Meet Potato

Age: 2 years

Breed: British short hair

Diagnosis: Effusive (wet) form

Last June, I noticed that my usually snuggly, lazy boy Potato was becoming withdrawn. He seemed depressed, lethargic, and just not himself. He started eating cat litter — a clear sign something was wrong — and overall, he just wasn’t a happy boy.

He was also breathing faster than usual, and it looked like it took a lot of effort. His chest and ribs were moving heavily with each breath. Knowing this was a serious sign, we rushed him to the vet, where they scanned him for fluid. Some was found, and he was immediately referred to a cardiologist for further assessment.

A couple of days later, we saw the cardiologist on an emergency referral. They scanned his heart, found a mass, performed a biopsy, and removed the fluid. Then we received the awful news: the fluid was potentially caused by FIP, a deadly disease — and one that’s notoriously expensive to treat.

We quickly got Potato to Aura, where they agreed to begin IV antiviral treatment and run a diagnostic trial of the medication. Potato spent five days in hospital. Honestly, we didn’t think he’d come home.

But on day five, we received incredible news: the fluid had resolved, the mass had disappeared, and Potato was eating and behaving more like himself again.

He came home and completed his full course of treatment. Within just two weeks, he was back to his sunrise zoomies — a happy, snuggly boy once again.

We made it through the observation period, and now, nearly a year later, Potato is still thriving. The antivirals didn’t just save his life — they saved my family’s happiness too.

He still has his cheeky moments, demands attention constantly, and gives us all the love in the world. He’s still our loveable Potato.

Thank you, Bova. You saved my boy.