Hello! My name is Mikael, and I'm a 28 year old, disabled, non-binary individual, and most importantly, I am the father of a sweet 11 year old cat named Ava. I adopted Ava 9 years ago and it truly was the best decision I've made to date.

Ava came with more challenges than average right off the bat, arriving at the shelter with Pika, only one eye, and a plethora of behavioral issues from her time on the streets. Loving and living with Ava meant a lot of lifestyle changes for me and my roommates, but she has always been worth it, and she eventually became a happy, comfortable, and incredibly spoiled indoor cat. She loves bossing people around, and to everybody's surprise even catches mice!

We've had our share of regular health issues, and a few extra scary ones, but Ava has always been a trooper and pulled through. This year, however, has gone a bit differently. In October, Ava showed less and less interest in eating her food, which is extremely unlike her. We went to the vet to see if she'd gotten into something like last time, or maybe had a bad tooth, but most of her test results didn't help us narrow down the issue. We spent quite a while waiting for ultrasound and biopsy results, which finally came back in on the same day we took her back for emergency care.

What they found was a tumor in her abdomen, some excess fluid in her abdomen, and inflammation in her pancreas and a neighboring lymph node. This tells us that it is either chronic pancreatitis, which we can treat with antibiotics and a change in diet, or the tumor could be cancerous, which opens doors to further questions about possible treatment. We waited once more for test results from the fluid in her abdomen, looking for cancerous cells, and after the longest days of my entire life, got a call: inconclusive. There was too much necrosis and dead tissue in the sample to confirm or deny cancer.

Having had cancer more than once myself, I know very personally that there is a world of difference between yes, no, and maybe, and I can not make such a large decision for my cat without knowing with absolute certainty. Our vet was able to refer us to a specialty vet hospital, so we can get a definitive diagnosis and discuss the most and the best treatment options for Ava.

As every pet owner knows, this type of care is extremely costly, and her previous series of visits has already stacked up a couple thousand dollars. I don't think it's fair to her to limit her health options based on my finances, and I want to do everything I can possibly find to get Ava the longest comfortable life she can have, and an easy, cozy end whenever that time truly has to come.

I am asking for support in giving Ava the best possible chance, as I am on a fixed income and unable to work due to my own health conditions. I will continue to provide updates as soon as I receive them, as well as photos of my sweet girl and endless appreciation.

Thank you for spending this time reading about me and Ava; I am already grateful for that. I understand that money is tight for everyone in our current climate, and spreading the word is just as meaningful as financial support.

I hope you have a kind day,

Ava's papa, Mikael