Help Trout Wee

Jessica Olson is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hello dear internet folks, thank you very much for looking at this fundraiser and maybe considering donating to it and/or sharing with your networks if you're in the position to do so.

Trout (Kilgore Trout— I <3 Kurt Vonnegut) is a 15-month old cat who came home with me on Memorial Day weekend 2020. He has one of the quirkiest and unique personalities of any cat I've known, and has the sweetest disposition (frequent ambushes of his "sister" Tuna, aside); Trout has charmed everyone he's ever met which, like most pandemic babies, isn't many people but, given the chance, I think he could maintain the trend. He likes kisses and shoulder rides, will greet you from the top of the stairs standing like a meerkat, and sleeps like an otter with paws curled on his back. Needless to say, I love the heck out of him.

I was on newspaper in high school, they taught us that the key to persuasive writing was to lead with the most important information, avoid opinion or hyperbole, and write in short, clear, and concise sentences... I didn't do that but - if it's not a hardship - I hope some of you will be able to help me help this sweet meower.

Headline: TROUT CAN'T WEE!

Byline: Surgical intervention can clear the blockage and prevent recurrence of obstruction, CURING this otherwise chronic condition.

Until this morning (7/1), Trout appeared to be well on his way to recovering from a full urethral obstruction which was treated with a 48-hour catheter procedure (5/30-6/1) and manual expression to pass residual crystals (6/8). He left his last follow-up (6/16) with ideal blood/ urine test results, prescription refills, and an optimistic prognosis. Trout wouldn't need any more tests or exams as long as he produced urine when he tried, i.e., volume didn't matter as long as something was produced (which was good because the wees were small). And, contrary to what the previous vets said, he could be cured with surgical intervention— re-obstruction needn't be cause for euthanization! (Links to more details about Trout's illness and treatment journey at the end of this post if you're interested, I won't blame you if you're not.)

It had been a month of waiting and seeing but things were beginning to look increasingly good! Until they weren't... Yesterday morning (7/1) around 7a, after many failed attempts at weeing, Trout began uncharacteristically hissing, growling, and yowling (he's normally very chill, like if "the Dude" was a cat); he was back at the hospital by 10a, and surgery was scheduled by noon.

The surgery, a perineal urethrostomy, costs about $3,400, cash that I don't have after the last month of veterinary care (one urgent care visit resulting in referral, the first emergency surgery, two follow-ups with the ER vet for scans and urine/blood tests, a second opinion, and another follow-up with more tests totaling about $4k). Luckily, I financed the surgery and Trout will be operated on asap; less luckily, there's a high interest rate and the monthly payments aren't exactly what one would call sustainable (even less so factoring in an upcoming rent increase).

This is where y'all come in, if you're able to donate anything towards the surgery costs it'd be so, so helpful and I'd be forever grateful. Knowing this surgery will CURE him, taking euthanasia off the table is such a relief. Feeling hopeful, as opposed to hoping against hope, for a good outcome is great! Thinking about the actual details doesn't, so I'm going to hope a little extra that there are some folks out there who can help Trout get back to healthy.