My name is Eli Williams, and I am raising money for my cat Simba. When I first met Simba on Thanksgiving of 2021 it was love at first sight. Unfortunately he had come from a kill shelter from Kentucky along with many other kittens, and was in rough shape. At that time he had a very bad respiratory infection as well as gingivitis. He was incredibly underweight, malnourished, and having constant bloody noses. After lots of love and dedication, he recovered and was thriving! Finally acting like a normal kitten.

In February of 2024 Simba was rushed to the emergency vet for breathing difficulty, where he was diagnosed with Asthma. He was in critical shape, and required hospitalization overnight. That night I stayed awake restless, wondering if I was going to lose my best friend. That morning my prayers had been answered, he was stabilized and cleared to come home! Since, he had been doing well with a regular prescription inhaler, as well as an emergency inhaler.

January 23, 2026 I noticed Simba wasn't acting like himself. He was quiet, hiding, refusing food & water, and overall not acting like a normal young, orange cat. I quickly took him into his vet later that day, and after a thorough exam the doctor couldn't see any signs leading to concern. I was told to just keep an eye on him and see if anything changes.

11pm that night, I heard a sharp yowl and found Simba standing unbalanced, and seeming a bit out of sorts. I immediately took him back into his vet the next morning, where we did every test the doctor thought was necessary towards figuring out what may be wrong. We did X-rays, blood collection, urinalysis, proBNP, etc.

They compared the current x-rays with the ones they had taken back in 2024 during the hospitalization and confirmed that his asthma has gotten definitively worse. On top of this, they found that Simba was showing signs of potential heart disease. At this time, they could not get much further information due to it being a weekend. Simba received fluids, anti-nausea medication, and was sent home under instruction to watch him carefully, and plan a cardiologist appointment as soon as possible.

Same day at 4pm, I had noticed Simba's resting respiratory rate was very abnormal, at 106 breaths per minute, as well as wheezing & clear discomfort. Immediately I took him to the ER, where he was rushed back and evaluated. He was put on oxygen, and they ran another set of x-rays specifically focusing on his chest and lungs. The doctors later diagnosed Simba with congestive heart failure. Hearing these words absolutely shattered my heart, I was at a loss for what to do.

Simba received medication to help clear some congestion/fluids, and it was a waiting game from there to see if he could stabilize enough to be put on outpatient. After multiple hours of waiting, he started showing signs of improvement! Eventually they weened him down to room oxygen, and he was stable enough to come home and be put under intensive watch.

As of right now, Simba is handling medication well and is stable, however this is unfortunately just the beginning of uncovering further information. On top of all the emergency vet visits, he is going to need to see a cardiologist; where they will determine what heart disease he has, as well as how bad it is.

Anyone who's ever met Simba, instantly falls in love. he is the sweetest, most cheerful little guy. Even with everything he goes through, he purrs, rubs up against everyone, and gives everyone tail tingles through it all. He isn't just my ESA, he is my best friend. Him and I have been through everything together, and I will do anything to see that he has a happy, healthy life.

I have put thousands into keeping Simba healthy and here with me, and I'm at a point where I've pushed my savings, credit, and loans doing the most I can. I am asking help raising money to help recover the debt I've collected within these last few days, and to help secure financial stability for his next appointments, and moving forward in his recovery. I will update everyone for any new information I gather in Simba's journey, and can provide statements and invoices as proof if necessary.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your patience, your time, and any help you can provide. Whether it's sharing, donating, advice, or prayers.