Help Mishka Kick his Cooties to the Curb.

My name is Mishka (мишка) and I’m a kitten born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.  As of January 22, 2021, I’m 8 months old and weigh 5.3 lbs. (2.4kg).  During my brief life time, I’ve crossed one path after another.  More recently, it seems that there will be many more journeys headed my way.  This GoFundMe campaign was created to help me along those journeys. 

On January 25, 2021, I was diagnosed with pneumonia.  Through x-rays, my vet discovered that there is an obstruction in one of my lungs.  It has caused an infection that makes it difficult for me to breathe.  There is so much discomfort, that I find it hard to eat or drink.  Fortunately, it is treatable with antibiotics, which I have started.

There's just one catch -

If I am not eating on my own within the next few days, my vet is concerned that there may be a far more serious problem than pneumonia. 

Funds from this campaign will pay for my recent visits to the vet, as well as treatments and any follow-up visits.  Provided my health condition doesn't worsen, my vet invoices/estimation related to pneumonia totals $1,612. 

At 8 months old, I'm 3 lbs. underweight and I was born with many congenital health issues, including an enlarged heart,  heart murmur, skeletal anomalies, umbilical hernia, and abnormal lungs and spine.

As a baby kitten, I had an eye infection that caused the right globe to rupture and unfortunately it couldn't be saved.  On December 8, 2020,  an eye removal surgery (enucleation) was performed.  $3,000 from this campaign went directly to pay for my enucleation surgery and follow-up visits, as well as my past vet visits related to my congenital health issues.

If you would like to learn more about my health, feel free to explore the medical charts, x-rays and invoices attached below the photo of me napping.  Past all the medical details, I've included my life story, including juicy cute photos. 

Words would not be able to describe how much I would appreciate you keeping me in your thoughts.   My family and I would graciously welcome you holding our paws and hands along the way.  

All the best, 
Mishka
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I am being fostered through Brooklyn Animal Action (BAA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals in New York (501 (c)3 EIN 27-1454911).  You can also donate via BAA's Venmo @brooklyn-cats and designate funds to Mishka

https://brooklynanimalaction.org/ 
https://www.instagram.com/mishka_galore/






































 

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As for the novel... 
 
If you have the luxury to procrastinate, need a distraction from your 9-5, or simply want to learn more about me, I’m happy to assist.  Please continue reading.  

Here's a little bit about me:

Two caring women found me abandoned in their backyard.  They reached out to Brooklyn Animal Action (BAA), a 501 (c )3 all-volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of Brooklyn's animals.  BAA connected with Mum to see if she’d be available to foster me.  A bit about Mum – she fosters kittens regularly through various organizations like BAA and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).  Mum saw the  photo of me below and agreed to foster me for a few weeks.  And the rest is history. 




On July 1, I was dropped off at Mum’s doorstep– no seriously.  It’s so cliché.  Disheveled, malnourished and sick, Mum came to realize that I was more than just a fixer-upper.  At that time, I was 31 days old and I weighed less than a teacup (281g).  Both eyes were badly infected and I was overall, weak and ill.


After some much-needed TLC, Mum and the other household members (Mr. Butter Sweats & Mr. Chocolate Chip) helped me get better.  Within a few days, she weened me off milk to transition to solid food – I started to plump up a little.  With the freedom to explore every inch of the apartment, I grew stronger.  I even discovered that I have a new tabby cat brother, named Tamale.  We were kept apart for weeks; however, he did try to take a few nips at me. 


It wasn’t all fun and games.  I was given some heavy-duty responsibilities.  They included playing with my new toys to grow stronger, litter box etiquette training, learning to groom myself, and eating as much as my tiny stomach would hold.  Mum was quite pleased with my progress.
On July, 9th, Mum noticed some flaky dandruff on my tail.  Not sure what it was, she rushed me to the veterinary clinic.  It turns out that I may have cooties… err… ringworm!  It is sooo embarrassing.  My vet ordered that I be quarantined for two weeks until the test results arrived.  By the way, ringworm isn’t caused by worms.  Mum tells me that it’s “a common fungal infection that causes a rash, which looks like a circular ring on the skin for humans.  It can also be red and itchy.  Both animal and humans can get it.  The fungal spores that cause this infection can live on surfaces, skin, the surrounding environment in homes (bedding, pillows, fabric furniture, etc).

The whole household was in an uproar – everyone was cleaning this and cleaning that.  They threw away so much stuff – towels, bedding, blankets, pillows, all my toys, furniture, even my Spa Day grooming kit!  If it couldn’t be cleaned according to the Vet’s Cootie Code Guidelines, it was chucked. 

