Help Duchess Fight ❤️

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out with a heavy heart to ask for help with my sweet 8-year-old calico cat, Duchess. She’s been my little ray of sunshine for awhile now — and she’s fighting harder than ever for her own life.

About a year ago, Duchess was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, a condition we’ve been carefully managing with medication and love. Recently, however, things took a difficult turn. She developed severe anemia, and her hematocrit (HCT) count — which should be around 30 — dropped dangerously low to 8.

The amazing team at Gentry Veterinary Clinic has been working tirelessly to stabilize her. Duchess was hospitalized for a week, and with treatment her numbers started to climb — reaching around 18. Sadly, just 36 hours after coming home, her levels dropped dramatically again, and she had to be re-admitted.

Right now, Duchess is fighting hard. She’s on Pimobendan, Clopididogrel and Torsemide daily for her heart, and currently receiving Mirtazapine, an iron supplement, and Prednisone to help boost her red blood cell count. The Prednisone has been helping, but it’s only a temporary fix — it’s not safe for long-term use due to her heart condition. If her counts don’t continue to rise, or if they drop again once we taper off the Prednisone, we may have to face the possibility of a blood transfusion.

While the internal struggle continues, there are bright spots that give me hope. Physically, Duchess is showing signs of her old self again — she’s being vocal, purring, asking for belly rubs, and even making her little “air biscuits” once more. Seeing those familiar behaviors reminds me just how strong and full of love she still is, even as her body fights its hardest battle on the inside.

This has already been an emotional and financial strain, with multiple hospital stays, testing, and ongoing medications. Any help — big or small — would mean the world and go directly toward her veterinary care, medications, and possible transfusion costs.

Duchess still has so much life and love left in her. She’s gentle, brave, and still manages to purr through all the pokes and prods. Every donation, prayer, or share helps give her another chance to keep fighting.

Thank you all for your kindness and compassion — from the bottom of my heart (and Duchess’s too).

update:

Duchess got to come home 11-10-25 today after about 5 weeks at the vet. She’s doing so much better. Her hemocrit number got up to 30 which is on the low end. It should be between 30-52. I hope she continues to improve while she’s at home. She getting medication every day and will be having blood done once a week to ensure that her numbers stay within a healthy range.