My name is Catarina and I’m reaching out for help for my best friend, Romeu - my sweet 7 year old cat who has recently been diagnosed with kidney disease.

Romeu has been with me since he was just 2 months old. His mum stopped feeding him, so I hand-fed him myself to make sure he’d grow strong and healthy. Since then, he’s been my shadow - always by my side, full of love and energy and completely dependent on me.

He’s not just a pet, he is my family.

We moved from Portugal to the UK two years ago, and he’s been my biggest comfort through every change.

Sadly, earlier this week, I noticed he wasn’t himself - he lost weight, stopped eating properly and was very quiet. On Friday, things got worse, so we took him to the vet for tests. The next morning, I got a call saying his kidney levels were dangerously high and we had to rush him to the emergency vet.

Romeu is now hospitalised, receiving fluids and pain medication. He’ll also need a scan and further treatment to give him the best chance at recovery.

So far, we’ve already spent £1,549.09, and we’re facing another £1,050 for the rest of his hospital stay and £680 for his scan tomorrow. I’m setting a goal of £2,000 to help cover these costs and give Romeu the care he needs for now.

It’s really hard for me to ask for help, but Romeu means everything to me - he’s been with me through every stage of my life, from my mum’s home to my first flat and all the way here to the UK.

He loves cuddles, sleeping next to me and being held like a baby. I just want to give him the chance to get better and come home.

Any donation, no matter how small, would mean the world to us. Even a share of this page helps more than you know.

Thank you so much for reading and for caring about my little boy

Catarina & Romeu