Desperately seeking urgent veterinary care for my cat Kitty
June 22, 2024 3:25 PM Subscribe
My spouse and I are currently unemployed and desperately seeking assistance for our 9-year-old cat, Kitty. She needs an urgent operation for a digestive issue, and without it, she may not survive.
We've been trying to find free or low-cost veterinary services but haven't had any luck so far. We're continuing our search, but time is of the essence.
Are there any veterinarians in the Cleveland area who might be able to help? Any assistance or advice would be deeply appreciated.
Some background on Kitty: She's been with my spouse and I since she was a kitten - in fact I met her in 2015, months after I met my spouse in person when he took me took me to animal shelter. We got her in Los Angeles where we both met, and she bonded instantly with me at the animal shelter in a private room where they kept her, cuddling under my arm at our first meeting. Eventually we moved to Cleveland with her and her two younger brothers in 2019 as I was relocated here as part of condition of employment at an insurance company doing iOS mobile software engineering.
If you can help or know someone who can, please reach out. We've set up a GoFundMe for Kitty's medical expenses as well.
Thank you for any help you can provide for this much-loved family member.
For additional context:
We are both married since 2015 and I have been unemployed since September of last year with my spouse and I on Medicaid and SNAP benefits while we're both looking for work. This couldn't come at a worse time compared considering I left that job due to a hostile work environment, my unemployment appeal is being bounced back and forth since January, and I have post-viral fatigue that I'm being seen by my primary care and referred specialists for.
Kitty has fecal compaction in her colon and has been having issues going to pee or poop. My spouse took her to a MedVet last Wednesday and that already took over $1000 for her visit (an enema which didn't have much come out, an x-ray). She may have peed today this morning close to 10am, but it's unclear. I set up a Wyze video camera to keep track of her comings and goings, but I'm unable to see the inside of the litter box much so it hard to tell if it was her being able to urinate or of our other two cats Jeffers and Liam.
Currently my brother is out of work as well (also a software engineer), but has been able to pitch in a small amount along with an acquaintance of mine from a startup I worked at back in the mid 2010s who found out about it on Facebook. I asked the few other relatives I know so far and my social media with no luck - haven't heard back anything from practically anyone on the matter since yesterday morning. Calls to places like Gateway Animal Clinic and other places (so far my spouse and I have talked to 7-8 clinics over the phone with no success since Friday). Reddit has recommended on the Pets subreddit had me look into have led me to either nonspecific wait times going as far out as two months out or unspecified costs.
We were both denied for CareCredit, but have yet to try Scratchpay (no luck calling up a couple of places today bringing it up - maybe cause most are closed on Saturday).
To tie this back to my older Ask Metafilter history, my brother is planning to ask my Jehovah's Witness(es) mom on my behalf later this evening, explaining the situation, yet she's visiting Finland for some international convention or something like that. She has abandoned me as a mother, so I'm expecting to get steamrolled by all this if I can't find a solution.
Some background on Kitty: She's been with my spouse and I since she was a kitten - in fact I met her in 2015, months after I met my spouse in person when he took me took me to animal shelter. We got her in Los Angeles where we both met, and she bonded instantly with me at the animal shelter in a private room where they kept her, cuddling under my arm at our first meeting. Eventually we moved to Cleveland with her and her two younger brothers in 2019 as I was relocated here as part of condition of employment at an insurance company doing iOS mobile software engineering.
If you can help or know someone who can, please reach out. We've set up a GoFundMe for Kitty's medical expenses as well.
Thank you for any help you can provide for this much-loved family member.
For additional context:
We are both married since 2015 and I have been unemployed since September of last year with my spouse and I on Medicaid and SNAP benefits while we're both looking for work. This couldn't come at a worse time compared considering I left that job due to a hostile work environment, my unemployment appeal is being bounced back and forth since January, and I have post-viral fatigue that I'm being seen by my primary care and referred specialists for.
Kitty has fecal compaction in her colon and has been having issues going to pee or poop. My spouse took her to a MedVet last Wednesday and that already took over $1000 for her visit (an enema which didn't have much come out, an x-ray). She may have peed today this morning close to 10am, but it's unclear. I set up a Wyze video camera to keep track of her comings and goings, but I'm unable to see the inside of the litter box much so it hard to tell if it was her being able to urinate or of our other two cats Jeffers and Liam.
Currently my brother is out of work as well (also a software engineer), but has been able to pitch in a small amount along with an acquaintance of mine from a startup I worked at back in the mid 2010s who found out about it on Facebook. I asked the few other relatives I know so far and my social media with no luck - haven't heard back anything from practically anyone on the matter since yesterday morning. Calls to places like Gateway Animal Clinic and other places (so far my spouse and I have talked to 7-8 clinics over the phone with no success since Friday). Reddit has recommended on the Pets subreddit had me look into have led me to either nonspecific wait times going as far out as two months out or unspecified costs.
We were both denied for CareCredit, but have yet to try Scratchpay (no luck calling up a couple of places today bringing it up - maybe cause most are closed on Saturday).
To tie this back to my older Ask Metafilter history, my brother is planning to ask my Jehovah's Witness(es) mom on my behalf later this evening, explaining the situation, yet she's visiting Finland for some international convention or something like that. She has abandoned me as a mother, so I'm expecting to get steamrolled by all this if I can't find a solution.
Can you link the gofundme in this question or your profile?
posted by bahama mama at 4:44 PM on June 22 [1 favorite]
posted by bahama mama at 4:44 PM on June 22 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Can you link the gofundme in this question or your profile?
Of course... just updated my profile with Kitty's GoFundMe.
posted by antgly at 4:59 PM on June 22 [6 favorites]
Of course... just updated my profile with Kitty's GoFundMe.
posted by antgly at 4:59 PM on June 22 [6 favorites]
One more list, not sure whether there’s anything new here: https://thepetfund.com/for-pet-owners/additional-links
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:32 AM on June 23
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:32 AM on June 23
Cleveland Division of Animal Care and Control recommends Companion Pets of Cleveland and Neighborhood Pets if you haven't tried those. Both seem to be committed to helping people in financial need keep their pets.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:21 AM on June 23
posted by hydropsyche at 3:21 AM on June 23
The humane society has a helpful page on financing care for your pet. It includes links/suggestions for finding low cost vet care plus organizations that help provide funds for vet care.
I found that link through r/poverty finance. You might also consider posting this question to r/Cleveland.
I know distance may be an issue, but looking at the Ohio's SPCA site, they have a list of low cost spay-neuter clinics. I know spay/neuter isn't what you're looking for, but maybe you could call some places and see?
I would definitely reach out to local shelters/rescues for help/advice. They likely have connections to vets that might be willing to provide lower cost services or vets that are more flexible about payment plans. I would also contact as many vets as possible. You might find lower cost services/vets that are more willing to negotiate if you try targeting lower income areas or more rural areas.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:24 AM on June 23
I found that link through r/poverty finance. You might also consider posting this question to r/Cleveland.
I know distance may be an issue, but looking at the Ohio's SPCA site, they have a list of low cost spay-neuter clinics. I know spay/neuter isn't what you're looking for, but maybe you could call some places and see?
I would definitely reach out to local shelters/rescues for help/advice. They likely have connections to vets that might be willing to provide lower cost services or vets that are more flexible about payment plans. I would also contact as many vets as possible. You might find lower cost services/vets that are more willing to negotiate if you try targeting lower income areas or more rural areas.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:24 AM on June 23
Oh, check out For The love of Alex. They are apparently a nonprofit whose mission is helping people with low income fundraise emergency veterinary care for their pets. Since you already have the GoFund me set up, it sounds like they can help get it in front of way more people.
And from this reddit post, there's this incredibly comprehensive google doc with assistance programs for pet owners.
r/Assistance has a page with other resources, mostly duplicates of what I've already posted. Another post from r/Assistance with some more resources.
You might also consider posting your GoFundMe or request for help with resources to r/Assistance, if your account meets their requirements for activity/karma.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:37 AM on June 23 [2 favorites]
And from this reddit post, there's this incredibly comprehensive google doc with assistance programs for pet owners.
r/Assistance has a page with other resources, mostly duplicates of what I've already posted. Another post from r/Assistance with some more resources.
