Bring Teddy Bear Home!

My name is Laurel and I live in Knoxville Tennessee. I need help in financing the urological and genital surgery that my beloved cat, Teddy Bear, needs to live with his sisters and friends. He was born with his four litter mates in a wooded area of my front yard in April of 2019. Sadly, his mother, a neighborhood feral cat and a sweetheart, was killed by coyotes when her kittens were twenty-four days old.

After four days, driven by hunger and thirst, the kittens came out of hiding, and we have cared for them since. This has been a very happy home for us all together, and we are deeply grateful for them.

For my mother, Teddy is nothing short of a shining light and her constant companion who has seen her through some of the most challenging health scares of her life and she even states that in many ways he may have saved it. He sleeps at her side every single night and is cuddled by her every single day. She designed her entire bed and bed frame color scheme based on his clear blue green eyes.

My dog Kaylee, (name based on the ginger mechanic from Firefly), was recently widowed by her male dog companion of nearly 8 years, and was overcome with grief. She is an elderly rescue greyhound.

Teddy, being the gentle and loving boy that he is, has become her tiny suitor. He cuddles with her during the day and gives her that special Teddy smile. (He smiles like a person, bright and sweet while he looks into your eyes).

Love is Love.

Teddy was rushed to the vet emergency clinic and was diagnosed this week at UT Veterinary Hospital with a urinary problem severe enough to need extensive and delicate surgery to enlarge the diameter of his peehole. I'll spare you the details, but it will involve both bladder and penis. Doing nothing would have been fatal for him, so the choice was clear.

The UT vet school does great work, but they don't work cheap, and there are no provisions for financing. They are demanding the money upfront and are refusing to implement any kind of payment plan, despite the situation with covid. Teddy's surgery will total about $6,000. Like many of us, we don't have significant savings. My mother is a retired nurse and her husband is working, but not earning nearly enough to be able to afford this kind of sudden cost. I'm trying my best to help but have been out of work due to covid.

Please consider making a donation if you are in a position to do so. Any amount will be gratefully received. And if you cannot afford to participate, please send a prayer for our dear friend. Please share with your friends and anyone you know who is an animal lover.

And thank you for being kind enough to read this and consider help, if you are fortunate enough to be able to.