UPDATE FROM BAILEY:

A little Phil recap:

His diagnosis is AKI (acute kidney injury) with underlying CKD (chronic kidney disease). Step 1 was try to treat the AKI, which vets believe may have been caused by pyelonephritis (infection) — but the cause will remain a mystery unless I take him to a specialist, which I’ve been advised will start at $5k (I was also informed that this wouldn’t change the outcome/his prognosis). Step 2 is to deal with the CKD (this is a progressive and ultimately fatal condition, but can be managed for years if you’re lucky).

He was admitted to the emergency vet from August 22-24 where he received IV fluids, antinausea meds, pain meds and antibiotics. His creatinine remained extremely elevated, and on the 24th I made the decision to bring him home for the night. On the 25th I took him back to his regular vet where he was reassessed and given a very poor prognosis unless he miraculously turned the corner. They sent him home with an IV bag for me to administer daily subcutaneous fluids, as well as all of the aforementioned meds, plus the addition of an appetite stimulant and some prescription kidney food. I was told if there wasn’t any change by the end of the week, it would be time to say goodbye. Hearing that absolutely crushed me…at only 6 years old, how could this be happening? And all so suddenly? I couldn’t even fathom putting him down. A once social, vocal, playful and extremely hungry boy, Phil now seemed like a shell of the cat he once was — but he showed us that he wanted to fight. By the afternoon of the 25th, he began acting more like himself, and on the 26th it was almost as if I had my boy back. He was playing with his favourite toys again, walking around screaming for attention, doing his flops left and right, and eating and drinking on his own. We tried not to get our hopes up, but as the days passed, it became more and more difficult not to. Clinically he is back to his baseline (for the most part).

Phil has a follow up appointment with his vet on September 5th, at which time he’ll have more blood work done and be reassessed and we’ll have a better idea of what’s next. I know he can get through this. Please keep my boy in your thoughts, and send him lots of love and positivity. To anyone who has already donated, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. If you haven’t yet but are able to, I would appreciate it immensely. And if you aren’t able to donate, it would mean the world if you could share Phil’s GoFundMe page. Anything and everything helps.

————————————

Hi my name’s Abbey. My sister Bailey and I live together along with her 2 cats that she rescued back in 2018, Phil and Lil.

Yesterday when we got home from work we noticed he was off. Phil is a very vocal, social, hungry guy - he was none of these things. Bailey found some vomit & a hair ball next to his litter box, so we assumed he just had an upset stomach and would feel better soon. He wouldn’t eat dinner later that night, and reluctantly ate his treats which he threw up shortly thereafter. He slept in my bed with me all night (rare) and in the morning he wouldn’t get out of bed and again did not eat. We went to work, came home to more vomit, more lethargic behaviour and took him to the vet. The vet ordered blood work which immediately showed kidney failure. They gave him an anti nausea med, took urine, started fluids, and he is now on his way to the emergency vet for overnight observation. My sister was quoted $3500-$4500.

Phil is only 6 years old. This has all happened so fast and we can’t fathom that we could lose him. Any donation would be appreciated beyond words.