Gray Kitty Veterinary Diagnosis Fund
Donation protected
My husband and I have happily rescued cats since 2003, when we took in our first two. When we moved to Bristow in 2005, it was about a year later we starting see a "gray kitty" in our yard. We gave him food and over time, he would come closer and closer. In 2008, he brought us his babies and his girlfriend. Apparently, we were the best all night buffet in the area.
After taking in the babies and spaying/neutering and adopting them, we neutered Gray Kitty, which was now his official name for veterinary records. From then on, outdoors or not, he was our cat. An outdoor guy at the time, he would come running out of the woods when he saw us pull in the driveway, or he would run at the bellowing of his name.
On April 18, 2016 he had an abscess behind his ear rupture, leaving an open wound. We'd seen many fight wounds and the vet was very familiar with him. This wound was BAD. Two weeks in the house was the beginning of him being a house cat.
The first year inside, Gray Kitty lost two pounds. He had weighed in at fifteen to fourteen pounds previously. Now he was down to 12 pounds. No big deal. He probably losing bit of muscle mass. He was also not supplementing his diet with bunnies and squirrels. This past six months, we noticed he had shrunk even more. Something was wrong. Unfortunately, he was also the only cat without pet insurance, which we were planning on buying him this year.
Weighing in at just over ten pounds in December, the vet also became concerned. He shows no sign of illness other than weight loss. Regular blood work came back perfectly fine. His GI blood panel revealed a B-12 deficiency, but now to find the underlying cause: Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Lymphoma. The next diagnostic tool was an ultrasound. Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Lymphoma were still possibilities after that test.
We are now told that a biopsy is what we need. Unfortunately, my business (being a real estate agent) is seasonal and my husband, while actively looking for work, is unemployed. I attempted to put the funds I did have into holistic treatments and a raw food diet. He is still losing weight. Last weight was 9.7 pounds. This issue isn’t going to wait for my spring selling season to pay off. He needs this test and subsequent steroid or chemotherapy treatment as soon as we can get it for him. I can fed him three times the amount of food he normally would eat, but he isn't absorbing it, and it is a solvable problem...for the right amount of money. We’ve relied on the kindness of family to this point, and credit cards, but we have no more funds to help this guy. If he had insurance, none of this would be in question. We would do whatever was necessary and insurance would help pay for the bills.
If Gray Kitty were suffering and end of life, I would ease his pain and give him quality of life for the short time he has left. At about thirteen years old, he is otherwise a perfectly happy, healthy cat. We are told he has years ahead. And he remains a complete love. I swear that he is an unofficial emotional support animal. He does very well with folks in need, be it young relatives that just lost their father suddenly to heart issues, another young relative with autism, or even my mother with Alzheimer’s. He is a terrific companion and deserves more than I can afford to do for him now.
In the past, my husband and I have been the ones giving to people and charities in need. It’s not easy to be in the position to ask for help. Please know any kindness you bestow upon us will be paid forward when our financial burden is lifted.
Thank you for anything you can contribute.
After taking in the babies and spaying/neutering and adopting them, we neutered Gray Kitty, which was now his official name for veterinary records. From then on, outdoors or not, he was our cat. An outdoor guy at the time, he would come running out of the woods when he saw us pull in the driveway, or he would run at the bellowing of his name.
On April 18, 2016 he had an abscess behind his ear rupture, leaving an open wound. We'd seen many fight wounds and the vet was very familiar with him. This wound was BAD. Two weeks in the house was the beginning of him being a house cat.
The first year inside, Gray Kitty lost two pounds. He had weighed in at fifteen to fourteen pounds previously. Now he was down to 12 pounds. No big deal. He probably losing bit of muscle mass. He was also not supplementing his diet with bunnies and squirrels. This past six months, we noticed he had shrunk even more. Something was wrong. Unfortunately, he was also the only cat without pet insurance, which we were planning on buying him this year.
Weighing in at just over ten pounds in December, the vet also became concerned. He shows no sign of illness other than weight loss. Regular blood work came back perfectly fine. His GI blood panel revealed a B-12 deficiency, but now to find the underlying cause: Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Lymphoma. The next diagnostic tool was an ultrasound. Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Lymphoma were still possibilities after that test.
We are now told that a biopsy is what we need. Unfortunately, my business (being a real estate agent) is seasonal and my husband, while actively looking for work, is unemployed. I attempted to put the funds I did have into holistic treatments and a raw food diet. He is still losing weight. Last weight was 9.7 pounds. This issue isn’t going to wait for my spring selling season to pay off. He needs this test and subsequent steroid or chemotherapy treatment as soon as we can get it for him. I can fed him three times the amount of food he normally would eat, but he isn't absorbing it, and it is a solvable problem...for the right amount of money. We’ve relied on the kindness of family to this point, and credit cards, but we have no more funds to help this guy. If he had insurance, none of this would be in question. We would do whatever was necessary and insurance would help pay for the bills.
If Gray Kitty were suffering and end of life, I would ease his pain and give him quality of life for the short time he has left. At about thirteen years old, he is otherwise a perfectly happy, healthy cat. We are told he has years ahead. And he remains a complete love. I swear that he is an unofficial emotional support animal. He does very well with folks in need, be it young relatives that just lost their father suddenly to heart issues, another young relative with autism, or even my mother with Alzheimer’s. He is a terrific companion and deserves more than I can afford to do for him now.
In the past, my husband and I have been the ones giving to people and charities in need. It’s not easy to be in the position to ask for help. Please know any kindness you bestow upon us will be paid forward when our financial burden is lifted.
Thank you for anything you can contribute.
Organizer
Chris Ann Balulis Cleland
Organizer
Braemar Tartan Hills Parkway, VA