The Kitten Connection

Dear Donors - great news: because of your dedication and our foster Vera, Apricot is doing extremely well. Look at her photos! Thank you all again for your timely support for this wonderful girl, who will still be on medication for a few weeks and then in observation until she is ready to be adopted in around 2-3 months! We are still missing a few Euros to make it ... maybe you know someone you can share this GoFundMe with so they can donate the last Euros to our goal? Obrigada from Apricot.

Dear donors and supporters of Apricot Apricot is responding very well to the medication, and we're so happy she's started eating again! We are deeply grateful to everyone who stepped up in such a short time, so we now feel confident we can save her! Apricot is grateful to you all and sends you a big purr and belly rub. ;-) Obrigada from Peniche to all of you, and hopefully you are all happy and healthy!

Our foster kitten, Apricot, is only 5 months old, and she's been with us since she was just 5 weeks old. Now she is fighting a serious illness — but there is a treatment that can save her. Apricot is one of those kittens you can't help but fall in love with. She is incredibly curious, very smart and deeply attached to people. She loves being around humans, jumping as high as she can, exploring every corner and discovering something new every day. She is pure love and joy. But right now, we hardly see that little girl. Apricot has been diagnosed with wet FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). What is FIP? FIP is a serious disease caused by a feline coronavirus that can become life-threatening, particularly in young cats. Wet FIP causes fluid to build up in the abdomen and/or chest and can make a kitten extremely weak and unwell. For a long time, an FIP diagnosis meant there was very little that could be done. Today, however, effective antiviral treatment is available, and many cats with FIP can recover. The treatment is intensive and expensive. It requires medication over several weeks, veterinary checks, blood tests, and careful monitoring. This is why we are asking for your help. We are raising €1,500 to help cover her FIP treatment, medication, veterinary care, blood tests and monitoring throughout her recovery. As a volunteer-run kitten rescue, these costs are a huge challenge. We are already caring for many cats and kittens who need food, veterinary treatment and sterilisation. Please help us save Apricot. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to our €1,500 goal and helps pay for the treatment that gives Apricot a real chance of recovery. And if you cannot donate, sharing her fundraiser can make an enormous difference. Please help us give this little girl the chance to grow up, get healthy and become the happy, curious cat she was always meant to be. Elisabeth Ippel, President, The Kitten Connection, Peniche, Portugal

We are a small private kitten rescue in Peniche, Portugal, and we care for the tiniest, most fragile lives — including special needs kittens who often wouldn’t survive without help. We now look after three special souls: Miffy, Matilde, and Cloud. Miffy- our fighter with paralyzed back legs Miffy was living with her mother in a backyard, with paralyzed back legs! The vet thought euthanasia might be the only option, but Miffy showed us she wasn’t ready to give up. Since we took her in, this little white fluffball has moved her back legs a little. We have big hopes for her quality of life as she can manage her bladder and bowel on her own. Most importantly, she LOVES to play, explore, and show us her fighting spirit. Matilde - our sweetest soul with eye issues Matilde is the sweetest soul you could ever meet. We have taken her in with severe eye infections and needs daily wipes, drops, and medication. Despite all this, she is incredibly patient and affectionate, always trusting her carer to do what’s needed. Sadly, one of her eyes cannot be saved and will need to be removed — but even with all she’s endured, she never stops giving love. Cloud - our one-eyed love bug Cloud came in with her siblings, totally scared of the world, but through our awesome fosters, learned to trust the world and humans. Sadly, she had already had her eye removed after a painful infection, but that hasn’t dimmed her spirit one bit. She is a purring machine who adores playing with strings and chasing anything that moves. At night, she curls up with her carer and begins her “purring therapy,” filling the room with comfort and love. She knows how much has been done to save her, and she gives back with all her affection. Caring for kittens like Miffy, Matilde, and Cloud comes with enormous veterinary costs — surgeries, medications, and ongoing treatments. As a tiny rescue, we cannot do this alone. With your support, we can give them the futures they deserve: safe, happy, and free from pain. No donation is too small, and if you cannot donate, please consider sharing this campaign so that more people can hear their story. No donation is too small, and if you cannot donate, please consider sharing this campaign so that more people can hear their story. If you want to become a monthly donor or a volunteer please check our website : www.thekittenconnection.org