URGENT Veterinary care needed for Sherlock the Cat

Help Sherlock Heal ❤️

Hi friends, animal lovers, and kind hearts,

I’m reaching out for help for my sweet, brave cat, Sherlock — my ride-or-die since I moved to New York City ten years ago.

Sherlock was adopted from Little Wanderers NYC (https://lwnyc.org/) in 2015, after being found in an abandoned building in the Bronx with his mom and four other litter-mate siblings. I adopted 2/5 of the kittens and brought Sherlock and his brother Watson home when they were just 3 months of age. They have never spent a day apart since, and are the most beautiful, dynamic, and loving pair around.

Sherlock is a 10-year-old, big, beefy, eighteen-pound dog-like tabby who has been my constant through every up and down.

Affectionate, goofy, and fiercely loving, Sherlock isn’t just any cat — he’s a purr machine, a chest-cuddler, a fearless climber, and a natural therapist who always knows when someone needs love.

He is deeply bonded with his twin brother, Watson, and has a beautiful, playful relationship with my dog, Luna, whom he welcomed into our home when she was just a four-month-old ball of energy. Sherlock has middle-child energy and feels like the heart of my fur family, bridging the vibe between cats and dogs with such grace.

Sherlock has always loved all creatures—humans, cats, dogs, and even foster kittens- offering them a rare, fierce, and tender love.

What’s Happening:

Since around Christmas, Sherlock has been showing troubling signs of illness — misjudging jumps, holding his body strangely, and seeming subtly “off.”

Despite an emergency vet visit and four appointments with his regular vet over the last four months, no clear internal issue was found. His care for these appointments has cost over $2,000 so far, but it has taken the most significant toll on my peace of mind, as I can see there is something wrong that is not being seen without more extensive imaging.

Recently, after being sedated for an eardrum check on April 4th, Sherlock was placed on a month of oral antibiotics for a completely ruptured eardrum and consequent infection. At first, there was hope — as the medication seemed to be stopping the bleeding, and I had not seen fresh blood since then; but just yesterday, after completing the whole round of drugs, Sherlock began bleeding again from inside his ear. He is currently only on pain medication as I try to secure the funds for what comes next:

The vet has now recommended that he be put under complete anesthesia for an MRI or CT scan to investigate further. Even with his pet care through Nationwide, the cost for this imaging is over $3,500 everywhere we’ve looked in the greater NYC area.

Unfortunately, my resources are minimal between a recent move and heading into my low season for educational therapy client work this summer. My resources are limited, and this is not within budget. Sherlock needs this care immediately to diagnose and treat whatever is going on.

Some of you know that I am a bit of a poet, so I decided to write a poem for him to give you an authentic taste of his vibe and the love we share—but it could not compare to spending five minutes with this sweet bundle of love.

About Sherlock (A Poem for Him)

Sherlock, brave heart, velvet paw,

a furnace of purrs stitched in fur and awe.

Climber of windows, healer of moods,

keeper of kittens, and finder of blues.

He never asks, he only gives —

weight on your chest, proof that love lives.

He plays with the reckless, the fearful, and the small, stretching his warmth over creatures and all.

With Watson beside him, with Luna in tow,

he stitches a world only honest hearts know.

Now it’s our turn to carry him back —

to health, to leaping, to the road he once tracked.

How You Can Help:

• Donate if you are able — any amount truly helps.

• Share this page with anyone who loves animals and is willing to help, or perhaps works with resource organizations that can assist in any way with discounted CT/MRI scans, funding, etc.

I Will Pay It Forward ❤️

In gratitude for any donations, I will happily write commissioned poetry about your pets (like the one above!) or offer my pet care services in exchange for any funds you can share. Here's a little about what I am prepared to offer:

Christina's Pet-Care Skills:

• I am highly experienced with cats, dogs, and exotic pets (like ferrets!), and even farm animals :)

• I can administer oral medications, handle special needs animals, and offer gentle, experienced care.

• Animals are not just part of my life — they are my life. My furry family means everything to me, and I promise to pay forward any support Sherlock receives by continuing to give back to the animal community around me.

Please feel free to contact us if you need any pet support—even if you just want advice, help, or a community. I am always looking to expand my extended fur family and share the good cat-dog vibes I am blessed with.

Sherlock has spent his whole life showing up with unconditional love. Now, I’m asking for help showing up for him the way he has always shown up for me.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, supporting, sharing, and believing in the power of love. ❤️

With deep gratitude,

Chrissy Amendola