Help Zelda Stay Alive; My little Dream

Hello! My name is Hailey and this is for my cat Zelda who was just diagnosed with congestive heart disease.

The money would be going toward her emergency care, medications, and cardiology care.

Zelda is my 5-year-old heart cat. Since I was very young I have always had a deep love of cats. In my young childhood, I was homeless and often in the company of less than predictable adults. The stray cat we had was always predictable and that felt so much safer to me. Kids were mean and didn't understand me but cats were kind as long as you were kind to them.

My grandparents were kind enough to indulge my love of cats and finally, at 6, I got Buttercup. I had already experienced tragedy beyond what a 6-year-old is meant to and holding Buttercup then was so healing. She was with us for 13 wonderful years.

When my cat Buttercup died I made it my new dream to have a cat. All throughout college and my early 20s, all I wanted was a cat. I had cat bedspreads and my friends used to greet me with meows. I even had a cat clock that used to meow the time (we quickly took the batteries out of that one). I dreamed about having a cat more than a wedding, more than being on Broadway, more than kids. I think I always just figured I'd be like Madam from Aristocats.

I moved out at 25 and started my search. I did an internet search and there she was, right there in one of the darkest timed of my life (a trend she would continue to this day). Back then they called her Zephyr and she had the cutest profile picture in the whole world. She was cross-eyed, just like Buttercup and I knew we were supposed to be together. It felt almost as if Buttercup had sent her to me. I went out to LA and on the way there I knew I was going to name her Zelda because of her big ears that reminded me of young princess Zelda from Ocarina of Time. She also got to keep her nickname of "Z". She was perfect.

She moved into my studio and slowly became my little dream come true. This was the cat I had always wanted. Netflix special be damned, I had my little dream. No, it wasn't always perfect. Yes, she has IBS but so do I. I understood her pain and I have put my heart and soul into loving her. She knows when I'm sad or hurt. She is my best furend. She's grumpy sometimes but she has always put up with me and anything that life demands of her. She has gotten me through depression, anxiety, a pandemic, existential dread, crisis. She is my little dream and such a huge part of my world and my heart.

Every so often you have a pet come into your life that sinks its claws deeper into your heart than anyone else. It's not that you love them more, it's that you have a deep connection and understanding. They become your heart cat. Zelda is my heart cat.

It's devastating how expensive it is to keep her alive. I always knew medical expenses might come into play, but I thought I'd be licensed and making more than an intern when it happened. I thought she would live to meet my children. I thought she would be here to see the house we eventually bought. I thought we would name a drink after her for my wedding. But if the last 2 years have taught us anything it's that life isn't very plannable or predictable and I need help.

Keeping my little dream alive right now requires oxygen and that requires hospitalization. They need to remove all the fluid from her lungs and that takes time. She needs medication and to see a cardiologist every few months.

I wish I could say this would save her but it won't. It will only buy us some time. Zelda has always been intuitive when it comes to pain and suffering. She curls up next to Jaycob when his depression gets bad. When I have a IBS episode so bad I pass out from the pain she sits in the bathroom with me, even though everyone else in the house is asleep. She follows me from room to room, particularly on bad days. When I was recovering from surgery she was right there next to me the second I got home. I know sometimes pet ownership means making hard choices. I know I can't save her life indefinitely but I am asking for help giving her more time because really it's giving me more time. I need time so she can teach me how to say goodbye to my little dream. I need her to cuddle me through this one last huge, earth-shattering part of my life. She seems to want to stay and from what the vet says she isn't in any pain and quality of life will be just as happy as ever until the end. So any donation is greatly appreciated. We set the donation for $3,500 which will at least cover her expenses up until this point but it will very likely be much more.

If you have read this far thank you. It feels good to tell her story and my story. I know these are still very hard times financially so if you are unable to donate a simple share would be greatly appreciated and some more healing wishes and prayers. Thank you again.