Update: My Kitty Needs Help!

This is Hacker, my rescue kitty.  The Veterinarians believe he’ll be about 3 years old this November.  I adopted Hacker back in February.  Hacker came to our shelter at the Houston SPCA in November of 2013 after being rescued from a dog attack.  He was found surrounded by 3 dogs by some good samaritans.  His tail was gone, his right side was ripped open and the left side of his head had been savaged.(He looks great these days doesn’t he??) 

He’s healed pretty well since then.  His left pupil is warped but he can still see out of that eye.  He’s tail is gone now but no worries there, he doesn’t seem to miss it.  And there’s a 4 inch scar on his right side but the surrounding hair covers that up well enough and even if it didn’t, he could care less about looking “pretty”.  The thing is, the dogs happened to pierce his pallet leaving a hole behind and crushing his nasal passages.  He can breath but he’ll forever sound like he’s got a sever cold.  His snores are loud and wet and filled with mucus because of the hole in his pallet.  It’s pretty much called an Oronasal Fistulas

Other links to what this is… Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

His hole is about an inch and a half long and maybe an inch wide.  It causes him to be unable to eat and drink properly.  He sneezes every 5 minutes because he needs to clear out the nasal cavity from mucus and saliva or food or water or dust or hair or whatever he happened to be breathing near at the time.  It wakes him up from sleep because it builds up and he can’t breath. 

The only way Hacker can drink water from a running water source where he can gingerly lap a small amount of water at a time so he can swallow slowly without getting water in the hole and into the nasal passage.  Sometimes it will take him 30 minutes just to get his fill of water.  And he’ll still start sneezing afterwards.  It takes him even longer to eat and I’ve found he prefers eating dry food.  The easier to manage I’m sure.  I’m constantly wiping down my furniture and mopping my floors to clean up the left over mucus and residue.  And then I take a damp cloth and wipe HIM down because his face and legs and chest are also covered.  Sometimes he’ll sneeze for 10 minutes at a time because so much builds up.

I don’t have a lot of money.  I don’t want to beg.  I don’t know what else to do for this boy.  I work at the Houston SPCA a little above minimum wage which I’m grateful for, mind you.  I pay rent like most everyone else.  I drive a 22 year old car like the majority of the population.  I send my kid to school where I’m fortunate she receives free lunch due to being on Medicaid.  And I’m grateful for it.  And maybe some of you may be thinking why would someone take on an animal they may not be able to pay for.  But I can.  He’s in no danger of going hungry and neither am I.  He’s in no danger of not receiving his yearly Vet visits.  I make due even though it can be a bit of a struggle since I live in Houston, Texas and this city is not a cheap place to live.

Hacker could have a surgery that could fix his pallet.  But it’s expensive.  I don’t know the complete cost as no Vet wants to give me exact amount but I’m looking at around $2000.00 USD.  I see many people ask for donations for things akin to this and much worse and I thought I would try.  I just want my kitty to breath better.  It hurts to see him struggle.

I’m asking for donations.  Anything helps.  I’m going to get him in to surgery one way or another.  This cat is one hell of a feline.  He likes to hug.  He insists he head butts you as soon as you step in the door.  He simply MUST sleep above your head every night so that he may stretch out his leg and keep a paw on you at all times.  When you open the freezer door to the fridge, he must investigate it first which I guess is to insure there’s nothing in there that’s going to get me?  He gets excited when he sees another cat outside and I have to open a window so he can talk to said cat through the screen.  Probably to exchange gossip is my guess because we have 3 frequent visitors, lol.  When I bring kittens home to foster, he’s the perfect baby sitter.  He HAS to lay at your feet when you’re on the computer or in your lap when you’re on the couch.  And you better tell him good-bye when you leave the house or else he’ll meow and scratch at the door and will leave you a mess of torn toilet paper for you when you get home. 

If you’re wanting to donate, I’ve set up a paypal for that.

My Paypal

Anything donated is so appreciated.  I thank anyone and everyone from the bottom of my heart.

UPDATE: 9.26.14
I have found a Vet that was willing to cut the payment to $950.  So much better than $2000, yes?  Wish me luck.  HUGE thank you to those that have donated so far!!  God bless you!!!