Hi, my name is Kia and I’m fundraising for my cat, Charlie. Charlie is 12 years old and I’ve had him ever since I was 10. He’s the best cat anyone could ask for. In fact, growing up with dogs, he’s actually pretty dog-like. Charlie went from what appeared “perfectly normal” to extremely ill in just a couple of hours. When I left for work he was his normal self, and when I came home his back left leg was completely paralyzed. He couldn’t stand without assistance, and couldn’t walk a mere 3 steps before falling to the ground. I rushed him to the closest emergency vet where we stayed all night together. He was eventually diagnosed with FATE (Feline Aortic Thromboembolism). This means he had a blood clot which cut off circulation to his hind leg, causing sudden paralysis. In 89% of cats diagnosed with FATE or Saddle Thrombus (when both legs become paralyzed at the same time), it is due to heart disease or failure. Because of this concern, Charlie had to have an echocardiogram, or a heart ultrasound to check for heart disease. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse for Charlie, the night after we went to the emergency vet, he had blood in his urine. I called my personal vet, along with the emergency vet, and they both agreed it wasn’t due to his medication or original condition. We were dealing with something else. His primary vet is booked out pretty far so I had to bring him back to the emergency vet so he could get treated for this condition as well. At the emergency vet, they found a mass in his bladder, so a simple UTI unfortunately is not the cause. He was given an ultrasound to assess the mass and check for possible bladder cancer.

I understand having a pet is a big responsibility. With that responsibility includes any unforeseen medical emergencies. It’s my job as a pet owner to only own a pet if I can take on these expenses, and that’s why I’m only asking to raise $4000. Charlie’s medical bills thus far have been well over $4000 and there’s more to come, but I find it unfair to ask for the full amount because ultimately it’s my responsibility to take care of this. I’m a recent college grad with an entry level job so these expenses have caused me a lot of stress so far. I’ve been working really hard to save for a car because mine is in horrible condition and it’s just a matter of time before it breaks down for good. I’ve used what I’ve saved so far for a new car to pay for his medical bills. I live an hour away from my work so not having a car isn’t an option for me.

Charlie’s vet believes that with his current condition, a trial treatment could actually work for him. It’s not FDA approved and there’s no guarantee so it’s a bit of a risk, but without the treatment he has an extremely slim chance of surviving the next year. I’m hoping with the treatment we can get many more years with our beloved boy.

Thank you to everyone who is able to donate. For those who can’t donate, even just sharing his message helps!