Support Artemis: A Special Cat's Medical Journey

This is the story of a very special cat; “Stony” came into the Agoura Hills Animal Shelter in 2022, surrendered due to his uncontrolled diabetes. He instantly became a volunteer and staff favorite; a large 15-pound flame point Siamese, he wanted nothing more in life than treats and snuggles.

He was adopted and shortly thereafter returned, the victim of serious neglect. His insulin was mismanaged and needles were re-used on him, resulting in horribly painful ulcers all over his body which made it too painful for him to be touched. His ulcers extended into his eye, and it was ultimately removed.

This incredibly loving cat went through an incredible ordeal, and was eventually boarded at the Malibu Coast Animal Hospital for his rehabilitation.

He came into Nik and Katie's lives thanks to an Instagram post; they saw him and instantly fell in love. Having hospice-foster-failed before, and cared for multiple senior pets, Katie felt equipped to handle his diabetes. He instantly became a beloved part of their fur-family, and having Stony (now Artemis) in their lives has brought incredible joy.

2023 came with its share of struggles, however. His blood glucose numbers were being tracked daily, and his sugar spikes were out of control. Artemis had extensive testing performed as his blood sugar was unable to get under control. Many vet visits and a referral to an internist later, Artemis was diagnosed with Acromegaly - a fatal condition which renders a diabetic cat insulin resistant. He’s dealing with brain swelling, growth of his pituitary gland, uncontrolled weight gain, atrophy of the hind legs, seizures, and arthritis. Also - it was learned that he was 16 (now 17)!! This old dude is 24 pounds large, on multiple medications a day, and still won’t give up on life. Everyone is so thankful to still have him hanging in there, over a year after his adoption.

His care has been incredibly costly, and something Katie and Nik were willing to take on to give him a good final chapter to his life. However, among Artie’s health struggles in 2023, both Katie and Nik were laid off from their jobs in September, within 11 days of each other. Katie became fully disabled due to Long Covid and is no longer able to work.

After much consideration, taking to heart the advice from many of Artemis VonStony’s fans, along with the offers from volunteers at the shelter who loved him, this fundraising page has been created. All of the donations will go directly to Artemis’s care, including his monthly medication costs, specialist and primary vet visits, and provide for his future care. Included is a breakdown of his past costs and monthly medication costs for visibility. Receipts for all his prescription drugs, vet visits and procedures, medication supplies, and an estimate for how much his insulin has cost, are available upon request.

Future Monthly Medication Estimate (Based on Prior Months):

Monthly Medication Costs (Prednisolone, Levetiracetam, Gabapentin) and Insulin: $585.55

Monthly Medication Supplies (Syringes): $35.06

Total: $620.61

Total Costs (Current as of 4/14/24):

Veterinary Bills to Date: 5491.73

Medication to Date: 3837.51

Medication Supplies (Syringes, Testing Strips, Lancets, etc.) to Date: 925.7

Total: 10254.94

Thank you so much for considering supporting Artemis's ongoing care and contributing to his medical costs! He is truly a special cat and everyone's love for him is undoubtedly what's kept him thriving this past year.