When I adopted Xander as a kitten, he had been feral and was a terribly frightened little guy. It took several years of bonding and slow, careful trust building, and he has continued to be a very sensitive little soul, but I was able to help him finally feel safe and happy. Eventually, he became my best friend. As a person living far from family and with my own chronic illnesses, I’m largely isolated… Except for Xander. We spend all day every day together, and I can't imagine my life without his sweet face, our conversations, the way he buries his face in my chest like a hug, and his need to be in constant contact at all times.

In December 2024, Xander was diagnosed with diabetes, and more recently, he started treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These chronic conditions have already been expensive, time-consuming and stressful to learn about and manage, but now he may have a heart condition as well. The good news is, it's likely that we're catching this early enough to be treatable and give him more happy, comfortable years with me. Unfortunately, expensive testing is needed to confirm his prognosis. I don’t want to risk the possibility of a sudden, steep decline into suffering and a terribly traumatic end to his life, which is a possibility if his condition is more advanced. His vet recommends that we see a cardiologist and get an echocardiogram, and possibly chest x-rays… But I simply can’t afford the cost.

My two worst fears are letting my best friend suffer and die in fear and agony, or letting him go too soon when he could have years left to live well. I have poured every drop of myself into caring for him for the past 13 months, and I would do it all again in an instant to have more time with him. He just turned 12 - not young, but I hoped to have another 4-8 years with him.

Any funds received would go directly to getting these crucial tests, seeing the cardiologist and any related medical expenses. Even simply sharing this to your friends and family to get our story out there would mean the world to both of us. Thank you for reading and for any support you can give.