Help Extend Ginger’s Life

Hello friends, family, and cat lovers,

I adopted Ginger from PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society) in December 2022. I was going through a really difficult time in life and my previous cat had passed away a month before. I walked into PAWS and saw this orange ball of fluff rolling around on her back with her tongue out, and it was love at first sight! The staff at PAWS explained that they nursed Ginger back to health after she was saved from ACCT, which is a kill shelter. Ginger had some kind of jaw injury and she was unable to open her mouth all the way. She also had some gingivitis, or as I like to call it, Gingervitis! PAWS couldn’t really tell me the extent of her jaw issue and said she probably needed to see a dentist.

I finally took Ginger to the University of Pennsylvania’s vet school because they have dental specialists. They told me that Ginger needs surgery to fix what most likely is a jaw effusion ( TMJ Ankylosis) as well as teeth extraction. Ginger is unable to open her mouth all the way, which prevents her from chewing food and can cause a variety of health problems in the future. The vet said they highly recommend the surgery as it will greatly improve Ginger's quality of life.

I have pet insurance and I submitted a pre-authorization for the surgery. Unfortunately, insurance will not cover any part of Ginger's surgery because her jaw issue was pre-existing. It’s really humbling to ask for help, but I’m in need of your support. The surgery could cost up to or over $12,000 because of the specialized care that Ginger needs. I can’t afford this on my own. I know times are very hard right now, but if you have anything to spare, I would be so grateful.

Ginger is the sweetest, most loving, and silly cat. She helped me through a very difficult breakup, she doesn’t leave my side when I am sick, and she calms me down when I’m feeling anxious. Thinking of her going through this surgery is terrifying because there is always a risk of it not going as planned, but I would like to give her a chance at a long, healthy life.

Again, I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you so much. Please see the itemized estimate for Gingers surgery. I also included a full photo.