Sam is a 8-month-old Domestic Longhair Kitten in Iowa City, IA, who needs $2,000 for Salivary Gland Excision.

I rescued Sam from outside with his sister at the beginning of November. I reached out to many websites and the local animal shelter and no one had claimed or had been looking for these babies. I decided to get them veterinary care and had them spayed/neutered and dewormed etc. They now both live with my family and our 5 other cats, safe from the outside elements.

Sam is such a gentle giant. He is approximately 7 months old but is very heavy and large! We think he may have some Maine Coon in him. He mostly sticks by his sister, they are inseparable. He is a fantastic eater and is happy to eat just about any type, brand, flavor of canned cat food. He plays a lot with our 4 month old kitty, and loves to be on the cat trees.

Sam loves the feather wand, and will even carry it around in his mouth sometimes. The whole wand dragging behind him. It's so funny to see. He is so quiet and gentle, with the fluffiest softest fur. He is so sweet. He has a soft meow and really only talks when I am at the counter preparing his food dish!

When I took Sam in for his neuter surgery at the spay/neuter clinic they discovered he had significant swelling under his tongue. They drained the liquid and saw that it was saliva. The salivary gland is blocked and saliva just built up again by the next day. We took him to our veterinarian and said he needs the surgery to have the gland removed.

We have exhausted all funds for our other kitty who needed emergency surgery for a torn claw in September. We simply do not make enough for this surgery and need help getting Sam to tip top shape. If left untreated it could cause breathing issues.