Celeste Felicia

I created this fundraiser for my daughter, Brittany, and her fiancé, John, because over the past 2½ weeks, they’ve faced two unexpected veterinary emergencies that have taken both an emotional and financial toll. It began with a tiny stray cat. About a week before Kiwi became sick, Brittany took in a little cat living around the neighborhood pool for over a month. All local rescues and shelters were and still are full to capacity. She was thin, frightened, and had a badly damaged eye. Brittany couldn’t leave her behind. Now affectionately known as Pool Kitty, she’s settling into the safety of a loving home. Her next veterinary appointment is scheduled for her spay surgery and the removal of her left eye because the vet said it can turn into cancer if not removed.   7/14/26 (Update on Pool Kitty: Since all local rescues are still full at max capacity, we are faced with the following two options: Option 1. Surrender her to a shelter that will take her in, knowing that they will either euthanize another cat to make room for her or they will euthanize her because she has medical issues. Option 2. Proceed with her medical care needs. Pool Kitty is currently at the vet scheduled today for spay and eye removal. While there we asked them to look at her tail because it has been limp this entire time. Vet confirmed the tail has no feeling whatsoever and they suspect she went through some type of injury or trauma, as new X-rays show that one of her femur heads is out of its socket which may require another surgery later on. Brittany cannot bare the fact that she would be risking putting her down so she decided on option 2, stepping out on faith that we can raise enough money to cover the Vet expenses.) Just as they committed to helping Pool Kitty, the unthinkable happened. Their beloved 6-year-old cat, Kiwi, suddenly became critically ill and was almost euthanized. Kiwi’s well visit turned into a sick visit and we almost lost her. She was struggling to breath and started to decline very fast. An xray showed her lungs full of fluid. Vet wrote up a treatment for pneumonia. They attempted giving her oxygen, but that’s when she really started to decline and the vet did not believe Kiwi would survive a drive to the ER and highly recommended euthanasia. Kiwi was sedated in preparation for euthanasia.  I arrived an hour later, we took our time saying goodbye.. hours went by and we noticed Kiwi’s breathing was calm. I asked the Vet. Are you positive there’s nothing we can do? Since Kiwi’s heart rate and breathing were stable, vet said she felt comfortable trying treatment.. she told us there was a medication she could inject that would help pull fluid from the lungs, however it would be a risk, because the medication is for heart disease. She said if Kiwi’s heart is actually the problem then the medication could work, if it wasn’t her heart, the medication could make her worse. We decided to take the risk. The vet gave her two injections of Lasix, and at the same time Kiwi woke up from sedation on her own… After emergency care and further testing, they received the devastating diagnosis: heart disease with congestive heart failure. Kiwi is now on lifelong heart medications and will need regular veterinary follow-up and monitoring. In just 2½ weeks, this young couple has taken in a stray cat needing surgery, faced an unexpected emergency for their own cat, committed to lifelong cardiac care for Kiwi, and lost income from missing work to be there for her. They never hesitated to help either of these girls—they simply did what animal lovers do: they showed up when they were needed most. Any donation, no matter the amount, will go directly toward Kiwi’s emergency veterinary bills, echocardiogram and further testing, Pool Kitty’s eye removal surgery, her spay procedure and recovery, and any additional veterinary expenses for both girls. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking the time to read their story. Your kindness, prayers, encouragement, and support mean more than words can express. Kiwi is still with us because she received the emergency care she needed. Pool Kitty finally has the loving home she deserved. With your help, they can both continue receiving the care they need and the future they deserve. With love and gratitude, Celeste