Help Save Joonbug and Benji

Joonbug (left) and her brother Benji (right) were rescue kittens brought in before Halloween. In the beginning of November, they were both diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). FIP is caused by a mutated feline coronavirus that can manifest itself into different forms in a kitten's body. But no matter what form the virus takes, if left untreated, FIP is almost always fatal--sometimes in only a matter of weeks.

The good news is there is a treatment that has been found to be effective up to 98% of the time. Often, even after the first dose, the debilitating fever breaks, and a normal appetite and the urge to play return. That is what happened, first in the case with Joonbug, and then with Benji.

The bad news is the course of treatment to eradicate the virus is long (a minimum of 12 weeks). And it is very expensive (costs can run well over $1,000 per cat). Furthermore, because the drug used to treat cats for FIP has not been licensed for this purpose, veterinarians and rescue organizations cannot participate in obtaining or administering the lifesaving medication. This makes treatment for kittens like Joonbug and Benji more complicated.

By definition, all kittens are cute, but there is something especially endearing about these two. They are funny, like the way they each sit patiently every morning in the Tupperware bowl to get weighed on a food scale. Or the way, for some reason known only to him, Benji insists on dropping all their soft toys in the water bowl. They can be wild, chasing upstairs and down, across the counter and through the sink they go, into the litter box and out, on repeat until their ya-yas are out. And then there is their affectionate side when they reach out with a gentle tap or an ankle hug--ready to curl up in a lap for some head rubs--often together with Joonbug's purr drowned out by Benji's, but still in harmony.

Currently Joonbug and Benji are relying on a small group of individuals for their treatment and care. Everyone who has met this sweet pair of siblings is rooting for them to have the best possible chance at a long and healthy life. If you would consider making a donation to help that become a reality for Joonbug and Benji, they, and everyone who cares about them, would really appreciate it.