On Christmas Eve, my family and I woke up to my five-year-old kitty, Zero, screaming in pain and not acting like himself. We rushed him to the emergency vet, where he was treated for a urinary blockage caused by crystals—essentially small kidney stones. I had to take out a loan just to cover the initial treatment. We brought him home, hoping he would recover, but the very next day, on Christmas, Zero was blocked again and had developed a UTI from the catheter used the day before.

The vet gave us three options: pay for his bladder to be unblocked again with a high risk of recurrence, opt for a “PU” surgery to eliminate future blockages but with a month-long recovery and some risks, or put him down. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing Zero, especially knowing he was happy and playful just a day before. We chose the surgery, which happened last night, and I had to take out another loan to pay for it. In just two days, I’ve accumulated 4500 in vet bills, and as a 20-year-old living paycheck to paycheck, I’m feeling overwhelmed. I try to be prepared for emergencies, but I recently had to cover another emergency with our older cat and am still recovering financially from that.

Zero is the sweetest cat—he grooms our two older girl kitties and is best friends with our puppy, Luna. He’s an irreplaceable part of our family, and I can’t imagine life without him. Any help is unbelievably appreciated. Your support will help me cover these unexpected vet bills and give Zero the chance to recover and continue bringing joy to our home.