I haven’t written about Lily before now, but she moved into my apartment a few weeks after the late Miss Lucy died and took over Lucy’s job of household management. Lily is a black and white shorthair, now about seven years old, who is the most people-friendly cat I have ever met. She marches right up to complete strangers and wants to kiss them (or at least smell their faces). Very often when I’m writing she is curled up next to me, purring.

Last week she stopped eating. Saturday a vet looked at her and suspected gastritis. But yesterday she developed black diarrhea, indicating internal bleeding. X-rays and an ultrasound didn’t show a cause, so this afternoon she’s getting exploratory surgery.

Needless to say, this has blown the budget right out of the water.

My other bit of news is that awhile back I decided to give up trying to hang on to my apartment and sell it. I have quite a lot of equity in the place, even in these trying times, so once it’s sold I’ll have some cushion money for veterinary and automotive disasters and perhaps can stop begging for more money every few months whenever my cat gets sick or my car breaks down. I have an agent, and it’s supposed to go on the market officially this week. If anyone is looking for a reasonably priced two-bedroom co-op in southern Westchester County, New York, let me know, and I’ll pass you along to the agent.

So this might be my last fundraiser for a good long while, or even forever. But I’m guessing I’m looking at about $3,000 in vet bills on top of the $900 or so I already shelled out to save Lily. Which is $3,000 I do not have right now. I’m reconciled to giving up my apartment, but I would be very lonely without Lily.

I don’t have any good photos of Lily, but here is a video taken of her by a previous temporary owner:

And here’s the PayPal button. I’m still looking for some other way to pay online, but if you really can’t deal with PayPal, let me know.

All help, however modest, is deeply appreciated.