Need help for two feral boys!

Hello. I found this site while searching for places where I can get help for my boys. I've tried many sites, but no one's been willing to help. I don't know if this is the right place to post, but we just need help.

I'm almost nineteen. Ever since I was eleven, my family's been caring for a family of feral cats that we met right after their mother gave birth to them under our porch. Through many years of hard work, our ferals have become very social and loving towards my family. And also over the years, we've lost three of the family to unknown circumstances. They just vanished as some ferals do.

A month ago, we almost lost another. Patchwork is one of the kittens I first met when he was only a few days old. He's had quite the hard life. Very allergic to fleas, Patch has issues every year. Once year his infections from the allergic reaction got so bad that he had to have his tail amputated. About a month ago, Patchwork's left eye started looking strange. We were making plans to get him looked at by a vet when he up and vanished. We feared the worst when two weeks had passed without seeing him. Then, one day out of nowhere, Patchwork came wondering up onto the porch, thin, filthy and totally blind.

We took him right inside and fed him and looked at his eyes to find that they were bulging out of his head and bleeding. We took him right to a low cost vet who could only give him some eye drops, saying we'd need to take him to an optomologist(sp?) and get blood work to learn what was wrong and fix it. The bad thing is, we don't have the money.

So while we were worrying about how to get the money to help him, we also noticed something strange with his brother, Monkey's, eyes. His left eye changed from gold to a dark, dark brown. Then it became very clear and blue. He had clearly gone blind in it. Suddenly, his eye started to bulge and bleed like Patch's. Worried for him, we brought him inside as well. Again, we were told to take him to an optomologist and get blood work.

We STILL don't have the money for it, though. Not for one cat and without a doubt not for two! Please, we want to find out what's wrong with them so we aren't fearing for their lives and can save Monkey's good eye. We also want to know if it's hereditary or if it could spread to our other ferals. Please, please, PLEASE, if you're willing and able, donate to their donation page, "See Eye to Eye". Any amount will help. Thank you so much.

http://www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/see-eye-to-eye-/75315

From the Mod Team Regarding Pleas for money:

Cats are a huge responsibility. Anyone who thinks otherwise, should not have one in their life. They are dependent on us for everything from providing a place to eat, to also providing vet care.

Anyone who has cats knows that they can and do get ill. Your best defense is to plan for that to happen before it does, and store monies away in preparation.

If you read about a plight of an animal on the internet and your heart is drawn to help. Check out the story thoroughly. Google the vet's name or call Directory Assistance in the city and be sure this is a legitimate claim.

Do not blindly send money into a paypal account no matter how heart-wrenching the story. Instead reach out to the member and ask for the vet's name and phone number, and arrange to send the money there for the specific needs of the cat in question.

If that information cannot be provided- you have your answer. Report the post to a moderator so that it can be removed for not being on the level.

First off, thank you so very much for trying to help and care for these feral cats. Unfortunately, taking care of them also means having to make really tough decisions if they get very, very ill and you just can't afford the vet care. It can be quite expensive but it comes with the territory of caring for these helpless cats and carries a heavy load on our hearts. :shame: Please take these kitties back to the vet right away as this can be a very, very serious situation and emergency if the eyes rupture. There is CareCredit and most vets will take payments that way. I know this is a really, really tough situation for you financially but you must think of the cats and the pain they are enduring with such severe eye infections. That is the only way to go here as you already know. Time is of the essence. Even if you have to relinquish them to the vet, something must be done. I am so sorry.....