Sweet Cat Chungus Faces Health Struggles

Hi, this is Chungus, my sweet boy. He just turned 11 around Memorial Day. I found him outside at a cookout when he was just a tiny kitten. I never officially updated his name at the vet so he still goes by "Squirt" there. He’s the kind of cat who still purrs when he’s not feeling well and always wants to be near his bonded brother, Meeko.

A few months ago, Chungus was diagnosed with mild asthma. And recently he lost some weight, and I noticed swollen lymph nodes on his neck and one on his thigh. An Xray revealed a mass in his chest, and a blood test showed elevated calcium, and white blood cells so my primary vet Dr Paws referred me to an internal medicine specialist at Northeast Veterinary Referral Hospital. There he had an ultrasound that indicated that the mass in his chest and abdomen are more inflamed lymph nodes.

So far, we’ve spent over $1,500 on tests, but we still don’t have a clear answer. Possible diagnoses include FIP, a tick-borne illness, or even lymphoma. He needs further testing to determine what’s going on and whether there’s a chance to treat it. Waiting has been heartbreaking, but Chungus is still fighting purring, grooming, and cuddling through it all.

Any donation, no matter how small, would help us move forward with testing and hopefully treatment. If you’re unable to give, sharing this campaign would mean just as much.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting Chungus. It means so so much.