On late May 24th, I arrived home from out of town to find both Raja and Cece very ill. They had been in seemingly perfect health when I left and was shocked to see that they weren't doing well. I'm not blaming the pet-sitters—I could only immediately tell that something was wrong because I know them as well as I do. As some of you know, many animals suffer in silence. Even the photos I had of them during their visits seemed to show sleepy but happy kitties. Even when I came home, anyone could have assumed that Cece was just tired and taking a nap on the floor, but I knew her well enough to know something was wrong - a spot on the floor she never lays on, responses that were not typical for her personality, a lack of interest in going outside.

I swiftly took them to the emergency vet.

For Raja, we were very lucky. He was able to be seen before he had gotten too sick and is looking like (hopefully) he will make a full recovery. He is eating, drinking water, moving around, and vocal, but he still looks a little weak.

Cece had a very different story, her blood tests showed that she was fighting for her life, and they transferred her to an animal hospital with specialists on staff. We ran many diagnostic tests on Cece to figure out what was wrong, but the medical staff were confounded by her results: her bloodwork and ultrasound didn't line up and didn't give a clear answer, and unfortunately they couldn't create a solid plan to treat whatever illness was plaguing her.

The wonderful veterinarians at Pet Specialists of Austin worked day and night to keep her blood pressure and temperature up, but her body couldn't hold any of the electrolytes they gave her, and without knowing the root of the problem, it was a losing battle. She fought hard for 2 days to keep alive, but in the early hours of May 27th, I got the call that her vitals were plummeting and there was little that could be done. With a heavy heart, I drove to the hospital while she had yet to feel the pain of her body shutting down, said goodbye to my dearest friend, and laid her to rest in peace.

As you might imagine, the medical bills from these visits, including evaluations, diagnostics, constant medication, and the two overnight stays in the hospital racked up a significant bill. Their first vet visit including most diagnostics cost $2000, the hospital cost $2500, additional treatments cost $350, and Cece's cremation, including retrieving her ashes cost $450. Raja is still not out of the woods yet and will have a follow-up appointment with more bloodwork that I estimate, based on previous experiences, will cost roughly $150.

I don't expect to raise the full amount, but I deeply appreciate anything you might have to spare to help with these bills. My husband and I are currently a single-income home, and we don't have much in the way of spare cash to cover these expenses. We have taken on debt to pay the invoices, but it will be difficult for us to pay this down as we're in the midst of moving Antonio down from Canada to Austin to finally live together and close the distance.

Thank you for reading. I miss Cece terribly - she was my best friend, slept by my side as a little spoon every night, and had the sweetest chirps you'd ever have heard. Everyone who knew her was captured by her sweet, kind little soul, and I still think of her as the #1 best cat in the world (sorry Raja).

❤️