Meet Trip. Trip started as a foster kitten with the LKG family just over a year ago. He was so tiny! He came with his brothers Cash and River, all three tucked adorably in a carrier on my passenger seat. Trip sang to me at the top of his lungs for the whole 30-minute drive from the rescue back to my house!
While his brothers settled in to life with us, happily eating, drinking, napping, and using the litter box, Trip maybe didn't get the memo. He hungrily stalked the kitchen, screaming his hangriness at us. I offered wet food - he declined. I offered Gerber's baby food - he declined. I offered kibble - he declined. I tried a bottle of kitten formula - he tried chomping the nipple off the bottle. With each meal choice he declined, the volume of his hangry song went up. Each time he got louder, I'd shake my head and say, "Little boy, you are a trip! You have to eat!" So, yeah...that's how he got his name. Eventually, decided drinking formula from a bowl was acceptable and worked his way up to kibble floating in the dish of formula (now known as "kitten cereal"). Eventually, I could eliminate the formula. Trip remained the smallest of the trio, but gained the weight needed for his neuter and potential adoption.
Somehow, Trip didn't get adopted, and in September, we adopted Trip and his brother Cash, ending our fostering career (50+ kittens graduated from our house and were adopted).
In December, something went drastically wrong, though. Trip became lethargic, and again, I couldn't get him to eat. He lost the use of his back legs. He gained what looked like a Parkinson's Disease tremor.
I tookTrip to the vet. He had x-rays taken and bloodwork done. On Christmas Eve, I got the call that my "baby boy" had dry FIP, manifesting itself in Trip's neurological symptoms. I called the rescue - the president and I are good friends. She told me what I already knew: treatment is available if you know where to get it. Despite it being Christmas Eve, she had Trip and I come over. Her son gave Trip his first shot, teaching me what to do. We left there that night with a baggie of supplies to get us started on the 84-day treatment regimen.
I won't say that 84 days of treatments easy. It isn't. I won't say that the treatment is low-cost. It isn't. I'll say Trip is sleeping next to me as I type this. I'll say it was worth it.
This sticker was designed to spread the news that FIP iIS TREATABLE. I know of cat owners who are being told that it isn't and to put down their cats. This sticker was also designed to raise money for Trip's rescue to pay for the treatment of other cats who are rescued and need - and DESERVE- treatment. ALL PROFITS from the sale of this sticker are going straight back to the rescue.
If you are a rescue that would like to purchase this sticker at cost - for you to sell to offset the cost of FIP treatment for cats and kittens in your rescue, email me laura@lkgcc.com and we can make that happen!