Cat People of Oahu is a small, volunteer-run cat rescue group dedicated to helping sick, injured, and vulnerable cats across Oahu. Every year, we help hundreds of cats and kittens through medical care, fostering, adoption, and community support. Today, we are asking for your help with Bobbie, a very special kitten in our care. Her case is unlike anything we have ever encountered before.

Bobbie was born in late January to a feral mother in Kaneohe and was being cared for by tenants on the property. Her only known sibling died during a heavy rainstorm and Bobbie was always much smaller than a typical kitten. At just seven weeks old, she weighed only 0.9 pounds, about half the size we would expect for a kitten her age.

When Bobbie first became sick, her caregiver took her to a veterinarian, where she was treated for what was thought to be a respiratory infection. Bobbie initially seemed to improve on medication, but only a few days later she suddenly went downhill. She was struggling to breathe and wasn't interested in eating or nursing so her caregiver reached out to Cat People of Oahu because she could not afford additional veterinary care. We immediately arranged for Bobbie to be seen by one of our veterinary partners.

The veterinarian was immediately concerned that Bobbie's condition was far more serious than a respiratory infection. She heard a severe heart murmur and suspected that Bobbie had a congenital heart defect and was in congestive heart failure. Based on those findings, we arranged for Bobbie to have an echocardiogram later that evening.

When Bobbie arrived for her echocardiogram, she would not stay still long enough to safely complete the ultrasound. Given her condition, the veterinarian recommended immediate hospitalization. Bobbie spent the next three days in the hospital, including two days on oxygen, while the veterinary team worked to stabilize her. Once stable enough, a sedated echocardiogram revealed the cause: a rare congenital heart defect called severe mitral valve stenosis. The mitral valve in Bobbie's heart did not develop correctly before birth, making it much harder for blood to move through her heart and ultimately causing congestive heart failure.

Today, Bobbie has no idea she is sick.

If she is awake, she is playing. She loves toys (especially anything with a bell), races around the cat shelving, and plays hard with any cat or dog willing to entertain her. You would never know she has a life-threatening heart condition.

She is now five and a half months old, weighs almost five pounds, and is over five times the size she was when she first came into our care. She takes four medications twice a day without complaint (mostly), and other than having an elevated resting respiratory rate, continues to do incredibly well. She has an incredible quality of life and we have one chance to give her more of it.

The reality is that Bobbie is living on borrowed time.

After Bobbie's diagnosis, we reached out to the interventional cardiology team at Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital to explore surgical options for her. In May, Bobbie was also evaluated by board-certified veterinary cardiologist, Dr. Stack, during his visit to Hawaii.

Unfortunately, Colorado State determined that Bobbie was not a candidate for surgery to correct her mitral valve stenosis. Instead, they referred us to VCA West Los Angeles for a specialized procedure called a left atrial decompression.

The hospital pioneered left atrial decompression in both cats and dogs and remains the only hospital in the country to have performed the procedure in cats. While there are no guarantees, Bobbie's cardiology team believes she has a very good chance of benefiting from the procedure. If successful, the procedure could add years to her life while also improving her long-term quality of life.

The total estimated cost of Bobbie's procedure and all associated travel and medical expenses is approximately $10,500. We know this is a significant amount of money to raise for one kitten.

Bobbie is a happy, playful kitten with an incredible love for life who happened to be born with a devastating congenital heart defect. Although her medications are helping manage her condition today, they cannot correct the heart defect she was born with. This procedure is her one chance at a longer, healthier life.

Bobbie's procedure is tentatively scheduled for July 29 because her cardiology team believes she is approaching the ideal window for intervention. She is finally large enough for the procedure, while still young enough that her heart has the best opportunity to recover as she grows.

If you are in a position to help Bobbie, we would be incredibly grateful for your support. Every donation, no matter the size, brings her one step closer to getting the chance she deserves. If you are unable to donate, sharing her story with others is another meaningful way to help.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Bobbie. Whether you are a longtime supporter or are learning about Cat People of Oahu for the first time, we are deeply grateful for your kindness and generosity.