Baby Cat’s surgery fund

A small cat with a big heart unexpectedly came into my life the Tuesday before Christmas Eve. Somehow everything in the universe lined up perfectly for this little guy and he chose the right car to dart in front of. Seeing a flash run in front of my car I slammed on the brakes turned my high beams on and spotted his tiny orange body darting as fast as he could up the road. I flew out of my car and chased him with little hope I would be able to wrangle him in from the cold. I say the universe lined up in favor of this little baby because not only was his timing perfect, but had we not had 30+ inches of snow on the ground and had he not suddenly turned and lept into that deep snow I’m not sure I would have caught him. I caught up to him fast in the snow and grabbed for his tiny body, he bite me as hard as he could, he was so scared and puffy. I took off my coat threw it on him and wrapped him up tight running back to my car where my three dogs sat in the back seat waiting.  Feeling so lucky I had snagged him I immediately contacted one of the doctors I work with at the animal hospital. He was more than happy to have me bring him in and take a look. That first night he stayed in my dogs old puppy kennel puffy hissing and wide eyed hitting the roof if he even heard my voice. I was concerned I had caught a feral kitten somehow and there could be others, I went back to check and not a trace of any other babies. I fed him and bought the entire cage to work the next day, when I got him out I found most of the food thrown up. Thinking he over ate I didn’t give it a second thought, he was already much less fearful and it became clear he was not feral but a baby someone had dumped and left in the cold. The dr noted he had frost bite on his nose and the majority of his little toe beans which were white/blue and starting to blister. His lungs sounded clear that day and he was 2.5lbs approximately 10 weeks of age. The next day on Christmas Eve around 5pm he suddenly became lethargic and spiked a 104.5 fever and was in respiratory distress open mouth breathing. My work was shut down for the holiday so thankfully my amazing LVT best friend came to our rescue and picked him up to be seen by the kitten loving veterinarian she works for. They determined he had mildly crackly sounding lungs indicative of an upper respiratory infection, he was also dehydrated.  He was given fluids as well and she monitored his breathing over night for me. The longer I had him the more it became apparent that something bigger was not quite right with this sweet boy who by now was the purr king and so loving he could melt the hardest of hearts. Every time baby cat, his affectionate nickname, would eat he would projectile vomit or regurgitate multiple times almost as soon as he started to eat. I tried dry food, wet pate and morsels of wet all if it coming back up. The few times he didn’t throw up he would pause frequently while eating and jerk his throat like a pelican trying to get a fish down. Back to my work he went on Tuesday the 29th exactly a week after his capture so the doctors could search for answers. During a barium swallow radiograph series it was determined there is something wrong with his esophagus and ability to swallow food. The lower portion of his esophagus is very enlarged and he has trouble getting food all the way to his stomach. He came to me very thin and was not gaining weight. The doctors are unsure if he may have mega esophagus, an uncommon condition in kittens, or if an oval area in his esophagus that would not take up the barium is a foreign body, parasite, or something else all together. All they have been able to determine is something is not normal about that area as well. We have begun feeding him as if he does have mega esophagus making his canned nutrient rich food the consistency of soup and elevating his bowl to help with swallowing as well. The good news is he has not thrown up any of the liquid diet we started Tuesday night. More sad news, it was also seen on his survey radiographs that his lungs do not look healthy either.  This little guy whom I had no intentions of keeping from the start due to my own inability to afford another pet has really found a huge place in my heart along with the hearts of anyone he has met during his short time with me. I feel he found me for a reason and I believe It is my responsibility and duty to him to do everything in my power to figure out what exactly is wrong with his esophagus so I can find him a fitting home. Once I have a diagnosis and answers I will be able to place him much easier with a loving family who is set up to care for him properly. Knowing what exactly his needs are will help me to do this.  I am continuing to treat him with antibiotics for his respiratory infection and he is being treated for possible lung worm as well. His nose is looking amazing and most of his little toes have lost the first layer of skin already and are looking much healthier as well. He continues to purr adores attention is amazing with my dogs and loves to be on my shoulders, even giving my cheek tiny licks. The next step for his swallowing problems is to have radiographs sent to a radiologist to review them and have an endoscope passed under sedation to view things from the inside. I have been quoted by Upstate veterinary specialist roughly 2500$ for this procedure. I know this is a lot to ask for and not knowing this little guy you may not feel as invested as I do but his, like all other lives, is a life worth fighting for to me and I want to do right by this baby. I don’t expect to raise all of the money and know these last months have been financially hard for so many of us, anyone who donates even a dollar please know I am so grateful to you from the bottom of my heart for your faith in me and your desire to help this baby on his journey to health and finding a loving home. Thank you all so much for even reading his story, 
Love Jenna and baby cat ❤️

1st picture is his back toe beans as of 12/31
2nd the day I found him 
3rd his barium swallow study that shows his   enlarged esophagus 

P.S. I will keep everyone updated and post how I use the money towards his care as well; I haven’t asked for the full amount of an endoscopy because I’m praying we will find answers from just sending his radiographs to a specialty radiologist and I assure you any unused money will be donated to a local shelter (I will have all the donators vote on which), or passed along to whomever becomes his owner for continued medical expenses as he will likely be on medications for life if he has mega esophagus that will help with esophageal motility ❤️