Buddy is a 5-year-old Domestic Short Hair Cat in Washington, DC, who needs $1,000 for Full Mouth Extraction.

Buddy "the breadmaker's" sweet soul came into our life 4 years ago. After rescuing another cat the year before, it was obvious he was in need of a friend. Buddy had been a stray in the country, and at first seemed so guarded and scared when entering our space. It wasn't long however until we saw the REAL Bud Bud, the biggest love and cuddle nerd who has captured our hearts ever since.

His signature name "The Breadmaker" comes from his ADORABLE habit of kneading whenever he is happy. Recipients of his love come in the forms of the floor, mommy &daddy's lap, and even his brother Wasabi as they snuggle in their favorite chair when the weather is chilly outside. Buddy can often be found watching for birds in the window, or curled up on the couch with his family.

Buddy is the ultimate thief of hair ties. When we adopted him, his foster mom let us know it was the only toy he truly loved. This still rings true! When he's not grooming his brother, or rubbing up on our 10lb dachshund Swayzee when it's time for dinner, he can be found furiously pursuing a hair tie in the "wild" of our living room floor.

The rescue informed us that Buddy was FIV Positive, meaning his immune system attacks itself. 2 years ago Buddy was diagnosed with Stomatitis an infection attacks his teeth, causing extreme pain, lack of appetite and resorptive lesions. After 2 dental surgeries, his condition has worsened, causing bone and teeth loss, an now a full mouth extraction of all his teeth.

Both my partner and I work in education supporting students with disabilities, as we do with 2/3 of our animals at home. Though we hope one day to give back to organizations like this, we are currently unable to afford the $4,000 surgery without the support of others.