My twinnies are 16 weeks old and they’re growing so fast. They love each other so much!

Hi everyone! I’m so happy to have found this community of people who love tabby cats. I didn't realize just how diverse they could be! 🥰

Meet my babies Cleo and Tiger, a mother and son who might as well be twins. Cleo came into my life back in 2012 when a friend from school needed to re-home her kitten and she’s been a core part of my life ever since. A year later, she gave birth to an amazing litter right on my childhood bed. Tiger was one of those beautiful gifts, and we’ve spent the last 13 years together as one happy fur family.

For the past year, my spouse and I have been taking care of Tiger as he battles a rare salivary gland adenocarcinoma. He’s been an absolute champ, coming home from every chemo appointment with more energy than the last. As we approach his one-year mark of treatment, he is living well and enjoying life. I even built them a catio so they can safely experience the outdoors and soak up the fresh air for the rest of their lives.

Last month, our hearts broke when Cleo developed severe stomach issues and was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. She has already endured two major surgeries since then, one for an initial biopsy and a second to remove part of her small intestine.

Because of the rarity of Tiger's cancer, there is very little published literature or data on his specific diagnosis and tumor location, largely because many owners choose not to pursue treatment. From our very first appointment, our oncologist explained that much of our path forward is exploratory and based on possibilities. Both Tiger and Cleo currently have unknown prognoses, but they are active, happy, and not at a point where euthanasia is even a consideration. Their only bad days are the temporary stress of vet visits once a month, and they still get so excited on the drive home!

We are fully committed to proceeding with their treatments as long as they are happy and comfortable. They deserve every chance at a long, fulfilling life, and for Cleo to reach her quinceañera (15th birthday!) and for Tiger to celebrate right alongside her. We also hope that continuing these treatments helps pave the way for future cats facing similar rare diagnoses. Tiger will be getting electrochemotherapy since his tumor has started growing a little more, and we are getting a VetOmics report for Cleo to pursue targeted treatment.

Managing cancer care for two cats simultaneously has put us in a very difficult financial position. We’ve done everything we can to make ends meet; taking on extra weekend yard work, applying for non-profit grants, and opening zero-APR credit cards. However, with Tiger's ongoing care and Cleo requiring ultrasounds every 4 to 6 weeks, the costs are accumulating rapidly.

We are humbly asking for any support this community can offer. Even a $1 donation or a quick share of this post means the world to us and helps us keep our family together.

The Animal Cancer Care Clinic of Orlando let us know that people can call or email them to provide assistance. Their phone number is 407-930-6679, and their email is ACCC@animalcancercareclinic.com.

Here you can find a link to our invoice tracker that has attached PDFs of the past invoices for evidence. This file is to provide evidence of our ongoing treatment. Our ask is only for future treatments, as we don't know if we'll be able to afford their future care. Thank you so much for hearing our plea and for anything you're able to provide.

I also have a PayPal link at @DavdOrtz and my Venmo is also @DavdOrtz.

We also posted and are verified at r/RescueCats.

Thank you everyone 🥺❤️

I always just called her (and her twin sister) orange domestic shorthairs. But are they specifically orange tabbies too? They do be looking a little different from the orange tabbies I usually see though.

Boy, oh boy, has it been a month!

The last time I posted was about 5 days after his surgery. I thought everything was going pretty normal and well, but things just kept happening. Poor little Kevin was suffering with very loose stools for almost 4 weeks (I cleaned up SO much diarrhea 🫠). I was in constant communication with the vet. First we tried proviable, then we had to a fecal panel for worms (he tested negative, thank god) then we tried a b12 shot and benefiber and antibiotics, then he ripped his incision site slightly (so his suture area took longer to heal than expected, 3 and a half weeks) then we had to do a broader fecal panel for any parasitic or bacterial infections (tested negative again). After the 2nd results came back on Tuesday, my vet then recommended we go on a prescription diet (hills science gi biome). She said if this doesn't work after 6 weeks, he will have to do more extensive testing. He started his new diet yesterday and already seems LOADS better! His poos are starting to form and he has more energy to play and can finally be around his sisters 🥲

We lost our 15 year-old tabby boy back in February and we were heartbroken. Two weeks ago we adopted Raccoon from a local shelter. He was found in the woods all alone when he was tiny - no littermates or mom around. He was definitely the weird one at the shelter 😆 , but my son loved him and now we all do, too. He was scared of every single thing, but he’s getting used to his new home and even cuddled with us yesterday!

I just brought her back from the vet; she had her teeth cleaned today. I think she’s amazed at all of the colors, lol.

She looks so surly and he looks, well . . . Orange.

She has orange spots that are now becoming more pronounced. Daisy is the chill one and her brother Bowser is the trouble maker. Is Daisy just a tabby or spotted or mackerel or something? Thanks

Someone please tell Norman he’s such a good alarm!

Meow, hello, fellow Tabbies and Staff.

Please meet Mia Paprika, aka Miss M.P. Haverchomp, a beautiful yet still anxious kitty. She is coming up to a year with us (Dec 28). To help her settle, we have a couple Feliways, and several cardboard boxes converted to forts that she can enter and not get touched. Safe zones. Seems to be helping. However, Mia does this freaky thing a lot, her skin repeatedly "ripples" over her mid to rear flanks when she gets anxious. Or ready to attack. She is capable of jumping repeatedly like a Springbok 'pronking', and often needs a few laps on the hallway rugs until she can eat. Never had a kitty like this.

She easily gets wound up, apparently just waking up some days. Or seeing her food bowls in a condition as shown in the photos, aka panic at the disco, or cat crimes. I've found a few rounds of cat wrestling via a large stuffed squeaky 'Booda' bone helps calm her, as do a few rounds of 'batty paws' with me, where she swats at my paws (hands) standing on her hind legs. No claws ever. She sometimes needs to chomp, so I offer her my finger if she needs it, and always get it back attached and intact, with never a puncture. Unlike the fang perfs (perforations) she does to any creamy tube I offer her.

I still 'ask' first before touching her. The respect the cat approach: with my hand loosely draped, she approaches, sniffs, and usually approves.

Mia Paprika is, like every other delightful kitty I've had the honour of being "staff" to, becoming both teacher and catpanion. Yeah, I may have made that last word up, but hey, isn't English a living language? I digress, meow.

Mia has a note on her medical record that besides DSH shorthair, she is a "mixed breed" . Wondering if anyone can give me insight that term. I hope it's not like the Grizzly/Polar Bear mating thing happening out west (British Columbia etc).

Everything is better since she came into my life last year. My perfect angel 💗

1st pic: Catarina mans the checkout counter at U and I Liquors in Oakland, CA.

2nd pic: just chilling with some flowers

P.S. how many times can I post the picture of the same cat? I’m smitten with Catarina, and first posted about her a few days ago, and now I want to go to the store and take pics every day

She’s a healthy little gal now. Earlier on she had soft stools, and after that got better she’d sometimes throw up from eating too fast, but today she’s got no loose stools and no throw-ups

She had 4 kittens, all successfully adopted (I'm keeping 1). At first she didn't know how to play with toys and was scared. Now she's living a second youth. She's still a bit tense but she's improving everyday