Frida’s Cancer Fur-raiser

I first met Frida on a hot day in the summer of 2014. I was walking to the corner store when I came across a little cat relaxing in the shade of a neighbor's yard. As customary when seeing a cat outside, I meowed and stuck out my hand. She responded with a series of chirps while rubbing her body against my legs. She was not a full-grown cat, but it was nevertheless clear that she had recently had kittens. I was immediately smitten by her charming personality and tuxedo coat pattern and tiny mustache.. Her eyes were bright despite fleas and dermatitis, which made parts of her body hairless and sore. I went door to door asking if anybody in the neighborhood cared for her, but nobody seemed to know where she came from. I put out food and water on my porch, and she soon became like a shadow, following me around wherever I went. I promised her that I would take care of her no matter what.

I began to let her into the house and took her to the vet to have her spayed. The veterinarian at the time said, prophetically, that she was at risk of developing mammary cancer later in life due to her already having had kittens. She soon became my cat, and, when I began dating my wife Alyssa, she became hers too. Frida’s love for Alyssa made her a central part of our relationship, and after a series of injuries from being outside, we took her in for good.

Part of Frida and Alyssa’s relationship is a daily snuggle session when Alyssa’s done with work. Alyssa will lie down, and Frida will lie next to her, purring as Alyssa strokes her belly until both fall asleep. This August, while stroking Frida’s tummy, Alyssa noticed a small bump near one of Frida’s nipples. Recalling the warning from the vet some nine years earlier, we took her in to have it checked. They took a sample from the bump, and to our horror, it turned out to be cancer. We canceled our fall travel plans and focused our attention on the cat, as I promised her long ago that I would always take care of her. She has since had the entire row of mammary tissue removed from her right side, and she is scheduled to have the other row removed as soon as she heals from the first surgery.

We are reaching out to the Frida fans worldwide (lol) and our friends to help support her surgery costs. Frida has songs written about her, has adorned punk kids battle jackets, been on t-shirts and stickers, has broken some bones and hearts too- all with the help of her fans and friends. Please consider continuing to support her with a donation.

P.S We hope to bring back some limited edition Frida fan gear as well.