Help Me Save My Best Friend, Coco

In 2015, I rescued a tiny street cat who would rescue me many more times over. His name is Coco. From the moment I brought him home, he became my everything. He’s not just a pet, he’s my son, my comfort, my heart.

Coco has been with me through every single hardship. He’s the cat who waits by the door, always excited to see me. The one who curls up next to me when I’m sick, offering nothing but warmth and love. When I fell ill recently, Coco didn’t leave my side. He stayed close, curled up next to me as if to say, “I’m here. You’re not alone.”

But now, Coco is the one who needs me.

When I moved to New York, I had to leave him with my mom who had just became an empty nester. She lovingly cared for him while I worked toward bringing him home. After 8 long years, many visits and hundreds of FaceTimes, I was finally able to live by myself (no more Crashpad’s or roommates) and was ready to be reunited with him. But then suddenly life took a turn for the worst.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer and needed surgery urgently, so I had to fly out to care for her. While I was with her, Coco began to get very sick. Vomiting, not eating, and in pain. The first vet told me it wasn’t serious, but I knew something was wrong. His skin turned yellow. He couldn’t keep anything down. The tests confirmed my worst fear. His bloodwork was alarming. And they suspected a tumor and told me he would soon have an organ failure and had to most likely be put to sleep. I refused to believe that and the next day, I found a new hospital, one that could give him the care he needed.

On April 7, Coco was admitted.

The diagnosis is heartbreaking:

FIV positive

Pancreatitis

A possible tumor or infectious granuloma

Severe periodontal disease that also caused Conjunctivitis

Hepatic Infection that caused a blockage where the gallbladder and bile duct connect causing bilirubin levels to spike

Jaundice (dangerously high bilirubin levels / Icteric)

The good news? They believe this could be an infection, one that could be managed with treatment and maybe not necessarily a tumor. Therefore resulting in more days of hospitalization to give him the intravenous antibiotics he needs and a gallbladder removal surgery as the infection inside it can make it difficult for Coco to recover.

Even though he has so many painful illnesses all jammed together in his tiny body, doctors are impressed by his energy levels and pain tolerance. Coco is still fighting and I’m fighting with him.

It’s really difficult for me to ask for help and it’s incredibly humbling to come out in public and be so vulnerable, but we truly need it.

I’ve been unable to work for two months caring for my mom, and the financial burden is overwhelming. Between helping my mom with her expenses and paying my rent and bills in New York, I’ve exhausted every penny. I’ve used all my savings to give Coco the care he needs, but I’m at a breaking point.

If you’ve ever loved a fur baby like your own child, you’ll know the bond I have with Coco. Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward Coco’s treatment, hospitalization, and recovery. My hope is to bring him home to New York, where he belongs.

If you could please share this page. Every share helps us get closer to giving Coco the chance he deserves and just means so much.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading our story. For sharing it. For helping us. Coco means the world to me, and with your help, we can give him a chance to live.

With love and gratitude,

Kate, Memi, Pattie, and Coco.