Save my Best Friend

Our beautiful baby boy, a silver tabby cat named Tofu, has suffered a traumatic accident and is now in critical
condition at the animal hospital. We suspect he was struck by a car on Saint Clair Ave. He has a broken pelvis, an injured or broken jaw, blood in his lungs, and he has lost neurological function to his tail and rectum. The hospital said he would need to be transferred from Toronto to Guelph to get a CT scan and a surgery for his pelvis. He may never recover fully, but a surgery could help him. Unfortunately, I’ve lost my job because of the pandemic, and I can’t afford to get him the care he needs. I’m also giving birth imminently (I’m over a week late past my due date with our first baby), which makes it impossible for me to work another job right now.

Words can’t express how much this little boy means to us. He is our best friend. He is a gentle and super smart cat. He would play fetch with us and answer to basic commands. He never hurt anyone and was extremely gentle with children. We would have full conversations, it seems, because he answered vocally to us. He slept by our bedroom door every night so he could be the first to say good morning to us every day. Thinking of how much pain he suffered and how I couldn’t protect him makes me break down into tears.

It’s devastating to think that he will never be with us again. I know this cat would’ve been a great companion for our child. I was so looking forward to our child and him interacting and playing together. The last few weeks, Tofu has been giving us somuch love that I can’t bear the thought ofnot being there for him now. The timing could never be good, but it feels worse because of the lack of resources available during this pandemic. 

I’m acutely aware that everyone is struggling amidst this pandemic. Some more than others. I really do hate to ask for help. A cat may not be regarded as a priority or an essential thing right now. But he is my companion and has kept me sane through the confinement and throughout the last several years.

I am grateful to have a loving husband to help me get through this. I am grateful a cyclist found my Tofu on the side of the road and alerted us to the incident. I am grateful for all the help I’ve received preparing for the upcoming birth of my baby. I am grateful to you for reading this far. And I thank any donors from the bottom of my heart for every little bit of help we may receive. Help me mend my broken heart.