Maddy’s Still Fighting — Help Her Keep Going

My name is Jessica and I’m raising money for life-saving treatment for my cat, Maddy. Maddy has had a medical emergency requiring hospitalization and life-saving measures. After a rapid decline, Maddy was diagnosed with a saddle thrombus. While the typical prognosis is poor, Maddy has the potential to be the outlier case with how alert, stable, and reactive she was upon intake.

Maddy is my almost 10-year-old cat. My first baby, my best friend, and a constant presence in my life since I was 21 years old. I adopted her in college, and since then she’s seen me through everything: heartbreaks, moves, grief, growth, and so much more.

She’s been here through every version of me, and I’m not ready to let her go yet without giving her a fighting chance.

Earlier this week, Maddy suddenly started showing signs something was wrong. She became wobbly, vomited a little, and her appetite dropped. By Wednesday night, she didn’t want to walk on her own anymore. She could still stand and move when she tried, and even walked around the vet’s office today to get back to her carrier, but she was unsteady, lethargic, and uninterested in food or water unless I gave it to her by syringe.

At 4 a.m. today, I was on the floor feeding her water and wet food through a syringe, worried and exhausted, but she was responding. Her breathing was normal, her vitals seemed stable, and she was still responsive to sound, light, and touch, so I waited a few more hours for her regular vet to open. As soon as they saw her this morning, they immediately sent us to Blue Pearl emergency hospital.

There, Maddy was diagnosed with saddle thrombus. This is a life-threatening blood clot that cuts off circulation to the hind legs. The prognosis for most cats is poor. But Maddy’s presentation is atypical, and that may give her a real chance.

She wasn’t showing signs of pain. She was eating (even if barely), staying responsive, affectionate, and still trying to get to me when I spoke to her. One of the emergency vets said, “If anyone’s going to beat the odds, it might be her.” So we decided to fight.

We said yes to hospitalization and treatment because Maddy deserves that chance.

But this care comes at a huge cost, about $6,000, not including follow-up care and ongoing medications. I’ve maxed out CareCredit and applied to every grant I can find, but I still need help. I’m not ready to say goodbye, and she’s not ready either.

If you’ve ever loved a pet like family, I know you understand. Maddy’s still fighting, and I’m doing everything I can to fight for her too. Many of you have met her, and I hope she’s special enough to receive some help during this incredibly scary time in our lives.

If you’re able to donate, I would be so deeply grateful. Every share and every dollar helps.

Thank you❤️