Give Dabi a Chance This Holiday Season

Hello, I want to introduce my cat Dabi (pronounced like Dobby). He is a loving and energetic 10-month-old boy who was born on Valentine's Day this year. I got Dabi as a 7-week-old kitten from a relative of mine, and instantly fell in love. Here is a picture from the day I got him:

The last 8 months with him have been some of the most chaotic yet best times of my life. Dabi never runs out of energy—he is constantly playing or on the hunt for food; there is never a dull moment with him. Saturday, December 14, was no exception.

That morning, as I was getting ready for work, I heard a loud crash and a cat screech come from my kitchen. I ran to see what happened, and my very tall cat tree was tipped over but no cats were in sight. I found Dabi hiding underneath my bed (which happens to be in my living room, directly next to the kitchen). It look a lot of coaxing, but when I finally got him to come out, I knew immediately something was wrong—he was walking funny and refusing to put weight on his back left leg.

My vet uses telehealth for emergencies, so I had a video chat appointment where the vet assessed Dabi. She listed a couple reasons why she believed he wasn't in any extreme pain (he wasn't panting, and he was letting me pet him). She prescribed 50mg of Gabapentin every 8 hours until he can be seen in person Monday morning.

Flash forward to today, Monday morning. I called the vet as soon as they opened and got him in at 11:30am. At the appointment, I learned they planned on taking x-rays and doing bloodwork. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford both, so they proceeded with just x-rays, which alone cost about $350. I was told to return at 4:20 to pick him up. 4:20 rolls around, I go to the vet, and I am put in a cat room. A couple of minutes later the vet comes in and immediately tells me she has bad news. Dabi dislocated his back left leg.

I was told I had a couple of options:

Hearing that my 10-month-old cat might need to be put down because of a leg injury was devastating and not how I expected my day to go.

I was given another option of surrendering him to a local animal shelter, where the shelter might cover the surgery or euthanize him—but there was no guarantee they would do the surgery and I couldn’t risk his life.

In that moment, I decided that Euthanasia was NOT an option. I promised myself that I would fight for my little boy's life down to my last penny, which is what it is going to cost me.

There was a lot of back and forth about payment options and pricing with one of the staff members (who is a literal angel and I thank her for everything). She tried helping me apply for CareCredit, and unfortunately, I don't qualify without a cosigner. She got me estimates for the different cost each surgery would be:

At first it was sounding like if I left Dabi at the vet, I had to pay for the surgery that night, or they would euthanize him. I asked if I could take him home instead, but that alone would cost $120 in pain meds for one night, and I would be required to sign an Against Medical Advice (AMA) form. Then, I asked about keeping him at the vet until I have the money for the surgery. To cover pain meds and hospitalization for the next two days, I was told it would be about $200.

So, I made the easiest decision I've ever made in my life and I spent $200 for the vet to keep him overnight and comfortable for the next two days until his surgery Wednesday, December 18th.

This is where I need your help. I want to save my cat’s leg—and his life. I was quoted $930-$1,310 for the FHO surgery, and I have just two days to raise the money. If anyone has anything to spare this holiday season, even if it's just $5—the cost of a cup of coffee—it would mean the world to me and Dabi.

Every penny raised through this GoFundMe will be put toward Dabi’s medical bills, including the x-rays and surgery and any loan I hope to secure. Please don't let what is supposed to be my first Christmas with Dabi be spent in mourning of him.

Thank you for reading this far. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate any help you can give.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year <3

With love,

Skylar and Dabi

More pictures of Dabi because I miss him terribly:

Taken exactly 3 months apart: July 22, 2024 (above), April 22, 2024 (below)