Here you can donate monetarily to the kitten's FHO surgery happening Wednesday, June 25th. Your support is greatly appreciated.
I don’t know what’s happening, but the day before leaving for Ireland last week—having just landed in LA from Tasmania for 36 hours—we found a fledgling bird and helped return it to its natural path. It was beautiful.
Then, two days ago, after returning from Ireland, I stopped by The Daily Planet to pick up mail and struck up a conversation with someone who had slept in front of the store the night before. I hadn’t seen him before. I noticed a little creature in an open bag near him and asked who the animal was. It was a tiny kitten. He told me he’d just found her in a bag that had been thrown away. He also mentioned that her leg was severely injured and that she needed veterinary attention, but he wasn’t able to help.
I asked if he planned to keep her, and he said no. I asked if he’d be willing to sell her to me and told him I could get her help. He said $30. So, I paid him and took the kitten—still in the bag—straight to a vet, explaining the situation.
Hundreds of dollars later, and without having even seen the cat out of the bag yet, the vet told me her femur was broken and that she needed FHO surgery (Femoral Head Ostectomy). Their quote for the surgery was $10,000. I explained that this wasn't possible—especially since I wasn’t even sure if we’d be keeping the cat, and still hadn’t really seen her. I got a few other quotes, all upwards of $5,000. I had friends reach out to rescues and fosters, all full, and was told by the humane society in less words that they would euthanize.
The entire day disappeared at the vet, and it became clear we’d be housing the cat that evening. Naturally, that night, we fell in love with the kitten—about 12 weeks old, purring like no other, limping but grateful, and eating like it was her first meal. She seemed comfortable and happy and at ease, spending most of her time on her side and then hopping under our feet to be part of the family.
Eventually, I got in touch with a recommended surgeon supported by a nonprofit (C.A.R.E.S. here in LA) who can perform the FHO surgery for a little less than half the original quote. I’m determined to get the kitten the help she needs.
So, I’ve listed several items—test presses, synths, lyric sheets—and set up a basic donation page to raise funds for the surgery, which is scheduled for this Wednesday. If you’d like any of these items, the money raised will go toward the surgery, and any excess will be donated back to the nonprofit who helps vulnerable animals. I feel like the cat found me!
Thank you for reading!
