This is Lucille Strobbery (so spelled, because she stole my heart). My friend, Sue, found Lucille alone on their street back in October when she was about 3 months old and I took her into my home. Our love for each other was instant!

That love was not shared by Bella, my cat of 5 years, who has made it very clear over the last few months that Lucille is not welcome in HER home, so for Lucille's safety, I have made the heartbreaking decision to rehome her through a local rescue (Fishtails Animal Rescue for any Philly locals looking to adopt).

But before we got here, since coming to live with us, Lucille has had a very tumultuous health journey. One morning in late November, I woke up to a very very weak Lucille, surrounded by quite a few little piles of vomit. Her usual ravenous appetite and boundless energy were depleted and she could barely open her eyes.

An emergency vet visit found her to be severely dehydrated, too cold to measure her temperature, extremely close to organ failure, and a candidate for euthanasia. But there was no way I was going to take her chance at life away, not when she was only a few months old.

Luckily, Lucille survived thanks to some brilliant and talented vet techs at Blue Pearl, my friend Hannah who drove us around and waited patiently with me all day, and quite a few follow ups and tests over the next couple of months. And as much as I wouldn't go back and change a thing, that survival came with a pretty hefty price tag. A close to $5000 price tag.

This is where I'm hoping you can help. At several friends' suggestion and contrary to my instincts to not ask for help, I'm putting out this fundraiser to recoup at least some of the money spent on Lucille's healthcare. Lucille has brought an invaluable amount of joy in my life since October and she will be leaving behind a massive hole in my heart once she finds her forever home. In the meantime, I am hoping to refill some of the hole she's also leaving behind in my bank account (*ba-dum-tss*).

The amount listed on this page is exactly the total sum of her vet bills and not a cent more. They do not include food, treats, toys, or anything else, nor do they include any fees, because FreeFunder is completely free.

If you are able to give or share this fundraiser around, thank you! Lucille thanks you. She just whispered that in my ear just now after using my beard to scratch her tiny face.