Urgent Funds Needed for Edwin's Medical Care

My name is Shayna and I am fundraising money for me and my cat, Edwin.

Late Friday night, I came home to Edwin being largely unresponsive and clearly in pain. I brought him to the emergency vet in Fargo and they told me that he was suffering from a life-threatening urinary tract blockage. The amount they were asking for was more than I had in my entire account.

Thankfully, that night, a good friend lent me some money and I was able to (barely) afford the treatment he needed, leaving only a few hundred dollars in my bank account.

The treatment involved blood tests, x-rays, and the insertion of a catheter to encourage urine flow. They removed crystals from his urine, which were a partial cause to the urinary blockage he was suffering from. They needed to keep the catheter in for at least 24 hours to allow his bladder to clear and the blood to clear from his urine. They told me this procedure could go awry and asked if something were to happen if I would want the vets to administer CPR, which I said would be my preference. So I went home with no cat and no idea if the treatment would be successful.

On Sunday, the vets told me that Edwin was doing well and should be able to discharge after my work finished at 8 P.M. They removed his catheter at around 6 P.M. and said they would wait for him to urinate on his own before he could discharge. I anxiously awaited the message that would let me know that my cat had urinated and I could take him home. Within an hour and a half, I received this message and after work I went straight to the hospital to pick him up. The vets told me he was in good spirits and he was clearly anxious to get home.

The vets are saying that Edwin likely has a condition called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis - a bladder condition that causes flare-ups of frequent urination, urinary accidents, bloody urine, and straining to urinate. These flare-ups usually last for a few days to a week before passing. Recurrences may be improved with pain medication and lifelong use of a prescription urinary diet (which is exorbitantly expensive, especially for a life-long treatment), however, with each flare-up he could become fully obstructed again.

I can’t afford this on my own. To be honest, I was struggling to make ends meet before this even happened. I have bills to pay and a car to fix, but now, Edwin has become my top priority.

Unfortunately, upon return to my household, Edwin is currently still having trouble urinating. The emergency vet told me that, for the most part, this is normal for the first few days after coming home from such a procedure. However, they told me that if he seems to be in pain or if this condition lasts for longer than a few days, I should bring him back to the vet to have him checked.

I can’t afford this. I don’t want my cat to die, and if I don’t raise this money, he may die a slow and painful death. Any money you can spare to this cause is helpful. Each click and share of this fundraiser helps. Please consider helping me and my cat during this difficult time and I thank you for taking the time to read our story.