Support Leonard's Fight Against FIP

Hi, this is our sweet Leonard. He’s 2 1/2 years old. I adopted him as a kitten, knowing he was the one when I held him for the first time and he stared up at me with a strikingly relentless gaze from the biggest, most loving eyes I’ve seen.

He has spent his life completely enamored with his canine older brother and being the weirdest, funniest goofball in the world.

He went from relishing his normal wild orange cat life to having daily seizures a couple months ago. His doctor thought he had epilepsy and started him on gabapentin, which helped for several days, until it got worse. On Saturday evening (5/25), he suddenly became paralyzed in his hind legs and lost the ability to empty his bladder on his own. We took him to an emergency vet clinic, where he was catheterized and hospitalized. After some tests, it was clear the underlying issue was neurological and rapidly progressing, and we heard for the second time from a vet about feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). This, historically, has been a death sentence.

We were referred to a neurologist, who examined and tested him more. We’ve learned that FIP, especially the “dry” form as he (likely) has, can be very difficult to diagnose; although Leonard’s test results aren’t definitively diagnostic, they all seem to vaguely point to FIP. We had to choose between continuing with more costly testing, or start treatment and hope for the best. Because the other possible diagnoses seem to have pretty dismal prognoses but little to no treatment options at this point, we took a shot in the dark and started treatment for FIP.

Leonard is home now, and we’re on day 4 (of 84) giving him injections. He’s still catheterized, on five other medications 2x/day, and high as a kite. Elizabeth acts as his own personal physical therapist and frequently stretches and exercises his legs. We don’t know whether his neurological symptoms are reversible, whether he will get better, or if he even has FIP. What we do know, though, is that these injections seem to be the only life-saving option we have.

As you can imagine: the cost of tests, hospitalizations and continual vet visits, and half a dozen medications quickly adds up. It cost $5,000 just for the three days at the emergency vet/neurologist. Refills for his five medications will be hundreds of dollars, and the injections, in total, will be at least a couple thousand.

Elizabeth and I humbly ask for financial help from anyone willing and able to give. If anyone has experience with kitties with FIP, we’d also love to hear any advice, encouragement, or success stories. And if nothing else, please pray for little Leo. We could use a miracle.