Born with a Spine That Split in Two, Help Genevieve Keep Fighting
Gallery
8 photos · 4 videos
About this campaign
Some kittens are born into this world with every advantage. Genevieve wasn't.
Before she ever had a chance to explore, play, or simply be a carefree kitten, she was fighting for her life.
After suffering a devastating seizure, advanced imaging revealed what even specialists rarely see. Genevieve was born with Diplomyelia, an extraordinarily rare congenital condition that caused her spinal cord to split into two instead of developing as one. Her body struggles to coordinate movement, and she cannot fully control her bladder or bowels.
The heartbreaking discoveries didn't stop there.
Large portions of the areas of her brain responsible for movement and reflexes never fully formed. Because her condition is structural, there is no surgery that can fix it.
Her neurologists and her caregivers at Flopsy’s Friends developed one goal: keep Genevieve comfortable, seizure free, and give her every opportunity to enjoy the life she deserves.
And Genevieve has exceeded every expectation.
Every milestone has been hard earned. She learned to stand and eat on her own with a specially designed feeding setup. She began grooming herself, a victory that most people would never think twice about. With medications, physical therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, rehabilitation, and endless love, she has become stronger, steadier, brighter, and more determined every single day.
She has slowly been able to reduce her prednisone dose, her eyes have become more focused, her coat has started growing back, and she continues proving that she is so much more than her diagnosis.
But Genevieve's journey has taken another heartbreaking turn.
Out of nowhere, she became critically ill and was rushed to emergency care after developing a high fever and severe breathing difficulties. Doctors diagnosed pneumonia. Imaging also revealed a small amount of free fluid that now requires evaluation by a cardiologist to rule out any underlying heart disease.
Her little body is fighting so hard.
Her fever returned, and her white blood cell count soared to 38,000, more than double what it should be, showing just how hard her immune system is working. Thankfully, oxygen therapy has helped her breathe more comfortably, but she still needs specialized care, additional diagnostics, medications, and ongoing monitoring.
Watching Genevieve struggle is heartbreaking. She can't tell us what hurts. She can't explain what she needs. All she can do is keep fighting. And she does.
Every single day.
Genevieve has never given up, and neither will we.
Her care has already included emergency hospitalizations, MRI and CT imaging, neurology specialists, medications, rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy, cardiology consultations, bloodwork, and continued monitoring. The costs have become overwhelming, but saying "no" has never been an option for this extraordinary little girl.
If Genevieve has touched your heart, please consider making a donation today. Every gift no matter the size helps provide the specialized medical care she needs to continue her incredible fight.
Together, we can help Genevieve keep proving that miracles don't always look the way we expect, they sometimes come wrapped in gray fur with an unstoppable spirit.
8/12/26 Update
We have an important update on Genevieve, and this little fighter needs our help more than ever.
Genevieve recently saw a cardiologist, and thankfully, there was some reassuring news about her heart. She has occasional high pressure in her pulmonary artery that can cause a murmur when she gets excited, as well as a thickened tricuspid valve that allows some blood to flow backward and makes her heart work harder. For now, her veterinary team believes these issues can be monitored with annual echocardiograms.
Unfortunately, her appointment also brought a new and concerning discovery. An ultrasound showed a large mass in Genevieve’s abdominal area, something that had also been noted during her recent emergency hospitalization. Her platelet count is also dangerously low at just 38,000, which is especially concerning for a kitten who already struggles with balance and is more prone to stumbling.
Flopsy’s Friends is now working to get Genevieve an urgent abdominal ultrasound, and she may need to return to the emergency hospital to have it done as quickly as possible.
Genevieve is also still running fevers, struggling to urinate, experiencing significant bloating, and dealing with persistent ear infections. Her little body is clearly struggling, and she urgently needs answers and continued medical care.
For now, Genevieve is happy to be back home. She even cried a little during her echocardiogram, which is unusual for this normally quiet girl, but she was such a trooper through it all.
The cost of Genevieve’s extensive care has depleted the rescue’s available funds, and she still has more diagnostics and treatment ahead. If you can donate or share her fundraiser, please do. Every bit of support helps Flopsy’s Friends continue fighting alongside this extraordinary little girl and get her the urgent care she needs.
Updates
September 23, 2026
We have some exciting news to share about Gigi: she had a perfect poop, and for once, no bath was required!
For a little girl who has needed more poop-removal baths than anyone would care to count, this is actually a pretty big milestone. More importantly, it is another encouraging sign that Gigi is making progress.
Her white blood cell count is still very high, but it has come down from over 30 to 28.5. She is currently getting a break from antibiotics, her appetite has been incredible, and her stomach finally seems to be settling.
Gigi is also finding plenty of time to simply enjoy being a kitten. She has been cuddling, playing, eating, and even spending her evenings happily "fishing" on the iPad.
