8 years ago, Anita and I continued our life together in Philadelphia, with some new fur additions. I’d always grown up with pets, but for Anita, Sirius and his sister were her first. We rescued them as kittens after they were found in a dumpster, and from the very beginning, Sirius has been a source of joy and comfort in our lives. The first year with him was smooth, but soon after moving to a new apartment, Sirius became suddenly and severely ill. He went from being a playful, energetic cat to barely having the strength to move. After rushing him to the hospital and enduring countless tests, we finally learned he had a rare autoimmune disease called pure red cell aplasia. This meant his bone marrow stopped producing red blood cells, and he’s needed daily medication ever since. Years of treatment led to another challenge—Sirius developed diabetes, requiring two insulin injections every day. Despite our best efforts, pet insurance was never an option for us, so every emergency and medication has been paid out-of-pocket.

Most recently, Sirius was hospitalized again after a sudden, stress-induced bladder inflammation that led to urinary retention and blockage. He required a urinary catheter and remains hospitalized as he recovers. The go fund me asks that we post for donations in tiers but the total amount we are hoping for is close to 10K which is only a portion of the estimated costs. Any funds raised here will go directly toward paying for his current hospitalization and any new medications he needs to recover—not for his ongoing, pre-existing medications.

To any generous donors, we would like to thank you from the very core of our souls. We’ve given this beautiful bubba the best life we can and with your help now we will lovingly continue to do so. Sirius loves you all, and so do we.