<div>Marcel Alexander passed away 7/31/25 days after his ninth birthday. 

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<div>A couple evenings before, we noticed him passed out in the hallway, foaming at the mouth, and delirious. He’d been hiding all day which is very unlike our feisty “little brother” of the house. We immediately rush him to the 24/7 emergency vet. This was late Saturday evening. They decided to keep him overnight- originally thinking this was a bladder infection gone extremely wrong or something wrong with his kidneys. He was stable, comfortable, and already everyone’s favorite at the facility. I was leaving for a week long trip the next day and had to say goodbye to him for the last time there. That was the last time I saw him.

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<div>The next evening after arriving in Kansas City for the night (was staying overnight to get on train to Chicago early next morning), received a call from the vet that despite a bunch of fluids, being stable and purring to the staff, and seeming semi comfortable or better, Marcel’s white blood count was very concerning. He also was still not eating even on appetite enhancers and pain medication, and had to have a catheter to get any out put. They were worried he may need surgery of some kind after seeing what they think is a mass under a sonogram in his abdomen. There was also a lot of fluid in his abdomen which at first, they thought the hole in his bladder was leaking urine, but then tested to show inconclusive results. The fluid wasn’t positive for urine, cancer, etc. The tests were not giving definitive results or showing definite signs of cancer, sepsis, etc. For cost purposes, they recommended we transfer him to our regular vet in the morning since he appeared somewhat stable and they could do further testing or possible surgery. 

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<div>Next morning while I boarded a train and got updates, Marcel was transferred to our regular vet to be seen immediately. They were concerned about everything the ER had said and their sonogram showed the mass was possibly more complicated than originally thought. The fluid wasn’t positive also still showing non emergent but inconclusive results- and he was still somehow dehydrated and his white count low despite being on extra fluids for two days. Throughout the day I got updates and calls about him. The vet then questioned why he was transferred in the first place, said they didn’t think they had the facility or the set up for his emergent and extreme needs, they didn’t feel comfortable doing his surgery (to remove the mass/stitch the hole in his bladder if even possible) there, and that they recommend we either take him back to ER or to Manhattan, KS for the KState Vet Teaching Hospital there to fully test to see if it’s cancer cells in the fluid/mass etc. I made it to Chicago that evening, and because I didn’t know if I could have someone even possibly drive him two hours to manhattan for me, I had him transferred back to the ER. The vet said he was stable and comfortable enough to do so, packed him up for my grandma, and had him back to the ER hospital ICU. 

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<div>The next morning (Marcel and i’s birthday), the ER called me. Marcel was not well. They said his tests were now showing he was not stable and possibly septic. Surgery was no longer an option or possible next step. They said the vet lied to them, that he wasn’t stable when he left them, and they were very concerned why they didn’t have him on certain medications throughout his stay there. At this point, they said their tests were hinting at cancer but they truly didn’t know for sure and the only place to get it tested was KState. I ask if he’s even stable enough to get there, if it’s worth it for his current condition/quality of life, if he’d be comfortable, and how much more it would be. They said they would make him as comfortable as possible, that he would be stable enough to go, and that thankfully, because it’s a teaching hospital, KState is around the same budget as them (I was already quoted a surgery price of $5-6k so I was worried how much more it would be). Now I had to see if anyone in my family or if my partner could drive my quickly deteriorating cat 2 and a half hours for me, if I had enough on my credit card limit, and really have a hard talk with myself about what to do here. I made the decision that since he was stable/as comfortable as he could be (partner had visited and brought him bday toys earlier that day and he was purring; vet claimed he was a favorite and still responding to his name), since I already had planned on spending that much if he had been okay for surgery, and because my lovely grandfather said he would drive him for me, Marcel was then driven to Manhattan and checked in around 11PM. I turned 29 and he turned 9 years old that day. 

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<div>The next day I had only a few phone calls. Not too many updates besides he’s a good boy, he did okay on the drive up and was still as comfortable as they could get him, and they were running tests on the fluid, his blood, etc. They were having their cancer doctor look at his cells and such to see if it said anything. This day I was helping my friend at her job and working an event for them so I could make a little extra money on my trip and possibly network. At around 10PM at the event I get a call. I step out into the hallway and try to hear the vet over the sound of the live DJ of the event. The results were back along with a couple of sonograms they took. It looked like Marcel’s organs in his abdomen were actually slowly being fused/glued together by this weird mass,and it was making this fluid around it. It looked to be a rare type of cancer, but they were sure that if they tried to operate, it would most likely be too complicated to achieve any removal or anything successfully, but also he would most likely pass away on the table. I now needed to decide when to go ahead with humane euthanasia, who I wanted to be there for him, and whether I wanted an autopsy/cremation/etc. All throughout this and every phone call every person would gush about how he was still purring, was everyone’s favorite, and how he was such a good boy despite it all. I told her my partner would most likely drive up sometime tomorrow depending on work, that they can do an autopsy if they wish/if it helps the students because of his rare condition and the questions, that I would like a paw print for sure, and then I hung up. I wiped my face, went back in and finished working the event. 

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<div>The next morning the vet called for last minute scheduling, confirming cremation, and for me to call and say goodbye. That morning I said goodbye to my lil boy over the phone, apologized for not being able to be there, saying I loved him, and whatever else I could get through sobs. The vet tech said he was making biscuits after hearing my voice and that even though it was hard, at least he was comfortable. My partner drove up, held his paw, said goodbye for me and came home. He said all the nurses in the room were crying.

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<div>I got back home on August 5th. Yesterday (august 7th), I received a phone call with the autopsy results. She said first off that I made the right choice and she felt 100% comfortable and glad with our decision. My boy had a rare type of cancer. It was a fast moving and developing cancer that could’ve happened anywhere within only a week to maybe a couple months max, and it slowly but surely absorbed the fat and fluids in his abdomen to fuse his organs together. The constricting of the organs caused the fluid etc. She said it was caused most likely by random inflammation or something and that nothing that happened was our fault. It’s exceedingly rare and she’s glad he got to go while he was comfortable and with the people who loved him. 

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<div>If you read this far, reached out, said kind words, offered support of any kind, thank you. I’m not great at talking about things that really hurt me and this has been a really rough time, so I’m very grateful to you and anyone who’s supported this far. With that being said, all of this was so sudden and such a whirlwind. To come back in town to medical bills and the grief of losing a pet has been something I wouldn’t wish on anyone and kindof a daze. If you feel like supporting me and my family during this time, I truly appreciate it and don’t know how to thank you. You can either donate here, or feel free to purchase any of my artwork, prints, etc as any money from that will also be dedicated to or put towards his bills. 

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<div>Marcel truly was wonderful, my soulmate in a pet, and the glue of our home. If you ever visited, he would come out acting as if any visitors were there to see him. And to be honest- most of the time they were. :’) I’ll love him forever. Thank you for reading, caring, supporting, or being a friend to my boy in the past. 

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<div>Marcel Alexander 7/29/16-7/31/25

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Danielle Hess

Felix Copeland

Aly Meyer

Anonymous

Hananiah Aldrich

Ken Gromala

Rilla Stone

Kassandra Borah

Jorge Flores

In Memory of Marcel (Help with his Medical Bills)

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In Memory of Marcel (Help with his Medical Bills)

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