Moony was my cat, my registered emotional support animal, and such a massive part of my life that anyone who knew me also knew him. He was so deeply loved, not just by me, but by everyone around me. He had the biggest personality and love for those closest to him.

I adopted Moony from a shelter when he was only a few weeks old after he had been dumped. From the moment I brought him home, I wanted to give him the life he deserved. He grew into the sweetest, most loving cat, and he truly became my constant.

A few days ago, Moony was exposed to lilies—something I later learned is extremely toxic and often fatal to cats. The moment I realized what had happened, I rushed him to the emergency vet. Every veterinarian and even animal poison control reassured me that because I acted quickly, he was expected to recover and be okay.

Because I was visiting my best friend at the time in a different town, I had to take him to an emergency vet I was not familiar with. I left him there believing he was in stable condition and would make it through.

At 4:46 in the morning, I received a call that completely changed everything. I was told that Moony had gone into a panic while being handled, and when the doctors and techs re-entered the room his heart stopped beating. Just hours before, I had been told he was going to be okay.

This has been one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. Just a month ago, I lost my dog of fourteen years, and now I have lost Moony as well. He wasn’t even two years old and was otherwise perfectly healthy. Losing him this suddenly, after being told he would recover, is something I am still trying to process.

I also want to use this to bring awareness to other cat owners about how dangerous lilies are. Even small exposure—like pollen—can be life-threatening. I had done so much research when I adopted Moony, and this is something I still wasn’t fully aware of. If sharing this prevents even one person from going through this, it matters.

I am now facing over $1,500 in emergency vet bills and cremation costs. As a college student, this is not something I can afford on my own, especially after how unexpected everything was.

I’ve never asked for help like this before, but I’m doing so now because I truly need it. Any support, whether through donating or sharing, means more than I can put into words and will go directly toward covering these costs and honoring Moony’s life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you’re able to give