Huntington Cat Rescue Seeks Donations For Kitten W/ Fatal Disease

HUNTINGTON, NY — Feral to Family, a cat rescue in Huntington, is seeking help to save Valentina, a 4-month-old kitten inflicted with a fatal disease. After multiple visits to the vet, Brittany Oliva, president of Feral to Family, said Valentina has a presumptive diagnosis for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a deadly viral disease caused by a strain of virus called feline coronavirus.

After conducting research, the rescue says it found MUTIAN, an expensive drug that has shown the ability to treat FIP. The drug has not yet been approved by the FDA, but it has shown more than an 80 percent survival rate in treated cats, according to Oliva.

"With the use of this new medicine, Valentina has a chance at a happy and healthy life, but it's costly," Oliva said.

Treating Valentina with the medicine will cost more than $4,500, according to the rescue.

"Valentina is worth it, and we have decided to treat her and give her a chance, and with your help we can save her life," Oliva said.

Donations on Valentina's behalf to Feral to Family can be made here.

Valentina has been with Feral to Family for most of her young life. She joined the lineup of adoptable cats at Catpurrccinos Cat Cafe, an affiliate of Feral to Family, in early January. She was soon medically isolated due to her symptoms, the Huntington-based cat cafe told Patch.

A woman seeking to adopt Valentina volunteered to take the kitten into her home while the cat rescue continues to find options for her.

"[Valentina] is the sweetest little thing," Kimberly Langin, who works at Catpurrccinos, said. "FIP has always been a fatal diagnosis, but this new treatment would give her the best chance of surviving. It’s a heartbreaking situation."