At first, I was cootie quarantined in the bathtub. 

Being isolated from everyone was lonely and took a toll.  It was hard for me to eat and I began to lose the weight I worked so hard to gain.  My Mum immediately removed me from the bathtub and into her room. 

I’ve started gaining all the weight back.  Mum and the household got used to a new normal due to my cootie quarantine.  She even helped me start, “Mishka’s Cootie Quarantine Amazon Wish List ”, to help with much needed supplies – especially disposable gloves.  My cooties are super contagious and humans can catch it from animals too.  By order of Mum’s doctor and my Vet, Mum is not allowed to touch me with her bare hands.  She has to wear her Ninja Cootie Quarantine Outfit or coveralls when she feeds, cleans or plays with me.  I miss Mum’s bare hands stroking my fur or scratching behind my ears and comforting me when I need someone to hold me close.  I miss nestling beside her, as close to her heartbeat as possible to help soothe me to sleep.

We thought cooties would be the worst of it.  Unfortunately, there were some extra bumps on the road.

Mum received a copy of my medical chart and results.  She said that there were some “hiccups” regarding my health.  If you read the short version of this GoFundMe page, sorry for being redundant.  Feel free to skip this part:

1.       Enucleation – removal of my right eye due to ruptured globe.
2.       Umbilical Hernia – if it does not heal on its own, it may need be surgically fixed due to protrusion.
3.       Enlarged Heart and Congenital Heart Murmur – Heart murmur that would require long-term visits to cardiologists.
4.       Abnormal Lungs - Possibly congenital.  Requires further examination.
5.       Pectus Excavatum – small chest size due to skeletal anomalies.  May need to be surgically expanded due to difficulties breathing.
6.       Spinal abnormalities in Thoracic Spine -Possibly congenital.  Requires further examination.
7.       Ear Infection – yeast infection in both ears treatable with medication.
8.       Eye Infection – unidentified eye discharge – awaiting further examination.
9.       Bladder Issues – inability to urinate without manual expression.  Requires visit to internist to find cause.
10.   Ringworm – Tested positive for this contagious fungal infection.  Treatment will require minimum 6 weeks of isolation, topical and oral medicines, shampoo, weekly sulfur and lime dips, and donning a cone.  (I'm not particularly thrilled about the cone.)

Yes, you’ve read correctly.  I am absolutely devastated by this news.

I’m going to die from humiliation!  I’d have to wear a cone!  Who wears a cone these days?  It’s barbaric!  Those quacks know nothing of veterinary care! 

Despite all my pleas and objections, Mum “will proceed with the course of treatment as advised by” Dr. Blah Blah Blah and Dr. Blah Bidi Blah.


Things did not end there.

I’m saddened to say that my brother Tamale is showing some slight symptoms of cooties.  He was rushed to the vet as well and will undergo the same treatments as listed above.  Due to both of our cootie status, we were officially introduced to each other towards the end of July. 






This GoFundMe page was started to help pay for all my visits to the veterinarian, daily medications, upcoming surgeries and general supplies.  Mum is not sure when the surgeries will take place but says “we’ll cross each bridge when we get there.”

* Update - With the help of many friends through GoFundMe, I've crossed cooties... uhm... ringworm and bladder issues off my list!

Never having a foster like me before, Mum was “ill-equipped” to handle kittens with special needs, such as cooties… err… ringworm, among other health issues that require a cone.  My brother Tamale also had slight cooties that was  easily treated due to his strong immune system.  His vet has advised him to go through the same treatments as me as a precaution until I was past all my other health hiccups.  

On October 15th, I visited the cardiologist, who gave my doctor the Go-Ahead to proceed with the eye removal surgery (enucleation).  We're waiting to hear back from my doctor regarding the date of the surgery and what recommendation the cardiologist made.  One thing we are aware of is that I have a hole in my heart.  I will need to visit the cardiologist yearly, if not, more to monitor the hole and its effect on my blood flow. 

As of now, my brother is teaching me the ropes about Purr Therapy and I am getting plenty of exercise.  Mum is helping me plump up and prepare for the upcoming surgery.  I'm proud to say that I weigh more than a mug... possibly almost two mugs on a good day.

Tamale, Mum, Mr. Butter Sweats, Mr. Chocolate Chip and I will be taking quite a journey for the next few months.  We’re taking everything one day at a time.  We hope that you’ll take this journey with us and hold our hands…err… paws along the way. 

With love and appreciation,
Mishka


P.S. Tamale and I write regularly about our cootie misadventures on Instagram…. So, if you would like to peek further into our lives, please feel free to visit @mishka_galore  and my brother’s profile is @tamale_tamali.