7 degrees. The $3,000 deposit will likely be the minimum I have to pay, and it can increase by another $1,000+. I've dealt with some difficult situations this year, but this is by far the most emotionally taxing. The holidays are a difficult time for me to begin with, and I am having a hard time with the financial aspect of this development. I never thought I'd be on a GoFundMe page, but here we are.

Some background on my cat: I adopted Fae when she was a few months old. She is nearly 15 now. You know that clichéd "love at first sight" stuff you see in movies or read about in books? I have never felt that with a human.

...but it was very much the case with Fae. I knew from the moment I locked eyes on her that I loved her, and I know she felt the same. She's been my companion ever since when no one else stuck around. Fae lost her feline friend in 2020, and that was one of the hardest moments of my life. I swore I would fight to the bitter end with Fae if it ever came to it, and it seems I am at that juncture now.

I've made connections with some genuinely nice people over the year. I have hope that miracles still exist. That goodness and kindness still exist, no matter what life throws at us. If you cannot contribute any money, I ask that you please keep her in your thoughts and well wishes. The power of positive thinking is real. And so is hope.

As mentioned above, I am a visual artist, and you can see my work on my Instagram page @tiffanykyc. As a thank you to those who contribute more than $150, I will draw a 16" x 20" portrait of your choice, a size that I normally price at $200+. (Although please note that due to my current circumstances, I cannot accommodate rush services. Turnaround times will take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months).

Thank you for reading this far.

No matter what you decide to do after reading this, I wish everyone a Safe, Healthy, and Happy Holiday season. May the New Year bring us all some measure of joy and serenity.

❤️

UPDATE DECEMBER 25 @ 2pm: The temperature has now stabilized at 38.3, and it's been that way since 6pm last night. This is good news, although she is still not eating which means she is at risk of developing hepatic lipidosis - and that requires long-term, aggressive care that I cannot provide at home. The doctor and technicians will try syringe feeding her. If they are unsuccessful, they might need to resort to tube feeding which, with the costs of anesthesia and another 24-48 hours' watch, would hike up the cost by another $4,000. I do not, and will not, have the funds to go down this road...

UPDATE DECEMBER 25 @ 6pm: Great news. The doctor just called me and said Fae took to the syringe and has taken about 15ml of food since my last update. She will be discharged later this evening after I finish my shift (yes, I'm working on Christmas) with all the discharge papers/instructions/food/syringes. My baby's coming home! The hard part is done, but the fight isn't over yet. If she relapses, I will need to take her back. But I know she's anxious to be with me again, and I with her. That's all I want to think about right now. Fingers crossed she will not need to return...

UPDATE JANUARY 3: After being discharged, Fae had been in and out of my regular clinic because her condition kept oscillating between improvement and decline. Today, she stopped eating and drinking again. She is back at my regular vet for a day of IV fluids and monitoring. My vet and I have discussed two options at this point: either we get an ultrasound to find out where the abnormality is (no guarantee) or we prepare for euthanasia as this has been an enormous strain on me - mentally, financially, physically, and emotionally. It is not fair to either me or my cat to continue and prolong this struggle.

UPDATE JANUARY 5: Fae still isn't drinking or eating on her own. Our last resort, since I can't afford an ultrasound or more aggressive treatments, is a steroid, which I will start administering this evening. If she doesn't get better by the time my clinic opens on Monday, I will need to put her down.

I don't know who's even reading these updates, but I just want to tell everyone who's donated that every bit helped during the last few weeks. Thank you to everyone who had me in their thoughts. Final update to follow in the next few days.

UPDATE JANUARY 8: Well. It seems like things have taken a turn. The steroid (prednisolone) worked a miracle and she's back to eating, drinking, and doing her litter business like normal. I am cautiously optimistic... not only about the drug's efficacy, but the sustainability of this treatment. I've read that steroids are not meant to be a long term solution, but I'll take what I can get for now.

UPDATE JANUARY 13: Fae is still doing well. I expressed my concern with my vet about the steroid treatment length, but she agreed to continue with the prednisolone for now. The goal is to keep her steady and to gradually taper down to the lowest dose possible in the coming weeks. Fingers crossed.

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