Help Sam Get the Surgery He Needs

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Sam has surgery scheduled for Monday to remove two tumors and he'll get an ultrasound -- via which I expect to find a third tumor. I’m worried and scared, but also hopeful that he’ll get relief and that we’ll get some answers. One lipoma is new and on his leg; it may be contributing to his new limp. That bump is how we found his other lipoma, which is larger and on his back, along his spine (same side). The vets say it's okay to remove them and we should get it done.

While Sam is sedated, he is also getting a diagnostic ultrasound. I believe we'll find another lipoma in his abdomen: he has been behaving as though something in there is bothering him for a couple of weeks. An exam at the vet last week (palpitation) was inconclusive and an ultrasound is the next-step diagnostic. We eliminated pretty much everything else. His bloodwork is described as "perfect."

I would rather be safe than sorry. I hope we find the cause of his distress and can get it safely dealt with.

That said, I’m asking for your help with Sam’s medical expenses. Sam is getting sedation, at least two incisions, an ultrasound, medications for aftercare, and I need to get some things for his recovery. He will need my help doing basic functions for at least a few days. He needs little pet steps so he can get in and out of the the bed, a flat litter tray, accident pads, and cleaning wipes (just in case).

I don’t yet know the total costs but I know the ultrasound will be $700. I've set this fundraiser at $800 in hopes of making the goal to cover the ultrasound and a tiny bit more. I know everyone is struggling right now, and Sam, Max and I appreciate anything you're able to contribute. Even just kind words and healing thoughts.

Sam is a pandemic rescue. In November 2020, San Francisco was still under a regional Covid-19 "stay at home" order and the city's coyotes were roaming freely at night. Max cat's neighborhood cat buddy was among my neighborhood's pet disappearances at the time, and Max was very clearly experiencing grief. This was during a time when pets were in high demand and people were unscrupulously selling animals for exorbitant amounts on online listing sites. When I discovered this was happening, I came across a photo of Sam being advertised on Craigslist. He was nearby and being sold very cheap, and I was instantly worried about him.

I masked up and went to the seller's house. It was a single family home in Vallejo that had been turned into a cattery for breeding, but not a nice one. The floor was bare concrete, there was one window, and the cats were packed into wire metal cages. Sam was the oldest cat there (3 or 4 years old) and the seller wouldn't give me straight answers to any of my questions. I knew immediately that I had to take Sam from that place. I gave them $40 and got him home.

Sam had a number of health problems stemming from neglect, improper food, and from being in a cage (his leg muscles were under developed). Within a year he was playing cat tag with Max, cuddling and purring, and chasing bugs in the garden.

The truth is, Sam takes good care of me. When we moved, and then had an emergency evacuation and several emergency rentals, he adapted to being a ready-steady travel cat, and even ran around on a farm in Aotearoa's Waikato for a few months. (He loved The Shire!) I plan to have many more, long years with Sam and Max, and I'm so lucky we found each other. The three of us are surviving this mad crazy ongoing pandemic together.