Help Opal See a Brighter Future

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Jacqueline Evoy and Neville Murphy are organizing this fundraiser.

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Help Opal See a Brighter Future

Hi everyone, Meet Opal – Our Sweet Rescue Cat Fighting for Her Health

We are a small family with big hearts and a deep love for animals. We’re reaching out to ask for help in raising funds for our sweet cat, Opal, who has been bravely fighting multiple ongoing health issues.

Here’s a brief description that captures the heart of her journey while also explaining some of her medical needs and expenses. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Opal’s story. It’s incredibly moving, and she is truly such a sweet and resilient soul.

Opal’s Story:

One fateful day in May 2024, while we were packing for a weekend of camping, a small, bedraggled cat walked right into our lives — and instantly into our hearts. My partner and daughter were outside when this sweet soul appeared, and the moment he crouched down, she climbed right up onto his shoulder as though she already knew she belonged with us. My daughter ran inside, overjoyed with excitement, to tell me what had just happened. That was the first time we met Opal — and she’s been family ever since.

However, this was a bittersweet moment of first encounter, as Opal was in rough shape when she found us: emaciated, filthy, struggling to breathe, with a swollen, painful mouth. She could not even close her mouth, her tongue was protruding out, and she could barely drink any water we provided. We brought her to a vet immediately to check for a microchip. She had no microchip and had clearly been fending for herself on the street for quite some time. The poor baby was filthy, her tail fur was choppy and tattered, and she was covered in a horrible smell. There was also a distinct smell that seemed to be coming from her mouth.

Between my partner and I we teamed up to give her a bath, while wearing a winter coat and gloves (in the shower) for protection from her claws and teeth as this tiny cat, although extremely dehydrated and malnourished, Opal still had lots of fight left in her to resist the cleansing. We managed to get a vet appointment later that day to get Opal vaccinated and seek treatment for her condition before we left for our camping trip.

Opal was first diagnosed with stomatitis, which is chronic and painful inflammation in her mouth. This is an autoimmune disease that causes her gums to react to the enamel in her teeth, causing ulcers. This results in swollen gums, tongue, and mouth which also impacts her breathing and eating. She began treatment right away — we’ve been treating it with multiple rounds of medication, including antibiotics, corticosteroids, and pain medication to help her start healing and reduce the swelling/infection to undergo the surgery required to fully recover.

Since these medications required administration multiple times through the days, this meant bringing her along camping with us for the first of many adventures. Due to this, Opal has now become a well-travelled cat – including to the east coast, twice!)

After 9 months with us and a series of vet appointments for her follow up vaccinations, and routine care, her mouth was healing, she now is eating solid cat food (as well as Whiskas Tempatation treats!), gaining weight and thriving against all odds.

Just as she began to turn this corner, and her mouth inflammation was subsiding, enough for her oral surgery to be a possibility, another challenge hit. In February, we noticed Opal’s right pupil was fixed and dilated. The vet diagnosed Mydriasis, a neurological eye condition where the pupil doesn’t respond and react to light. After multiple eye exams, and evolving diagnostics, they found a small corneal ulcer, which has now worsened despite treatment. Today, we rushed her to the emergency animal hospital due to a significant decline. She’s been switched to new eye medications and lubricants, and we’re now awaiting a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist in Ottawa for specialized care and answers regarding the fate of Opal’s eye.

Opal is only about 2 years old (by our veterinarian’s estimate), but she’s already endured more than most animals do in a lifetime. Despite her challenges, she is the sweetest, most affectionate girl — always curled up in our laps (playfully batting at our hands to continue petting her if we stop for any reason), perched on our shoulders, or cuddled up with our daughter, who she’s bonded with in the most heartwarming way. Opal has also formed beautiful connections with our other fur babies as well, easily finding her place in the snuggle sessions had by all!

We are doing everything we can to give Opal the life she deserves — one full of comfort, love, and healing. We are now humbly and vulnerably reaching out to ask for help and support as we continue to navigate this journey with Opal to overcome these unexpected and extenuating conditions.

What Opal Needs Help With:

Opal was first diagnosed with stomatitis, which is chronic and painful inflammation in her mouth. This is an autoimmune disease that causes her gums to react to the enamel in her teeth, causing ulcers. This results in swollen gums, tongue, and mouth which also impacts her breathing and eating. We’ve been treating it with multiple rounds of medication, but she’ll need surgery to fully recover.

While preparing for that, we were hit with another unexpected issue: Opal developed Mydriasis, a condition causing one of her pupils to remain dilated and unresponsive to light. Diagnostics also revealed a corneal ulcer on that same eye, which is now worsening by the day, despite treatment.

Today, April 16, 2025, we brought her to the emergency animal hospital due to a sharp decline in her condition of her eye. She’s now on new eye drops, and oral medications for pain and treating the eye infection, while we are waiting to be referred to an ophthalmologist in Ottawa to find out if her vision can be saved.

Why This Means So Much to Us

Opal came to us sick, malnourished, and in desperate need of medical attention. Since that day, we’ve made it our mission to help her heal and give her the life she deserves — one full of love, safety, and comfort.

Despite all that she’s been through, Opal has remained full of love and resilience. She cuddles with our daughter, curls up in our laps, and has become a beloved member of our little family. Watching her fight through pain while still seeking connection and warmth has only deepened our commitment to her recovery.

Help Us Give Opal the Care She Deserves

What we’re raising funds for/How the Funds Will Be Used:

Cost Breakdown-Your support will help cover:

• Ongoing vet visits & diagnostics every few months (each visit costs around $700-$1100)

• Bloodwork, diagnostics, and prescription medications

• Cost of ongoing prescriptions and medications

• Consultation and travel to a Veterinary Ophthalmologist Specialist in Ottawa (starting at $300 for consultation only, this amount will increase based on the findings of the consultation)

• Future Oral surgery for stomatitis once her eye is stabilized (approx. $4000)

So far, Opal has already made multiple trips to the vet and emergency clinics, and her treatment is still ongoing. Every donation — no matter the amount — will help us continue giving Opal the care she desperately needs.

How You Can Help

✨ Donate if you’re able — even the smallest amount makes a big difference

✨ Share this page with friends, family, or on social media

✨ Send love and encouragement — it means more than you know

Every donation, no matter the amount, helps us get closer to giving Opal the care she needs. Sharing her story to other compassionate, animal loving souls means the world to us, too.

Opal came into our lives, in the most unexpected and magical way — she literally walked into our driveway, climbed up onto my partner’s shoulder, and never left. From that moment on, she became family. She instantly bonded with our daughter, has brought so much light to our lives, and is the gentlest, most affectionate soul we’ve ever met.

Thank you for taking the time to read Opal’s story and for supporting our journey with her. She’s been through so much and continues to fight every day. With your help, we can make sure her future is bright, comfortable, and full of the love she’s always deserved.

Thank you so much for reading, supporting, and loving this special little cat alongside us.

With all our love and gratitude,

Our little family to yours.

Shortly after meeting Opal and having her first bath and vet visit: