In Memorial of Sweet Ella - Help Cover Final Costs

Kolton Thomas is organizing this fundraiser.

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Why we are Raising Funds

Hi, we are Sarah and Kolton Thomas and our kitty, Ella Thomas (10 months), has been diagnosed with FIP which is also known as the feline coronavirus. While rare, the disease is most common in cats under two years old. Some kittens, like Ella, are not able to develop a proper immune response to the virus. In this case, the virus begins to kill them by causing their body to deteriorate in several ways. If left untreated, FIP will prove fatal in almost every case. At first, we thought there wasn't much we could do for Ella, and we were grieving her passing. But then, through the help of some local veterinarians, fellow cat lovers, and some research online, we have discovered there is a way to save Ellas life using a new, breakthrough medication. However, because this medication is new and still under research, the treatment is very costly and will require us to make several visits to the vet to do blood work. So, we are asking for your help — please help us fund Ella's treatment so together we can save her life.

More Information About the Disease and Its Treatment

There are two primary forms of FIP: Wet and dry. Both are fatal. Our kitten Ella has the dry form of FIP, and some of the symptoms she has been experiencing are as follows:

In early January 2024, about 2 months ago, Ella stopped playing with her toys and with her brother Louis and wanted to be by herself. She became very lethargic and would spend most of her time just lying down. She lost all of her spark for life and that kitten-like fun and energy was gone. She also stopped growing and was significantly smaller than her brother. Her brother weighed nearly 10 lbs while she weighed in at just over 6 lbs.
On 2/8/2024 we took her to the vet and she received a 20 ml depo shot (steroid) which increased her energy; however, shortly following the steroid shot she also contracted a severe respiratory infection which she is still recovering from.
We took her back to the vet about a week later with a temperature of 104.5. That's when they gave her some fluids under the skin and an antibiotic. They also ran bloodwork which showed significant anemia, high white blood cell count, and high globulin count. Through a pathology report, they also ruled out other diseases.
Then, a couple of weeks later (mid-February 2024) the steroid began to wear off and symptoms of Ella's FIP began to progress even more. This is when we knew we had to begin FIP treatment.
Recently, Ella's strength has greatly declined. She will try to jump up on dressers, countertops, and window sills, and she will either barely make it or not make it at all and fall off.
Though she hasn't completely lost her appetite, she is occasionally vomiting up her food. She is already small and weak, so this was very concerning to us.

Hope for Ella with FIP Treatment

Though cats diagnosed with FIP were traditionally given a 'death sentence,' there is a new breakthrough medication known as GS-441524 which has proven to be very effective in treating the virus with some studies showing over a 90% success rate. Because it is so new, the medication is not commercially available at vet clinics in the US yet, but there are several nonprofits and research institutes that have made the drug available for ordering online. The way it works is that Sarah and I have to order the treatment from a supplier, which then gets shipped to our house. We will then be responsible for giving the treatment over 84 days which will start with liquid injections and then eventually transition to administering via oral tablets. Throughout this time, we will need to make at least two or three trips to our local vet to check her bloodwork and look at important indicators such as her inflammation and whether she is anemic. Reading through several success stories online, most cats who receive this treatment have their health radically transformed for the better after just a few weeks of treatment, so we have a lot of hope for her.

Please Consider Giving Toward Ella's Treatment

When all is said and done, there is a very high likelihood of Ella returning to normal health so she can live her happy little life for many, many years to come. However, as stated previously, the treatment will be costly and will last over 3 months. Please consider giving something to save Ella's life. Sarah, myself, and Ella's brother Louis would all be so very grateful if you would donate to help us keep our little family together. We have a hard time seeing ourselves come home every day without her there. Thank you for your consideration and generosity — Kolton, Sarah, Louis, and Ella.