A fundraiser has been launched to save a kitten with a rare disease who has formed a very special bond with a little boy.
Baby Carrot is best friends with two-year-old Theo, the son of Baby’s owners Tara Branch and Zoe Bennett of Woodthorpe, York.
Theo gave the kitten his unusual name and they have been inseparable since Baby Carrot was born six months ago.
But sadly, without expensive treatment, the pet has just weeks to live.
Baby Carrot has feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), caused by feline coronavirus. In the past the virus usually proved fatal. But a new course of treatment could save his life.
However, the treatment costs £6,500. So family friend Helen Leigh has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for it.
Helen says the treatment, which would be administered by Green Vets in Acomb, has a 97% success rate.
She told YorkMix: “The bond between Baby Carrot and Theo is incredibly strong and endearing, and I have posted videos and photos – with permission – of the two of them together, which have gained a huge response.”
Helen described the family as “such humble and kind people that they feel guilty asking for financial help; yet they are heartbroken by Baby Carrot’s diagnosis”.
Devastating to lose him
Helen said: “It is devastating to lose a pet. They aren’t just animals, they our part of our family.
“Any donation will be so gratefully received and give such hope, for sweet little Baby Carrot, and his adoring owners.”
The campaign has already been backed by Justine Spencer, the owner of Gerald the Minster cat. Something of a feline celebrity, Gerald died in 2020 and a sculpture has been created in his memory.
Like Gerald, Baby Carrot is a Bengal breed.
The new treatment for FIP is called Mutian. As well as a course of tablets which cost £4,152, Baby Carrot will require blood tests.
“Right now, even though he is very thin and losing muscle tone and stability, he is still a good candidate for just oral treatment,” Helen says.
“If he gets worse he will need a stay at the vets as well as treatment, which will add approximately £2,000 to the total cost.”
So they need to start the treatment as soon as possible.
Helen hopes a successful fundraising campaign will not only save the kitten, but could have positive ramifications for further research into FIP, and hopefully benefit others in the future whose cats are affected by this disease.
You can follow Save Baby Carrot on Instagram and TikTok.
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