May is our 12 year old kitty with a big personality. May has been a special part of our family for almost 11 years. We adopted her from a small shelter in Virginia and immediately knew she was ours. The shelter’s cat coordinator specifically chose her for us, to match her temperament with our family and placed her in our arms like a baby. She purred the entire time we were filling out the application.

We took her home and she instantly fit in with our crazy crew of English Mastiffs and even became best friends with our diva cat at the time, Sticky. May "chirps" and meows when you call her and loves to snuggle in with us every night. She is truly the sweetest cat with a boat load of confidence. She has even become a "test" cat for some of our local rescues, helping dogs get vetted for cat-friendliness before finding their forever homes.

Recently our vets found a mass on May’s neck after bringing her in for lethargy and noisy breathing. The practice immediately ran diagnostics including multiple ultrasounds, blood panels and cytology. They were experienced enough to refer us to a surgical practice in the area because of the mass’ tricky location.

After further testing, May is now in need of an extensive surgery to remove what we now know is a cancerous mass on her neck. It is growing, pushing partially on her trachea, making it increasingly uncomfortable for her. She has developed some respiratory issues as well as some issues swallowing due to the growing pressure. As of now, the cancer has not metastasized. Due to the placement of the tumor, it will be a complex surgery, however the vet feels that removing the mass is the best course of action as it will be curative.

Time is of the essence as we are hoping we can get it removed as soon as possible before the cancer potentially spreads. Unfortunately, the surgery is over $8,000. We have already spent several thousand dollars in diagnostics and consulted with three different veterinary practices to reach this point. We are reaching out to the community for your help.

Otherwise, May is still lively, her bloodwork is perfect, and she continues to be a happy, purring kitty. If you didn't know she was 12, you would think she is 2 years old. She still holds her own with our pups and loves to cuddle with her sister, Deanna. She truly is a special cat. We hope you will help us, help our girl.

Any amount helps, even $5. Please share this fundraiser on social media and with friends. Every donation will go directly toward May's vet bills and life saving care.

We are so grateful for any support you can give, whether it's a donation or share. May has brought us so much joy and we want to do everything possible to help her. We know May has a great chance for many more years if this mass can be removed.