On Monday, December 1, I found Monster throwing up and crying. At first I thought he had just had a hairball. Later on that night, he was really sad and would cry when I pet him. Anyone who has met Monster can attest that he is usually a super affectionate, hyper kitty and this was quite unusual for him, so I called the 24 hour veterinary hotline. They told me that it could be a serious urethral blockage, or it might be a mild tummy upset, that it is often hard to tell what cats are going through, and that it was up to me to decide whether to take him to an emergency clinic. I decided against it, but to take him to the vet the next day if he was still ill.

Tuesday morning came, and poor Monster was groggy and despondant. He refused pets, and seemed to not completely be present. Alarmed, I made an appointment with the Cypress St. Animal Hospital. The vets there initially thought that he might have a kidney stone, which is quite common for male housecats. He would have to be catheterized but it seemed fairly routine. That evening, the vet called me back and told me that there was no stone, but that Monster's blood tests and urine tests had come back and that they showed very high levels of toxins–almost lifethreatening. Monster was on an IV and there was quite a lot of blood in his urine.

The next day, Thursday December 4, Monster was eating and had a cone around his furry orange face. He was purring and seemed much happier. I could tell that he had charmed the staff at Cypress St. Animal Hospital. Charisma aside, he seemed to be doing quite well, but not well enough to be taken home.

At this point I began to worry about the bill; I love Monster dearly, but as a graduate student, I don't have the funds on hand to pay for his care out of pocket.

By Saturday, I was able to see him in the visiting/consultation room, rather than at his cage. He was affectionate, purring and rolling himself against me. His belly had been shaved to allow for the ultrasound he recieved, which (thankfully) confirmed that he didn't have any tumors in his kidneys, but rather, that his severe bladder infection and urethreal blockage had led to the urine moving back up into his kidneys and causing them to fail. While he seemed to be the healthy rambunctious cat, just a few days ago his life was in danger. I went over the home care with the vet, who recommended a switch to a diet that would balance his pH and prevent these issues from returning in the future.

Today, Monster is still not peeing normally. He can produce small amounts of urine, but cannot empty his bladder completely. They might have re-catheterize him.

Today, his bill is reaching $2000, not including the $700 deposit I have already paid.

I am asking for your help to keep up this care for Monster. He is a great friend, cuddle buddy, and a goofy and affectionate pal who you simply cannot help but adore. Even when he is ill, he can charm the most hardened of souls.

We in Canada are fortunate enough to not have to make this type of decision regarding human health; I hope that your kindness can help Monster recieve the care he needs to come home as healthy as possible.