Source: @Betsy Alera Chen on Facebook & beerkoff on Canva for illustration purposes only
A Singapore cat owner has turned to social media to urgently appeal for type B feline blood donors after her pet cat fell critically ill and was diagnosed as needing an urgent blood transfusion.
In a Facebook reel posted on Sunday (14 Dec), Ms Betsy Chen shared that her five-year-old cat, Pepper, had suddenly become seriously unwell and required a blood transfusion.
She urged friends and fellow pet owners to help spread the word, saying the situation had escalated rapidly.
According to her post, potential feline donors must meet strict criteria: they must be healthy, weigh at least five kilograms, and be between one and eight years old.
Male cats are preferred, while female cats must be desexed and must never have had a litter.
Donors must also be fully vaccinated, not on long-term medication, and have no history of receiving blood transfusions.
All potential donors will still need to undergo a physical examination and blood tests by a veterinarian.
Their blood will also be cross-matched with Pepper’s to ensure compatibility before any transfusion can take place.
Speaking to MS News, 44-year-old Ms Chen, a fitness instructor, said Pepper first developed a fever on 10 Dec.
She brought her cat to a veterinarian, but when the fever remained high two days later, she rushed Pepper to an emergency clinic.
“Before the fever, she had raw skin lesions around her ears that later turned into scabs,” Ms Chen shared.
Source: @Betsy Alera Chen on Facebook
“I thought it might be okay because she had gone for grooming recently,” she added.
However, Pepper’s condition continued to deteriorate, and the veterinarian determined that a blood transfusion was necessary. The exact cause of her illness has yet to be identified.
“The blood transfusion is to buy time,” Ms Chen explained. “It’s to stabilise her so the vet can determine the cause.”
Since posting her appeal, Ms Chen said two cat owners have reached out to offer their pets as potential donors. However, she remains unsure if they will be suitable.
“Pepper’s blood type is B, which is very rare in cats,” she said. “I suspect they may be type A, so we still need to test.”
In the meantime, Ms Chen continues to hope that more cat owners will come forward, as time is critical.
Those who believe their cats meet the criteria are encouraged to contact her directly at +65 81838346 to give Pepper a fighting chance.
Also read: S’pore pet owner says her chicken-rice-loving cat only listens to her when she speaks Malay
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Featured image adapted from @Betsy Alera Chen on Facebook & beerkoff on Canva. Right image for illustration purposes only.