Polio, the Kitten, Survival Fund

Hi! My name is Polio! My dad, Eryc, found me while walking home from the Fallowfield T-stop on October 10th. My other dad, Alex, was not nearly as excited about finding me as Eryc, but I grew on him pretty quick.

Both my dads realized quickly that my back legs don’t work right. We’re not sure why and I don’t speak human to tell them what happened. I have a big sister, Mumps, who protects me and tries to play, but she’s very cautious because she can tell something is wrong with my rear end. My name was supposed to be Measles, to match more with Mumps, but my dads thought Polio was more appropriate.

Alex and Eryc called local veterinarians, spoke with veterinarians who they are friends with, called local animal rescue programs and shelters, and researched the entire internet to try and figure out what the best plan was for me to get better. Sadly, everyone they spoke to outright told them, or implied that euthanasia was the only option.


But my dads didn’t see things so black and white. Everyone they spoke to recommended euthanasia because I am going to be a lifelong burden on them, not because my quality of life was going to be affected. So my dads saved as much money as they could and on October 25th, took me to the veterinarian.

The doctor lady was very nice to me, though she poked and prodded, put a thermometer up my butt, and put a needle in my belly. She also forced me to hold still for photos of my insides. Each time she took me away from my dads and into a backroom I screamed like a banshee until she brought me back. I love my dads.

That’s why I’m here. To try and help them. I don’t understand money or capitalism (but I hear my dad, Alex complain about both), and I know my first veterinarian appointment, the x-rays, the blood work, the culture sample from my ears, and the medicine,  cost them hundreds of dollars. I know they love me, and will keep fighting for/with me, but I also know this first doctor’s appointment cost more money than my dad, Eryc, has spent on his own medical care in years.

They want me back in the veterinarian’s office next week, but my dads had to schedule in two weeks so it’s after another payday. They both feel bad about having to push it out, but they have to be able to afford all of the x-rays and bloodwork the doctor told them to expect at my next appointment. My dads would never tell me, but I could tell that they were discouraged when we left the vet today. Alex said that I have two big health concerns: the obvious inability to use my back legs and a distended stomach. The veterinarian told all of us that I don’t have FIV, Cat Flu, or Heartworms. I do however have roundworms, fleas, and possible infections on my legs from dragging them all the time.



The veterinarian gave my dads some medications they will have to give me and hopefully when I go back to visit her again, I have shown improvement so she can give me a formal diagnosis and we can start working on getting me up to my version of 100%, whatever that may look like.

I’m starting this GoFundMe to try and alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve become to my dads. They would never say that, and I know they’d spend every penny they have trying to help me, but they're a young couple and money is scarce. Anything you could donate to help me get to the next step in getting better would be greatly appreciated by my whole family, Mumps included!