This is Toulouse (Toutou). He is about to turn 12 years old in March and was diagnosed with cancer (small cell lymphoma) at the end of 2024. [Click 'read more' and scroll down for more cute pics of Toulouse]

Despite Toulouse eating normally…I noticed he was losing A LOT of weight. He was always on the chunkier side but he lost so much that his little pooch disappeared, and I could easily lift him with one hand. He felt like a kitten.

This was also a very difficult time for me personally. Around that time, my grandmother was battling her own medical issues and passed away in June 2024. Shortly after that, I had to leave a full-time position.

I brought him to the vet and after several tests, including blood work, an ultrasound, and biopsies, we learned that his weight loss was due to cancer. The vet explained that this type of cancer requires Toulouse being on chemotherapy the rest of his life and will have to see the vet every few months for ongoing testing. Thankfully right now the chemotherapy is in pill form and I can give that to him at home but the medication itself is also expensive.

Even with all of this, he is still so full of life. He has energy, one of the biggest personalities I have ever seen in a cat (other people that have met him have said the same!) and thankfully for now… he still has an appetite.

Vet bills are expensive and add up quickly. It’s too late to get him on any type of pet insurance. With help from friends and having the ability to take on credit card debt, I’ve been making it work so far. But with ongoing treatment the costs keep growing and I can’t do this alone anymore. Any amount raised would help me to cover existing medical bills and future treatment so he can have a chance to live as long and as comfortably as his little body will let him.

Asking for money/help is hard…. but Toulouse and his brother, Chauncey, mean everything to me. Anyone who has ever met them knows they are the softest, sweetest little dudes! They have helped me through some of the hardest times in my life.

If you’re able to, please donate what you can afford (little amounts add up) so that Toulouse can continue his ongoing treatment and live comfortably for as long as possible. Even sharing this will mean so much!

You can also Venmo me directly at: @shannonens

Any amount will help. TYSM! <3