Could you imagine not having any eyelids?

That’s the dilemma faced by many cats, who are susceptible to a congenital defect officially called eyelid agenesis.

It sounds like a nightmare scenario to any human, but to a kitten that doesn’t know life isn’t supposed to be that way, it’s just life. The problem is that it can cause dry eyes and require drops to treat it.

One such cat is Echo, a sweet, light-colored male cat who currently resides at the Animal Clinic of Eagle Harbor.

The center took him in after Suffolk Animal Control got a hold of him. Echo will be a beneficiary of the Furr Foundation, which clinic staff established after an orange tomcat named Funyun was turned over to the clinic near the end of 2010.

A toddler had stepped on Funyun, injuring his spine and legs, and clinic staff mobilized to raise money for surgery and care.

Sadly, Funyun has since died; but the fund continues helping other special animals.

The goal for a gofundme.com campaign for Echo is $2,000. However, it has raised only $125 so far.

If every person in Suffolk gave 3 cents, that would be more than enough to reach the goal. That’s not very realistic, but maybe just 200 people could give $10.

Anyone who gives more can feel confident that their donation will go to help Echo or other cats that need lots of specialized help before they are able to move on to their forever homes.

A consultation with a specialist Thursday was to have given the vets at Eagle Harbor a better idea of how much it will cost to repair Echo’s eyelids. Hopefully that didn’t include bad news that will obliterate the $2,000 goal.

I would encourage anyone who’s looking to meet some giving goals to consider the Furr Foundation. You will be helping the vets at Eagle Harbor help some pets that are desperately in need of help, and give them a better shot at being adopted.