Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out because my cat Opal and I have been through an incredibly difficult few months, and we need help.

Opal is a 6-year-old rescue cat who has already had a very hard life. Before I adopted her, she had been through multiple shelters and foster homes after her previous owner abandoned her at a Petco when she was about four years old. When she finally came into my life about a year and a half ago, she had a hairless pink belly from excessive grooming, but she was sweet, affectionate, and finally safe.

A few months ago everything changed.

Opal developed a life-threatening intestinal obstruction caused by a dense hairball. She needed emergency surgery to survive. During the surgery the doctors performed biopsies of her intestines and we learned that Opal has Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and requires lifelong management.

Her emergency surgery alone cost over $12,000, and the journey is far from over. Because of her IBD and grooming issues, Opal now needs ongoing specialized care including:

• Appointments with veterinary specialists such as internal medicine and dermatology

• Diagnostic monitoring and follow-up testing

• Prescription diets and medications

• Grooming care to help control the hair ingestion that caused her obstruction

• Supplements and preventative treatments to keep her digestive system functioning safely

Preventing another obstruction is critical, because it could quickly become another emergency.

At the same time all of this happened, I was also involved in a serious accident where I was hit by a car, leaving me physically and emotionally struggling while trying to care for Opal through her recovery.

Opal is my family. After everything she went through before I adopted her, I promised she would always have someone fighting for her. She is still the sweetest, most loving little cat, and she deserves a chance to live a comfortable and healthy life despite her condition.

The financial burden of emergency surgery, ongoing treatment, specialist care, and recovery for both of us has become overwhelming. I’m asking for help so I can continue to provide Opal with the medical care she needs and prevent another life-threatening emergency.

Any contribution, no matter the size, would go directly toward Opal’s medical care and recovery. If you can’t donate, sharing this page would also mean so much.

Thank you for reading our story and for helping Opal get the care she needs.

— Emmy & Opal