<div>This is Bugs, my 1 year old emotional support kitty. Originally, Bugs was found in the drainage behind our house along with his sister during the series of storms that caused the July 4th flooding here in the Texas Hill Country in 2025. We were not meant to keep Bugs and his sister as we already had 3 kitties ourselves and many other animals at home, but he quickly stole our hearts and has been a true blessing for this past year.
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<div>June 30, 2026 we noticed that Bugs started having a hard time in the litterbox. Crying, going multiple times in a short span, and tinged with blood. Concerned about a blockage, we rushed him up to an emergency vet that evening where they confirmed no blockage and scheduled a follow up the next morning. They attempted to collect a urine sample with no success, but did some scans which revealed a thicker bladder lining and at this moment suspected a stress induced FIC/FLUTD episode, a common morbidity in male cats. They went ahead and prescribed him some pain meds as well as some precautionary antibiotics just in case we were dealing with infection. For about a week, we saw improvement in Bugs. More urine output, less crying, less blood. We were sure we had fixed him up. Then July 9th, a day after finishing the meds, we started seeing more of the same behavior, but only passing little drops at a time this go around. We brought him back to the vet that evening where they prescribed gabapentin and zorbium to try and reduce his pain/get him through this FLUTD episode. The next morning (07/10) we ended up bringing him back for urinary incontinence as he began leaking urine outside the litterbox and was completely intoxicated to the point he wasn't responding to stimuli. We were recommend to bring him back to the vet. They confirmed his bladder was large, but they were able to express some urine for a UA and did additonal scans. They again told us he was not blocked, but did discover some struvite crystals in his urine. He was recommended a prescription diet which we went ahead and picked up. The next day (7/11) we saw no meaningful output from him at the litterbox. Just a couple drops of bloody urine. He even strained for 5 minutes straight with zero output. Concerned again with a blockage, we went back. Same thing. No blockage and they prescribed a laxative hoping he was constipated. The next morning (7/12), he was again incontinent and was physically in pain, growling when I touched him which he has never done before. He also stopped eating and drinking which he had been up to this point. We called the vet and were advised to give him time and keep up on the gabapentin to keep him comfortable. As the day progressed, he was unable to use the litterbox appropriately, was severely incontinent, did not drink/eat, and began foaming at the mouth. 2:30am (7/13) we rushed him to a 24hr emergency vet where we were quoted $3950 for a 48hr hospital stay to treat him for a partial blockage. We went ahead and approved that, though at this point we were emotionally and financially drained. Unfortunately, we got approved for no financing due to limited credit history and complications being self employed. 36 hours later (7/14) he was released from the hospital. When we got him, we saw a glimpse of our old Bugs back. He was happy, purring, cuddling, just being his old self. That made us very happy to see, though when we got home, we noticed he only used the box once and it was a very small output of bloody urine. This concerned us, so within 30 minutes of being home, I called the vet who told us he emptied his bladder before he left and this could be something we see over the next day. My husband and I took turns keeping watch on him over the night to be sure he used the bathroom. Around 3am when he had tried several times without success, my husband called the vet who confirmed this was concerning and to try and give him more gabapentin to see if it relaxes him enough to go. While he was still purring and happy, we opted to bring him back to the vet around 6am (7/15) before he was uncomfortable since we had still seen no output. We brought him back to the same hospital who had released him early from hospitalization who gave us a quote of $2400 for a 24hr hospitalization and they said it had no guarantee of success. They said most likely, he would need a perineal urethostomy (PU surgery) in the next 48hrs-1wk IF they could get him in with their surgery team. This would cost another $4500-$5000 on top of the hospitalization required pre surgery to keep him stable and his kidney levels normal. When we said we really didn't have that and were already $5000 out of pocket in 2 weeks with vet bills, they ever so kindly (not) suggested I euthanize my actively purring and curious kitten. By this point, we were feeling lost and hopeless, but by the grace of God, another vet was willing to take him on that very morning for a PU surgery at a fraction of the cost of the other place. This surgery was our best chance at saving his life, so without second thought, we rushed him down there where he has successfully underwent surgery, and as of today (7/17), he is still hospitalized with them in recovery.
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<div>At this point, we are $8250 into his vet bills and praying this was the key to saving him. We are emotionally drained, financially drained, are down a vehicle, and have had to take time off work to be sure he is cared for. I truly do not know how long it would take me to recover if I lost that kitten.
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<div>It is hard to ask for help, and I understand everyone's life circumstances. If you can't monetarily give, I request you keep him and us in your prayers.
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<div>Thank you and God bless.
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James Whitbord

Anonymous

Help Save Bugs, Our Beloved Support Kitty

Support urgent earthquake relief and past recovery in Venezuela.

Apoya la ayuda urgente tras el terremoto y los esfuerzos de recuperación en Venezuela.

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Help Save Bugs, Our Beloved Support Kitty

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