Save Slinky — Emergency Surgery After Desexing Complication

From a routine surgery to a fight for her life in just days

Slinky is our sweet 7-month-old kitten. Just days after what should have been a safe, routine desexing surgery, everything changed.

On Sunday morning she was healthy and playful. By late afternoon she was fighting for her life. Her temperature spiked to 39.8°C (bordering 40°C) and there was noticeable heat and swelling around her incision, which sits slightly off to the side. By evening she was lethargic and the wound had begun to ooze.

At the emergency vet we were told the incision had opened into her abdominal cavity and she had developed a septic abdomen — a severe, life-threatening internal infection. The vets were blunt:

“She wouldn’t have survived another day without surgery.”

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Current Status

Slinky is hospitalised at Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital (University of Adelaide) under 24-hour care. She is on an IV drip for fluids, receiving strong antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and pain relief, and is being closely monitored while she awaits emergency surgery.

During surgery, the team will clean the infected area and take a bacterial swab so her antibiotics can be targeted precisely — giving her the best chance of a full recovery.

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Costs (transparent)

The written estimate from Roseworthy shows:

$1,841 – $2,511 (incl. GST) — if all goes smoothly

The vets advise it will likely land toward the higher end of that range

Already paid upfront: $1,300 (pooled between four of us)

Still needed: about $1,200

> These figures reflect the best-case plan. If complications arise during or after surgery, costs could exceed the estimate. We’re sharing the official quote so everything is transparent, and we’ll post the final invoice as soon as it’s issued.

Why we need help now: the clinic generally requires full payment upfront. We had no time to arrange credit while she was crashing. We’ve tried VetPay before unsuccessfully, and our new Afterpay limit is too small. Paying $1,300 has already stretched us beyond our limit after a year of family emergencies — but waiting was not an option.

Why Slinky Matters

Slinky isn’t “just a cat.” She’s the heart of our home. She’s an indoor, well-cared-for kitten who lives with our young twins and is amazing with small children — patient, gentle and always ready for cuddles. She’s good with other cats, kind with dogs, and even while in pain the hospital staff commented on her sweet, friendly nature.

She was perfectly healthy before this sudden post-surgery complication. With treatment, she has every chance to recover and keep bringing joy to family and friends for years to come.

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How You Can Help

Donate: even $5 makes a real difference.

Share: we don’t have a large social following, so every share is as powerful as a donation. Please post this to your feed, local community & pet groups, and send it to friends.

Follow: we’ll post updates, photos and receipts so you can see exactly how your support is saving her.

From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for giving Slinky the fighting chance she deserves.

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✔ Live Progress Tracker

✔ $1,300 deposit paid to begin treatment

✔ Admitted on IV fluids, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and pain relief

✔ Emergency surgery scheduled

☐ Surgery completed (time/date)

☐ Swab sent (results pending)

☐ Post-op recovery update (temp, appetite, wound)

☐ Discharge + at-home care plan

☐ Follow-up recheck

☐ Final invoice posted / campaign closed

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Social Captions (copy–paste for speed)

Facebook / Groups (longer):

URGENT: Save Slinky Days after routine desexing, our 7-month-old kitten developed a septic abdomen. The vet said she wouldn’t have survived another day without surgery. She’s hospitalised at Roseworthy on IV fluids/antibiotics awaiting emergency surgery. We’ve paid $1,300, but the estimate is $1,841–$2,511 (likely the higher end) if all goes smoothly. We still need about $1,200. Even $5 helps - and every share is as powerful as a donation.