On Friday, July 11th, we rushed Lily to the emergency vet. She had suddenly stopped eating, stopped using the restroom, and became lethargic, dehydrated, and had lost a full pound in just one day. After an X-ray, we learned her chest and abdomen were filled with fluid. Her lungs were floating, and her condition was considered "grave." We were told to prepare to say goodbye.

But we couldn’t give up.

That night, the vet performed a thoracocentesis to drain the fluid — a risky procedure. We left in tears, hoping for a miracle. The next morning, we got the call: Lily had made it through the night. They pulled 10cc of fluid for testing.

The hospital suspected FIP — a devastating diagnosis for any cat. We couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, so we pushed forward. We got her started on treatment that same weekend, driving two hours late at night to get life-saving medication.

By Wednesday, her FIP diagnosis was confirmed. Along with it, we learned she’s severely anemic and her protein levels are dangerously high. Now, Lily needs:

84 days of twice-daily FIP injections (over $1,000 in medication)

B12 injections

Iron injections

Steroids

Prescription high-calorie food

Vet visits every 10 days for bloodwork

The costs are overwhelming — but Lily’s prognosis is strong: over a 93% survival rate thanks to fast action.

We need your help to get her through this. Lily is not just another cat to us — she’s family. Any donation, big or small, will go directly to Lily’s treatment and care. Anything raised beyond what Lily needs will help other families fighting for their FIP-positive cats.

We also want to raise awareness. FIP used to be a death sentence, but thanks to new treatments — just recently approved in the U.S. — there is real hope. Unfortunately, these medications are still hard to access and extremely costly.

Please consider donating and sharing Lily’s story. Help us fight for her life and others like her.

Follow Lily’s journey and cheer her on at First Purrs Fostering on Facebook. We truly can’t do this without the community’s support.

❤️ Help Lily Fight FIP. Donate. Share. Hope. ❤️

Update 7/18

Lily Update – Our Brave FIP Warrior

We are thrilled to share a positive update on our sweet Lily! Since starting her FIP treatment, she’s been showing steady signs of improvement. She’s gained energy, become more curious, and has even started showing interest in playing with the other kitties. She’s turned into a little cuddle bug and always wants to be close to us.

Her appetite has improved, and we’re no longer having to syringe feed her—she has enough strength to eat on her own! We still keep a close eye on her to ensure she’s getting enough nutrition. One of our biggest concerns was her bathroom usage, and we’re happy to say she’s using the litter box again! After losing an entire pound in just one day, she’s now back up to 1.775kg (3.9 lbs) and slowly gaining weight.

Giving her medication hasn’t been easy—she knows when it's coming and tries to hide. The FIP injections sting, and she definitely lets us know! But she’s a rage eater—after each injection, she screams, demands her Temptations treats, and scarfs them down like the fierce little fighter she is.

We’re beyond thankful that in just 6.5 days (13 injections), we’ve seen such a turnaround. Every time she fights her meds, we’re reminded how close we came to following the vet’s original recommendation to euthanize. We’re so grateful we chose to fight—with her.

We still have 77.5 more days of injections, and we’re taking it one day at a time. Lily is a warrior, and every day she continues to prove that she wants to live.

We still need help covering the cost of her medication—it’s extremely expensive. If you’re unable to give, please share her story to help us spread awareness about FIP and Lily’s fight.

Thank you for supporting Lily and believing in her.