Hi, my name is Safiya. I’m a full-time college student and a proud cat mom to two kittens, Snowy and Zelda. They’re both still under a year old, and Snowy, in particular, means the world to me. As someone who lives with persistent depressive disorder and anxiety, he’s been more than just a pet — he’s been my comfort, my emotional support, and my reason to keep going on some of my hardest days.

This morning was one of the scariest moments of my life. I noticed Snowy struggling to breathe and immediately rushed him to the emergency vet — still in my pajamas, without even grabbing my house keys. Nothing else mattered except getting him help.

After multiple tests, I was told that Snowy has fluid in his lungs along with a serious heart condition. Hearing that was devastating. They were able to stabilize him, but this is only the beginning of a long and expensive fight to keep him alive.

Right now, the cost of his treatment, hospitalization, and the medication he needs to survive is in the thousands — something I simply cannot afford on my own as a student. Snowy is more then a pet, he’s family, and I’m not ready to lose him.