Two years ago, Finch started over-grooming.

At first, it seemed like stress. A little extra licking. Something manageable.

But over the past six months, it has become something heartbreaking.

Finch has licked every bit of fur off his stomach. He has had open, bleeding wounds across his abdomen and back. We’ve tried everything to protect him from himself:

• Soft cone
• Surgical recovery suit
• Hard cone
• Medication
• Environmental changes

Nothing has truly worked.

He has now been in a hard cone again for 2–4 weeks. Even with it on, he uses the edge of the cone to scrape at his abdomen. His back wounds have technically healed, but the skin is still so sensitive that if he is free for even a short time, he will groom those areas for hours.

He is not the same cat.

Finch used to be playful. Curious. Happy. Present.

Now he has to stay on gabapentin just to keep him calm enough to leave himself alone. We are managing symptoms. We are not solving the problem.

Recently, we finally had comprehensive allergy testing done.

The results were staggering.

Finch is allergic to nearly everything that is not a meat protein — except beef. He is allergic to everything except apples, milk, eggs, and brewer’s yeast. Countless common ingredients found in commercial diets are what he is allergic to.

There is no over-the-counter diet that fits his specific needs while still providing the minimum carbohydrates he requires to stay healthy.

Even a small amount of the wrong carbohydrate can trigger a flare.

But he cannot have zero carbohydrates.

We are in an impossible middle ground.

The next step is to work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist — a specialist trained to design precise, medically appropriate diets for complex cases like Finch’s.

These veterinarians are rare. And they are expensive.

The specialist I have chosen is in North Carolina. She only conducts virtual consultations, which helps avoid travel stress for Finch.

The cost:

• Initial consultation: $517
• Custom formulated diet (if required): $326

The $517 deposit must be paid within 3 days of receiving the invoice, which arrived today.

Pet insurance considers this a pre-existing condition.
I do not qualify for Care Credit.
Scratch Pay and Cherry are unlikely options.

I am asking for help because I cannot let him continue like this.

This is not cosmetic. This is not minor.

This is a cat who is trapped in his own skin.

He cannot relax. He cannot heal. He cannot be himself.

If we can get him on a diet designed specifically for his body, we may finally be able to calm the inflammation, stop the flares, and allow his skin to heal properly.

I just want my loving, goofy, bright-eyed boy back.

If you can help — whether that’s $5, $20, or simply sharing this campaign — it means more than I can put into words.

Finch deserves relief.
He deserves comfort.
He deserves to feel safe in his own body again.

And I am doing everything I can to give that back to him.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping us fight for Finch.

Help Us Heal Finch

A Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist May Be His Last Hope