UPDATE: Hi everyone,

We went to North Downs Specialist Referrals yesterday, this is what they said:

Agrippina does indeed have 'significant abnormalities' in her heart. The surgeon confirmed she has HCM and it's looking likely that she has a secondary, much rarer condition causing an obstruction to one of the valves in her heart. He compared it to when you partially put your finger over a hose pipe to increase the pressure - that's what's happening to her blood as it passes through her heart. Sadly surgical intervention is not an option.

Incredibly, she didn't need to be sedated. The nurses spent a long time soothing and calming her and they use silent clippers so they were able to shave and scan her with no anaesthetic.

We have booked in for another scan in four months time. It's possible she will have to be on beta blockers after that. In the meantime I am to monitor her respiratory rate and watch out for any fainting spells or open-mouthed breathing.

Every penny of the money raised went on her treatment yesterday so I'd like to thank you again for your generosity. I wouldn't have been able to afford it myself and she means the world to me so I'm eternally grateful I've been able to have her seen by the best people in the field. I'm just sad they couldn't give me better news. XXX

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UPDATE: Agrippina has been referred to North Downs Specialist Referrals in Kent. She's going in for a consultation, colour Doppler ultrasound, ECG and bloods. I'll be booking the day off and going with her.

The total cost will be over £1,000. Every penny of this goes towards that bill so huge huge thanks to everyone for your incredible kindness. The cardiology team look great so please keep everything crossed for us.

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Agrippina is my much-loved polydactyl rescue cat. She’s beautiful, moody, and has seven toes on each paw, making her basically a tiny wolverine.

Sadly, she suffers from a severe form of heart disease called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). In her case the disease is very advanced. The muscles in the ventricles of her heart are thickening, making it much harder to pump blood around her body. Her atria are swelling as a result of this and to top it all off, the valves in her heart are not operating properly.

I know all of this because I’ve spent a lot of money on heart scans and speaking to feline cardiologists. Agrippina isn’t insured and because of the severity of her condition, she is now uninsurable.

Because of the condition of her heart, she has a vastly reduced life expectancy and she is susceptible to blood clots. If one were to form and break loose, it would cause her agonising pain and probably paralysis of her back legs. To help reduce the likelihood of this happening, she’s been prescribed Plavix (Clopidogrel) 75mg tablets to thin her blood.

Unfortunately in this country, the cheapest price for 45 tablets is £120 if I order them in via a human pharmacy. (They are £200 from the vet. And $7 for 28 tablets in Australia… go figure.) She'll have to be on these for the rest of her life.

Agrippina goes back to the vet for more heart scans in December and there is a possibility she’ll be put on further medication. Given the mounting costs, I’m starting this fundraiser to try and cover some of her ongoing prescriptions and medical bills. I love this little kit with all my heart and will do everything I can to make sure she is comfortable for the rest of her life, even if I feel uncomfortable and weird about it (like I do now.)

Agrippina spent the first portion of her life living in a garden shed and being relentlessly bred by her ‘owner’, who would then sell her kittens on Gumtree. Her rescuers think she may well have had up to 60 kittens in her short life. When she came to me she had never been outside. She remains a house cat but has the run of my garden where she enjoys rolling in dirt and chasing (and occasionally eating) butterflies.

If you're able to make a donation we would both be most grateful. Alternatively, if you have any leftover Plavix tablets yourself and would like to donate them, I'd be indebted.

Thank you!