Help Me Save Flynn’s Life

Hi, my name is Nicole Shirley. If you know me, you know that I’ve always been a very involved cat mama. My love for cats is undeniable, but most of all, my love for my cat Flynn. From the day that he was born on my bedroom floor (June 1, 2018), he became my whole world.

The moment I saw him, I knew his name and I knew I could never let him go. I often hear from others, “I’ve never seen a stronger bond between a cat and a human.”

On the morning of October 13, 2021 at roughly 3:30am, I woke up to Flynn having a seizure. My once seemingly healthy cat, began to change. I immediately took him to VSS, where they unfortunately were unable to determine the cause of his first seizure. On October 28, Flynn had his second seizure, and on November 6, his third.

I knew in my heart.. this is not good. On November 8th, Flynn had his vet appointment to do some testing. Two days later on November 10, around 2:30pm, I received the gut-wrenching phone call.

My 3 and a half year old baby is terminal. He was diagnosed with a disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease. He was born with it. PKD is a hereditary disease where a cat is born with fluid pockets on their kidneys. Those fluid pockets start out small, but get bigger over their lifetime, eventually causing symptoms and leading to kidney failure.

Hearing this news broke me more than I could have ever imagined. This cat has truly saved my life, and it could be a long shot.. but it would change my life if I could save his.

Now you’re probably wondering.. if it’s terminal.. how could I still have hope? Well, today I learned that it is in fact possible for a kitty to get a kidney transplant. However, this procedure can cost up to $18-20,000. I would do anything for Flynn, and I will not stop until I know that there’s nothing else I can do. At this point, I may only have a couple months left with my baby. But getting him healthy kidneys… could change everything. I know this is going to be a very extensive process, but Flynn and I are tough, and we’re willing to take a shot. Thank you for your time, it means the world to me. And if by any chance you are in a position to donate, thank you so so very much❤️