Zephyr's Heart Disease Diagnosis & Treatment, Cat

Meet Zephyr, the sweetest, most loving cat on the planet.

We adopted Zephyr when he was around 2 months old, along with his shelter-brother, Bael. Both had been nurtured back to health from near-death by the compassionate family at the Catty Shack in Hamel, IL, and we promised to take care of them for the rest of their lives.

It's fair to say they're happy here.

Now Zephyr is 8 months old, and he recently received a terminal diagnosis: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy combined with congestive heart failure.

In the 6 months he's lived with us, he has changed us forever. He has brought joy to countless video conferencers just by poking into the frame of the screen, and the way he tucks his head under our chins to purr until he falls asleep has turned many bad days around.

His time on earth may be limited, but we will give him the longest, happiest life possible.

If we had let this problem go undiagnosed and untreated, Zephyr may have only lived a few weeks more. But with regular checkups and treatment, we may be lucky enough to give each other years more of happiness. Some cats with this condition go on to live for 5 or 6 years, and that's a goal we intend to exceed if possible.

Zephyr's emergency care and diagnosis drained our savings. We spent $2,000 on his care in the first 24 hours, and his cost of living has drastically risen, due to the recurring echocardiograms and lab tests needed to monitor his condition, chest taps to drain the fluid that accumulates around his lungs, and prescriptions to mitigate his symptoms. We now anticipate spending an additional $1,000 to $2,000 on Zephyr's care each year for the rest of his life.

Please help us continue to return the favor Zephyr has given us: love and happiness. Zephyr deserves the longest, most comfortable life possible. We're committed to it, and with your help, it will be a bit easier on us too. Thank you, from all of us.

—Andrew, Andrea, Zephyr, & Bael