Jarrow family's plea as cat with 'feline coronavirus' needs £6,000 life-saving treatment
A dad from Jarrow is raising funds to pay for life-saving treatment for his daughter’s cat after it developed feline coronavirus.
A Jarrow family is facing a vet bill of £6,000 for life-saving treatment after their beloved Ragdoll cat was struck down with feline coronavirus.
Craig Coulson said he noticed his cat, affectionately named Oreo for its black and white markings, had gone off of her food a few days ago.
But the seven-month-old had been the runt of her litter and struggled with food in the past, so this was not out of the ordinary.
However, on Friday, September 11, after a bad night, he rushed the cat to the vets where he was told “it was a life and death situation”.
Craig drove Oreo, attached to a drip in the car, to an emergency vet hospital in Sedgefield.
He said: “She was the last of the litter and she was the runt of the litter so she was already very small and and skinny.
“It was a lot of hard work getting her to eat and sort of building her up again. So we think that's why she's been affected by it.
“She was a bit lazy at times, like cats can be. You know, some days they want to sleep.”
Vets explained to Craig that Oreo had developed FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), a disease caused by feline coronavirus that she had probably had since she was little, but was just now taking effect in her body.
According to the PDSA, it is not the same as COVID-19 and cannot spread to humans.
It is common in cats and most that have it stay healthy, but a small number develop FIP.
Without treatment, most cats will die from the disease, but a new anti-viral drug is available in the UK for a 12-week treatment.
Sadly, this is expensive, and Craig said his new insurance for Oreo had not passed the 14-day activation period.
This means the emergency treatment costs cannot be claimed against the insurance.
Craig, 46, said he regrets not taking the insurance out sooner, but “life had got in the way”.
He said: “My advice to other pet owners no matter what is going on in life make it a priority otherwise vets bills can become very expensive.”
Oreo was a gift for Craig’s daughter, Jennie-Louise Coulson, who has autism and ADHD.
He said the cat helped her to feel safe in her bedroom.
Craig said: “How how do you explain to your daughter that that little kitten might not make it? It's it's a tough one.”
The dad-of-two estimates the total cost of the treatment could be around £6,000, a huge unforeseen cost his family had not planned for.
To help with the costs, he has began a GoFundMe page and is collecting donated items from local businesses for a raffle.
Craig, who also has two dogs, said: “They become part of your family in a strange way.”
Oreo is currently at the vets preparing for the expensive course of treatment that will hopefully make her better.
For updates and more information about how you can help, the family has set up a Facebook page: Oreo - FIP Journey Updates