(EDIT: My updates seem to be getting cut off when I post them, so I'll just indicate here that Basil is now safe at home, and doing well <3 I've updated the goal to reflect the actual total of all his tests and treatments.

I would also like to sincerely thank all those that have donated. I'm so overwhelmed by how my friends and community have come through for us. You're all mine and Basil's heroes and we will never forget your support <3)

Hi there, my name is Anna and this fundraiser is for my recently adopted cat Basil who is currently in hospital for emergency treatment.

tw: blood

I adopted Basil this past November 1st from a cat rescue. He was found in “terrible condition” and had been treated for many health issues, including dental surgery. I was sent to pick him up straight from the vet. The veterinarian told me he’d have some nose bleeding because of the surgery.

2 months have gone by and his nose still bleeds occasionally, but the bleeds became much less frequent and severe. That is until I woke up on Sunday Jan 8 to him sneezing up significant amounts of blood as well as what looks like blood clots. I emailed the rescue’s medical advisor who told me I should take him to a vet asap, but that it wasn’t an emergency.  

I made a virtual appointment with a doctor to get a second opinion, and he told me that nose bleeds are never normal, including after surgery. He told me I should still go to see the same vet, as perhaps there was a unique reason for them having told me that, so I made an appointment for 2:30 the next day—the earliest they could get me in.

At around midnight I found a bit of blood in Basil’s urine. I immediately took him to an emergency clinic. The doctor started with a blood test, and found that he had almost no platelets, so his body wasn’t able to clot the source of the bleeding. Additionally, because he had been bleeding for most of the day, his red blood cell count was also below a safe level. The doctor told me he may have died if he was left longer.

After much discussion, we decided Basil would be admitted to hospital to see a specialist. The minimums required to set him up for this were about $3000. The doctor urged me that a much larger downpayment than this would be required so they would be able to proceed faster with whatever next steps were necessary (with my consent) as Basil is in a precarious situation. We settled on $8000.

After the specialist saw him, she feels that his low platelet level is not likely the cause of his bleeding. It may be as simple as a foreign body in his nose, a cut/bruise, or an infection that can’t heal because of his low platelets. It could also be as serious as cancer, which is not unlikely as he is an older cat. His extremely low platelet levels may be caused by an autoimmune disease, which we are attempting to treat/diagnose with steroid treatment. The specialist has also urged us to do a CT scan of his entire body. The inner nose is a difficult body part to observe in cats, so the scan will be able to tell us if there is a foreign body there, or if there are cancerous masses somewhere. This scan will be $3200.

As Basil’s tests and treatments are ongoing, I don’t know the full extent of the expenses. It may very likely exceed $8000. It is also possible that his condition may be too severe, and he will not be able to recover.

Basil is the sweetest, skrunkliest boy ever. He wants to be friends with everyone he meets. I love him and just know he has more life to live. It is very difficult for me to ask for help publicly like this, but I may not be able to support him otherwise.

All donations until the end of his treatment will be saved for additional payments beyond the $8000 deposit if they become necessary (and which I will clarify in ongoing updates). After treatment, when the extent of expenses are solidified, donations will go towards paying off the debt of that original $8000. I will share updates of Basil’s progress while being as transparent as possible about where the money is going. Every cent counts, and is deeply, deeply appreciated.