The week of Christmas, I found traces of blood in my cat Naima's urine and went to the emergency vet. I spent $434 on antibiotics, pain meds and the emergency fees to alleviate her pain and symptoms which helped for a week, but I was not able to afford the recommended urinalysis to determine if the cause is urinary crystals, an obstruction, or something else.

Unfortunately, I found blood again in her urine yesterday. She is in a lot a pain, straining to urinate and constantly in the litterbox. I have an appointment scheduled as early as Thursday, but I do not have the funds to pay for it.

I am already struggling to make ends meet and was just barely able to pay my rent after the initial visit, thanks to my friends and family. The money from this fundraiser will go directly toward her urinalysis (which itself cost $400) and any further treatment she may need to recover. I know I'm ultimately looking at upwards of $1,000 for the urinalysis + another round of the meds, and whatever additional treatment post-diagnosis, but the urinalysis is the first step to her total recovery.

Naima is my best friend, emotional support animal and baby girl. She's a chiller! She loves ambient music, trying to eat me when I wake up late, watching birds and squirrels go by, sleeping between my legs under the covers, playing hide and seek and chasing strings. Last year she found a portal from my room to the basement… She was the shyest cat at the shelter I adopted her from, with one good eye, and has been with me since 2019.

Her health is honestly more important than my own, but she doesn't get to be on Medicaid like I do. If you can help at all, this would mean the world to me and everyone else who loves her.

Her namesake