Rescue Kitten Faces Major Surgery At UC Davis; GoFundMe Seeks $8,000

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — When Ellie Purpura took in six-week-old kitten Will from the Yolo County Animal Shelter, she immediately brought him into the UC Davis Emergency room.

Will (credit: Ellie Purpura/GoFundMe)

Will was covered in fleas, had tapeworms, and was very underweight, Purpura said.

"I got the call for this 'sick kitten' and when I got to the shelter he was clearly having trouble breathing," Purpura said. "I brought him immediately to the UC Davis vet hospital emergency room and contacted orphan kitten project to see if they would rescue him. They did, and we found out he has a hole in his heart as well as an esophageal condition that makes it hard for him to swallow food without regurgitating, likely why he's underweight."

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After getting a bath and hours of flea combing, Will has been much more comfortable and well-fed with his new foster mom.

She frequently takes in sick kittens and neonatal kittens that are less than two weeks old and require bottle feeding.

Veterinarians put Will on medication to treat his heart defect and said a surgical procedure could correct the esophageal issues and help Will thrive.

Purpura said she is dedicated to making sure all options are pursued to ensure Will survives.

She has started a GoFundMe to help finance the surgical procedures. So far, it has raised over $1,000 of its $8,000 goal.

If you would like to donate, you can find the GoFundMe here.