You might also consider posting your GoFundMe or request for help with resources to r/Assistance, if your account meets their requirements for activity/karma.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:37 AM on June 23 [2 favorites]
This doesn't answer your fund raising question but my sister had a cat with megacolon which caused constipation. She did the whole enema at the emergency vet thing too. It happened a couple times and stopped once she started giving him laxatives. I think it was a 1/4 tsp twice a day of miralax. I looked it up and you can do up to 1/2 tsp twice a day. The cat does need to drink water with it or they can get dehydrated. It pulls water into the intestines and softens the stool. Even if it doesn't solve the problem, I think it would help your cat be more comfortable.
Found this page which talks about treatment using a larger dose of laxative instead of surgery. Don't know if it's better but thought you might want to know your options.
Management tips for constipated cats
For severely impacted patients, additional treatment is usually required. Historically, manual disimpaction has been the next step, but Carr rarely resorts to this procedure any longer. He has found the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) solutions administered via nasoesophageal (NE) tube to be highly effective and safe.
After the NE tube is placed and appropriate positioning is confirmed radiographically, the PEG solution is administered over several hours. Most cats defecate within 6 to 12 hours. Typical doses are 100 ml/kg over 10 hours and can be titrated up over time or given for longer time periods if needed. Carr noted that some veterinarians believe the use of PEG solutions is contraindicated but stated that, “in humans, [the use of PEG solutions] has been well documented and, in my personal experience, is very effective.”
posted by stray thoughts at 3:43 PM on June 23 [1 favorite]
Found this page which talks about treatment using a larger dose of laxative instead of surgery. Don't know if it's better but thought you might want to know your options.
Management tips for constipated cats
For severely impacted patients, additional treatment is usually required. Historically, manual disimpaction has been the next step, but Carr rarely resorts to this procedure any longer. He has found the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) solutions administered via nasoesophageal (NE) tube to be highly effective and safe.
After the NE tube is placed and appropriate positioning is confirmed radiographically, the PEG solution is administered over several hours. Most cats defecate within 6 to 12 hours. Typical doses are 100 ml/kg over 10 hours and can be titrated up over time or given for longer time periods if needed. Carr noted that some veterinarians believe the use of PEG solutions is contraindicated but stated that, “in humans, [the use of PEG solutions] has been well documented and, in my personal experience, is very effective.”
posted by stray thoughts at 3:43 PM on June 23 [1 favorite]
If your cat doesn't have megacolon - if she's just impacted - a vet might approve miralax over the phone. Our little cat was impacted and had to have a vet visit with enema/disimpaction and then had some trouble after that, and we found that 1/4 tsp miralax (miralax is the PEG referred to above) daily helped her a great deal, and we haven't really had trouble since. As long as there aren't any other complications, miralax/PEG is very safe and gentle. You can just get the human kind at the store, and of course a bottle sized for humans lasts a very long time for a cat.
When they get older, IME cats can have digestive troubles and chronic constipation - our poor little baby was just miserable, all crouched up, and she still has some stomach troubles (and now, six years later, has some other health issues) but with a little miralax most days, she doesn't have any trouble with constipation.
(I did donate - I hope you're finding good help. Ask about the PEG and the nasogastic tube!!!)
posted by Frowner at 5:23 PM on June 23
When they get older, IME cats can have digestive troubles and chronic constipation - our poor little baby was just miserable, all crouched up, and she still has some stomach troubles (and now, six years later, has some other health issues) but with a little miralax most days, she doesn't have any trouble with constipation.
(I did donate - I hope you're finding good help. Ask about the PEG and the nasogastic tube!!!)
posted by Frowner at 5:23 PM on June 23
This is unconventional, but look small practices owned by a single vet, and try making a barter. Put together a list of your skills – website development, security testing, tutoring, social media management, whatever you are good at, and ask if they would consider a trade.
Also, prices are often lower in smaller towns, due to the lower cost of living overall. It might be worth the drive if you have more time than cash.
Finally, check with the nearest veterinary teaching hospital. They often have an "angel fund."
posted by dum spiro spero at 9:20 PM on June 23 [2 favorites]
Also, prices are often lower in smaller towns, due to the lower cost of living overall. It might be worth the drive if you have more time than cash.
Finally, check with the nearest veterinary teaching hospital. They often have an "angel fund."
posted by dum spiro spero at 9:20 PM on June 23 [2 favorites]
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posted by chesty_a_arthur at 4:26 PM on June 22