“Something to Live For” – Levi’s Happy Tail
May 5th, 2026
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –
To Kionna, sweet kitty Levi, in her handsome Tuxedo coat, was everything – a sentiment we can all empathize with. But for a young adult having a particularly rough few years, sometimes “everything” is a lot more literal.
“Levi means everything to me. We got her and her sister after the pandemic broke out, when a box with four cats was dropped off at my older brother’s former place of employment. He took in two and decided to give the other two to us, who were Levi and her sister, Eren. I was in a really dark place when I took them in. I have struggled with depression and suicidal ideation throughout my teenage years and onward.
“My senior year of high school was spent quarantined, and I saw no place for myself in this world. Then suddenly I had these two little cats in my room, and every day I would wake up to them sleeping on my bed. Seeing this made me slow down and rethink things. It felt like I had something of value for the first time. From then on, I told myself that so long as I had these cats, I had something to live for.”
Though she was still young and healthy at six years old, Levi had had her fair share of scares. Nothing Kionna and her family couldn’t handle with some creative budgeting. But in all that time, they hadn’t had the opportunity to have her or her sister spayed. They couldn’t afford it, and it was hard to schedule an appointment that didn’t conflict with their work schedules. It’s a familiar story to many pet families: the surgery can be prohibitively expensive, many clinics are booked for months in advance, and low-cost or mobile options are few and far between. But Levi wasn’t around male cats, and with each passing heat cycle, she seemed to be doing okay.
Kionna noticed a few days after Levi’s most recent heat cycle that her little belly was hard and bloated. Hoping it was something that would resolve itself, the family waited two days before taking her to the emergency veterinary hospital. Their decision was understandable; at the time, Kionna didn’t know Levi was suffering from a severe infection in her uterus known as pyometra. The veterinarian gave her a crash course in cat biology, explaining that a cat’s uterus is open to bacteria during its heat cycle, but when the cycle ends, the uterus closes, and the bacteria are trapped inside. With nowhere to go, the bacteria accumulate over time until the uterus is at risk of rupturing, leading to kidney failure and sepsis. Without treatment, pyometra is a death sentence.
She couldn’t comprehend such a fate for Levi.
“When Levi came to us with a tapeworm, we got rid of it right away. Later on, she ended up getting a UTI, and her sister got pink eye, so we immediately took them to the veterinarian and got that sorted out. At every chance we could, we extended our resources to help them. But right now we’ve fallen on really hard times; my brother became homeless and had to come back home to live with us. He also brought his cat, Tinker. Then my sister and I lost our jobs around the same time. Until we can find employment, the only thing keeping us afloat right now is our mother. I really don’t want Eren to lose her sister, and I can’t stomach the thought of failing to get Levi care and losing her. They’re the first pets we’ve ever had the honor of welcoming into our family. Levi saved my life when I thought I didn’t have one. Now I want to do the same for her while I still can. After paying for the emergency hospital visit, we’re really scared that we won’t be able to get the money we need in time to save her life.”
When their veterinarian delivered the bad news, they thankfully told Kionna about the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program and helped her apply for CareCredit, too. Levi’s diagnosis had her feeling helpless, but things would only improve from there. She was approved for a significant line of credit that would cover most of the cost of the emergency spay surgery, and a few friends had donated to the fundraiser she started. Just a few hundred dollars short of what she needed, Kionna applied for an Urgent Care grant.
FurEver Friends aren’t just compassionate and generous animal lovers; you are lifesavers. With your steady recurring support, pets and families in crisis can always get the help they need for lifesaving treatment with an Urgent Care grant. For Kionna and Levi, you didn’t save just one life, but two.
“Levi had her pyometra surgery and has been doing well. She has to wear the cute little cone for a few more days, but she’s doing amazing, especially compared to how she was before. She’s much more active and affectionate now. It’s been a huge relief to see her go back to normal. Thank you so much for your help in saving her!”
That “cute little cone” we know as the cone of shame? It should really be called the cone of good health and happiness, all thanks to you. We’re glad to call you a FurEver Friend to the animals!
