Dear Loving Cat (pet) Community (COI),

This will be long & I hope you can take time to read it. We have been friends (furiends), many of us over 10 yrs & many that have become family. I am so grateful for your love & support over the years. I never thought that I would have to do this but I am going through a hardship.

As many of you know I lost my husband Lou to a an accidental overdose, he was only 40 yrs old & we were together for 19yrs. He was my lifeline, my soulmate, my everything. We also suffered 3 miscarriages & were unsuccessful at a fertility specialist. It was very traumatic & I’ve been struggling & suffering with depression, anxiety & ptsd which has negatively impacted my life.

All of us here have met through the love of our furbabies & mine was MoOniE. Lou surprised me with her as a kitten & she lived until 21. She passed two yrs after my husband & my dad died two months after my husband from Parkinson’s disease. Everything was too much to bear for me & I was suicidal.. but through the support of family, friends, therapy & all of you as well as the Grace of God I overcame it.

Eight months after MoOniE died, a friend asked me to adopt her 2 senior cats as she was in a desperate situation & I felt it was a sign to once again feel a sense of purpose. They are Pursey Purr (pictured) & Misty Moo. Pursey was an angel heaven sent, the sweetest most loving kind soul I ever shared a bond with. She had a tough life as her original mom died traumatically & the sister (my friend I met at work) rescued her from a home where she was hiding with 2 big dogs & scared. She was also declawed late in life & went through so much. Pursey joined the sister’s home with Misty for 4 yrs & then I adopted them.

It seems like the people & pets that go through the most suffering are the kindest most empathetic souls. That’s what Pursey was. She entered my life & rescued me. She was my shadow, my sidekick & my little furball baby. I sang to her every night before bed the song “You Are My Sunshine”.

Pursey was taken to the ER due to fluid in her lungs in 2023 & I’m still paying the bill.

They were unable to diagnose her. I treated her for asthma bc it was most likely that. On 10/24/24 she had a major dental surgery & 6 teeth were removed, she had a big mass on her cheek & once the fluid drained ended up with a hole in her face which recovered 80%. Pursey healed well but then took a turn for the worst. This was unforeseen as I was informed by surgeons she had a successful surgery & was going to get better.

I took her back & forth to the vet for a month & after all of the many extensive tests, they were unable to diagnose her. She had an ear infection & a minor UTI but was not recovering from the meds. They felt it was mostly a neurological issue. She was suffering & crying out in agony. I cared for her as I would a sick child.

She paced back & forth in a daze mostly all day confused & in pain. I had no choice but to end her suffering at 14 yrs old on 12/10/24 as she was at her worst I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t bear to watch her suffer any longer. I was also suffering from insomnia, grief & just mental, emotional & physical exhaustion. I was depleted spiritually & financially.

Pursey Purr transitioned in my loving arms as I played the song You Are My Sunshine.

I’m overcome with more pain & grief all over again. My heart is completely shattered & my home feels so empty without her. Misty Moo knows as she looks for her. We have been giving each other lots of love & comfort.

Another devastating blow is that I lost my employment of 20 yrs on the day Pursey died. I owe enormous vet bills that accrues with interest. I’m blessed to have a constant supportive family over the years and but as most we all work hard & have bills. If you are unable to donate please know I am just grateful you took the time to read my story. I believe that daily, and, especially during adversities, we must try our best to stay positive, hopeful & faith in God we will get through. Through the comfort & support of friends, family & pets, it helps us heal. It took me many years to learn this through my healing journey. So if you are going through a devastating time in your life, it will get brighter, we must trust our own unique process. We will survive.

So whoever is able to, I am kindly asking you to help me. Even if you are able to give $5 I will be forever grateful. No amount is too small. Thank you so much for your time, love & support.

Forever Grateful,

~ Claudia & Pursey Purr