Anyone who knows the Wood family knows we have a very special relationship with our cats: Roland, Black Cat, and Magpie. They are truly members of our family no matter how much fur, barf, chewed-up house plants, and shredded cardboard they leave in their wake. Roland is especially important to us.
We adopted Roland when I was pregnant with our first child, and he bonded himself to her as soon as she arrived in the world. Whenever he could, he would climb in her bassinet and snuggle with her. He patiently taught her to "pat pat" even though she grabbed his ears and pulled his whiskers sometimes. He brought her his favorite toys and showed her how to play with him under the door of her nursery. Much to my chagrin, he even learned to perfectly mimic her cries. Whenever she was fussy, Roland would come running to check on her and critique our parenting. It was obvious Roland had chosen his person. Eight years later, their bond is still going strong.
When we welcomed our second child last year, Roland instantly returned to Nanny Mode. As soon as our son wakes up in the morning, Roland is there. They snuggle and play every chance they get. Roland even volunteered to be our official rolling coach, and he quickly succeeded in teaching our son how to roll over and get moving. These days, it's rare to find the two of them apart.
Yesterday, after spending several hours entertaining the baby, Roland had a medical emergency. Like many male cats, he developed a blockage in his urinary tract. He needed surgery to clear the blockage and place a catheter. Then he needed bloodwork, IV fluids, antibiotics, and scans. He spent the night at the emergency vet and will probably remain there for 1-2 days. Thankfully, he is responding very well to treatment, and we hope he will be cleared to come home very soon.
However, the cost of Roland's emergency care has been immense and overwhelming. We have already drained our bank accounts to cover as much as possible, but we still have a long way to go. (Our daughter has helpfully built a leprechaun trap for St. Paddy's Day, but so far we're still short a pot of gold.) Given the circumstances, we are humbly asking for the help of our friends, family, and community. If you can contribute any amount, big or small, to Roland's emergency fund, we will be forever grateful. If you are unable to donate, we understand. Please consider sharing our story with anyone who loves animals or enjoys the thought of happy babies snuggling kitties. Thank you for your time and consideration. We hope to have our big, furry nanny cat safely home with us very soon.