Our sweet little kitten, KitKat, is currently fighting for her life right now. We are doing everything we can to save her, but we are drowning in vet bills. KitKat is currently hospitalized in Sterling, VA to get the care she needs, which means the cost is going up daily.

We adopted KitKat (aka Chrysanthemum) in late March this year with her sister Cake from a rescue here in Virginia Beach. She is the sweetest little kitty I have ever met, and just wants a lap to lay on and a hand to pet her.

She got ringworm shortly after we adopted her and was prescribed a short 7 day course of terbinafine, but after the second dose there was a noticeable difference in her demeanor and eating habits. I thought for sure the Terbinafine did something to her liver, but last week, after she completely stopped eating and started vomiting, I took her to the ER where they diagnosed her with “suspected FIP” and referred me to FIP Warriors.

KitKat was diagnosed with FIP 10 days ago. FIP was, up until recently, 100% fatal. It is a mutation of a cat coronavirus (just like a cold), which many cats contract as kittens, especially those from shelters or cat colonies.

We were told by the ER vet last week that she had no chance of survival, but the vet directed us to reach out to an amazing group of people called FIP Warriors, and with their help we have gotten her the life-saving medicine she needs.

We got her her meds, and she seemed to be doing just okay (not the miracle turn around I was seeing in posts, but something), but then yesterday she severely declined and we went back to the ER where they DENIED HER A BLOOD TRANSUSION because she is FIP and has a poor prognosis.

With the help of the warriors, we were able to get her transported to the FIP specialist 215 miles away in Sterling, VA, where she is receiving a blood transfusion and treatment and will return to us when she is well enough. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

None of this is cheap and we need all the help we can get. Thank you for considering us. KitKat is only 6 months old and has so much life to live. Her sister, and all of us miss her terribly!

KitKat has a long road ahead still. After the transfusion and getting her hospitalized and stable, the treatment for FIP itself is 84 days long (minimum) - the medication is expensive - and then she moves into another 12-week observation period. But FIP IS curable, and we are doing everything in our power to help KitKat beat this!

Please consider donating to save our sweet girl. ❤️

KitKat's Pages:

GoFundMe

‍

KitKat lost her battle with FIP on Monday, 6/24/2024.   Her GoFundMe remains up to try and cover some of the bills for her medical care. The posts below are in reverse order and tell her story.  Please take time to read it.   While many cats are beating this horrific disease, far too many do not. That is why ZenByCat continues to raise money for ongoing FIP research to end FIP for all cats. FIP KitKat 🌈💔🐾

‍

‍

‍

Friday, June 28th:

It’s been 4 days since we lost KitKat, and over 8 days since we last saw her, before we made a middle of the night run to get her to the hospital. I cry everytime I think about her and everything I could have done differently. I just want her back on my lap, getting all the love and pets she deserves.

We have not yet received our bill from Harmony Hill, so that is looming over our heads along with the heaviest cloud of grief. While I am amazed at the love and support we’ve received already, our fundraising needs to continue to make sure we can pay everyone who tried so hard to save her.

Again, once I receive full final bills. I will be posting those for transparency, and keep the fundraiser going. It won’t ever make up for KitKat never making it home to us, but it is appreciated nonetheless.

2nd Monday, June 24th Update:

We are heartbroken. Our sweet baby lost her battle today. She fought so hard, but her little body just couldn't do it anymore. She was so loved, and will forever be missed.

We do want to thank Harmony Hill for doing everything they possibly could try to help her. And to everyone who has donated, every last cent is going straight to Harmony Hill. We will be leaving up the fundraiser, because the bill is still high, and we used everything we had to try to get her home to us.

Once I have a final bill, I will be updating the goal to match the amount we've spent and what we still owe Harmony Hill.

Monday, June 24th Update:

KitKat is struggling, but she IS fighting. The giant hurdle we need to get over is her digestive system. It needs to start working before our AMAZING SUPERHERO Team thinks we will see improvement in all of the other problems she is having. We are still hopeful that she will pull through all of this and make her way back to us to get so much love, so many pets and snuggles on our laps. Harmony Hill has gone above and beyond to help our baby, and we really cannot express how thankful we are for everything they have done. They brought her to a picnic yesterday, and tried to get things moving with a poop walk. No yet, but hopefully today.

‍

Saturday, June 22nd Update:‍

My poor baby just had a seizure. This is a complication of the FIP when it causes the brain to swell. Our HEROES at Harmony Hill are jumping into action and getting her the meds that we hope can save her, but our hearts are breaking

‍

Another Friday, June 21st Update:

My poor KitKat baby is UNCOMFORTABLE right now. She is having motility issues where her stomach is not emptying into her intestines. We need to get her digestive system WORKING WELL before she can come home to us. I’m so sad for her. Our bill so far is running $2500, and it’s not ending soon. This does not include the $2500 we already owed for her two previous local ER visits.

She is WORTH fighting for. She is the sweetest baby ever.

‍Friday, June 21st Update:‍

The amazing staff at Harmony Hill are taking great care of our sweet baby girl. They were ready for her before she arrived yesterday and jumped right in to help save her life!

She has had a blood transfusion from her hero donor Elbow and a feeding tube place. She already looks better and stronger, but still has a long fight ahead of her. We need to get her stable enough, eating and pooping on her own, and making her own red blood cells before she can come home to us, where she will continue her lifesaving medication.

Please consider donating to support her on her journey. We do not know how long she will stay at Harmony Hill, and the cost is tremendous. Thank you all!

Her hero, Elbow

‍