UPDATE: 24th August: Thank you all so much for helping to raise the funds needed to cover Stage 2 of Betty’s VBO surgery on her right ear. I’m hoping she won’t need an extended hospital stay this time, but in the event that she does, I’ll be keeping this GoFundMe active until her treatment is complete. As before, any excess funds remaining after Betty’s treatment will be donated in full to Cork Cat Action Trust to help other cats in need. Please see below for previous updates and further information.

UPDATE 17th August: Betty finally came home today after her surgery last Wednesday and an extended hospital stay. Unfortunately after surgery, she completely refused to eat, resulting in her being re-admitted. After a 4 night stay and more drugs than I've ever even heard of, she finally ate and was allowed to come home today! Her extended stay cost an extra €381, so we are now just short of that for Part 2 of her surgery. If you would like to assist with raising the last little bit, it would be greatly appreciated. Further information and previous updates below.

UPDATE (6th August): Betty's CT scan results are back, and the surgeons have agreed that the best course of action is a Ventral Bulla Osteotomy (VBO) rather than a Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA). This means Betty should be able to keep her hearing, and they expect it to improve significantly. Her CT scan showed that both of her middle ears are filled with fluid, gunk and other and inflammatory material, which is preventing sound from travelling properly. The surgeon compared it to trying to hear a beat from a drum that's full of water, it can't reverberate/amplify sound as it should. That also explains why Betty's hearing improved after her polyp surgery, but is still not 100%.

She is booked in for surgery on Wednesday, 12th August, and will likely remain in hospital for a few days afterwards.

Thanks to your incredible generosity through both this GoFundMe and Buy Me a Coffee, we've raised a total of €3,217, with €750 of that covering Betty's CT scan. I've been advised that the VBO surgery will cost approximately €2,000–€2,200, which means Betty's surgery is now fully funded. As promised, any funds remaining once all of Betty's treatment is complete will be donated in full to Cork Cat Action Trust to help other cats in need. For that reason, I'll be leaving this GoFundMe open until her treatment is complete.

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BETTY'S STORY:

Betty is a former wild cat who came to us just before New Year's Eve with a devastating tail injury that required a partial amputation. With the help of Cork Cat Action Trust, she received the emergency care she needed.

I originally tried to find a home for her, but nobody came forward. After months of patience, this once wild cat learned to trust us and became part of our family.

Soon after joining us, I noticed Betty constantly shaking her head, scratching her ears and crying out in discomfort. That marked the beginning of 7 months of vet visits, antibiotics, steroids, repeated ear cleans, procedures under anesthetic and specialist care.

In May, specialists discovered large inflammatory polyps growing through both of her eardrums. They were removed, but the improvement was only temporary. Betty still has chronic ear disease, a perforated eardrum, middle ear infection, severe bacterial and yeast infections, remaining polyp tissue and permanent damage to her ears. Despite months of treatment, she continues to struggle every day.

TECA surgery was recommended, but a veterinary surgeon at the hospital we have chosen for her surgery has now (July 27th) recommended a CT scan before surgery. The scan will determine whether Betty needs a Ventral Bulla Osteotomy (VBO), a Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA), or a combination of both, on one ear or both. Until then, nobody knows exactly what surgery she needs.

Every donation is bringing Betty one step closer to the treatment she has needed her whole life. If you're able to help, every euro will go directly towards her surgery. If you can't donate, sharing this GoFundMe would mean the world to us.

After everything she's survived, Betty deserves the chance to live a comfortable, happy life. ❤️

Any excess funds raised will go directly to Cork Cat Action Trust to support their tireless efforts to help cats in Cork.

If you'd like to see Betty's journey with us please check our her highlight "Betty Elms" on my Instagram page.

Betty is roughly 6 years old. Thank you for giving this little lady a chance at the comfortable and healthy retirement she deserves. ❤️