As wonderful as it is to see her happy and playful again, Gigi still has a ways to go. Pneumonia is difficult enough on its own, and Gigi has been fighting it on top of her other medical challenges. Her white blood cell count remains elevated, and she still needs continued veterinary care and monitoring as her recovery progresses.
Please continue donating and sharing Gigi's fundraiser if you can. Her fight isn't over, and the costs of the care that got her this far and the treatment she still needs continue to add up. Every donation, no matter the size, helps support Gigi through the rest of her recovery.
Thank you to everyone who has helped this little girl get this far. For now, we're celebrating every victory while continuing to fight right alongside her!
September 17, 2026
Genevieve continues to remind everyone that progress doesn’t always mean the fight is over.
After everything this little girl has faced, seeing more and more glimpses of her personality return has been incredibly encouraging. She is eating well, finding plenty of opportunities to play, and making sure her caregivers at Flopsy’s Friends know that her famous attitude is still very much intact.
Those moments mean even more knowing how hard her little body has been working behind the scenes.
Genevieve’s recent bloodwork has continued to show that something isn’t quite right, and her veterinary team is still working to get her white blood cell count back where it belongs. Between repeat testing, medications, persistent ear issues, and the complicated conditions she was born with, she continues to require close veterinary monitoring even on the days when she seems ready to take on the world.
For a kitten whose life has included specialists, hospital stays, pneumonia, frightening bloodwork, and one medical complication after another, getting to watch her simply enjoy being a kitten feels like a victory of its own.
There are still questions to answer and more care ahead, but Genevieve keeps meeting each new challenge with the same determination she has shown from the very beginning.
Thank you to everyone who continues to donate, share, and follow Genevieve’s journey. Your support is helping Flopsy’s Friends continue providing the medications, follow-up testing, specialty care, and monitoring she needs while giving this extraordinary little girl every opportunity to keep moving forward.
September 6, 2026
This sweet girl has been having a blast with her new suction cup spring toy, Beetlejuice. It has been especially great for Genevieve with her mobility challenges, giving her a way to run, play, and swat to her heart’s content. Watching her have so much fun has been a wonderful sight after everything she has been through.
But as happy and playful as Genevieve may look, she is still dealing with some concerning medical issues.
Her white blood cell count remains extremely elevated at around 30,000, meaning her body is still fighting something. Her veterinary team is trying another antibiotic, and additional medication has been placed in her ears as they continue treating her persistent ear issues. She will have her bloodwork rechecked in about two weeks, and everyone is hoping to see that number finally return to a healthy range.
In the meantime, Genevieve is continuing to take things a little easier, with limited travel and an attempt to keep her kitten antics somewhat under control. Thankfully, the last few days have brought a noticeable improvement. She is still sleeping quite a bit, but when she is awake, she is playing hard and eating wonderfully.
Seeing Genevieve running back to Beetlejuice for another round is a reminder that despite her complicated medical journey, there is still so much determination and kitten spirit packed into this little girl.
Her care is not over yet. With continued medications, veterinary monitoring, repeat bloodwork, and her other ongoing medical needs, Genevieve still needs support.
Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared her story, and continued cheering her on. Every contribution helps with the care this special girl needs as we hope her next bloodwork brings the good news we have all been waiting for.
August 30, 2026
We’re happy to share that Genevieve has been making some encouraging progress, and her larger-than-life personality is coming back right along with her.
Her pneumonia finally appears to be on its way out, and she is expected to finish her new antibiotic next week. This is a big step forward after everything her little body has been fighting, but she isn’t in the clear just yet. Once she finishes the medication, Genevieve will need repeat lab work to check her white blood cell count and make sure the severe infection is truly resolving.
Her ears are also still causing trouble. They remain quite goopy from her ongoing ear infections, but for now, they actually can’t be cleaned because her veterinary team placed a special antibiotic medication inside that needs time to work.
Through all of this, Genevieve is making it very clear that she is feeling more like herself. Her caregivers at Flopsy’s Friends lovingly describe her as their “rotten little highness,” and that attitude is officially back. She has also developed quite the appreciation for being pampered and seems to think bath time should always be followed by lounging on a cozy blanket while supervising everyone around her.
Seeing that spark return is incredibly encouraging, especially after how sick Genevieve has been. But her complicated medical journey is far from over. Her body is still working hard to recover, and with her rare underlying conditions and recent health complications, she continues to need close monitoring, follow-up testing, medications, and specialized veterinary care.
Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, and continued following Genevieve’s journey. Your support is helping Flopsy’s Friends be there for this very special girl through every setback, every small victory, and every bit of attitude in between.
August 29, 2026
Our girl is fighting. We should finish up some antibiotics next week. She has been on them so long but we are seeing pieces of our girl return. Keep those prayers and help coming!
- Location
- Kernersville, NC • Flopsy's Friends Foundation
- Species:
- Cat
- Breed:
- American Shorthair
- Age:
- 8 months old
- Sex:
- Female