Hello, my name is Catharine. About a year ago, I adopted two lovely littermate kittens from our local rescue, named August and Izzy. They're the best companions, silly, playful, and so adorable!

Just a week before their first birthday, August began coming down with symptoms of an upper respiratory sickness. She was barely moving, wheezing whenever she tried to eat or drink, unable to use the litter box properly, and isolating herself as if she were preparing to die... I had flashbacks to my childhood cat, Milo, who we lost at around the same age, and with very similar symptoms.

I took her to the emergency vet on the advice of her regular vet, and for one unbearable week they kept her in critical care on supplemental oxygen while they ran diagnostics. She even had to have a feeding tube put in because she refused to eat... Her first birthday was spent in the hospital. Finally, they said that she likely had contracted FIP. Amazingly, despite being contagious, Izzy avoided catching the illness that August had.

We were so relieved to have a diagnosis, until the vet told us that the only medicine available to treat it was blocked by politics and red tape. We had to watch our baby in pain, practically suffocating, while we found a black market source for the drug and waited for it to arrive in the mail. Thankfully, after searching high and low for days, we were able to find someone nearby who was willing to sell us a vial, and the difference it made was miraculous! We've only just gotten through our first vial, and she's running around, rubbing against our legs, and meowing again - It feels like she's nearly back to her old, spry self! The veterinarians and nurses at the emergency vet saved my girl's life, and I'll forever be grateful to them for that.

We were incredibly fortunate that we had taken out pet insurance for our kitties - I had decided to because I remembered how much pain Milo was put in by his mystery illness before he passed on... It will cover the majority of her care, but unfortunately won't cover the GS because it is not FDA approved. I've already maxed out all of my credit cards while we're waiting to be reimbursed by the insurance.

We will find a way to pay for August's treatment no matter what, but your support would guarantee that she is able to undergo her full regimen without rationing or skipping any days. Your kindness truly means the world to us, even just by reading our story. Thank you!!