FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) sounds bad but honestly isn’t that big of a deal. Then why are cats with FIV overlooked and often considered unadoptable? The answer is simply because most people are misinformed and believe that FIV cats are a burden. Below are some of the most common misconceptions about FIV.
FIV can be transmitted to humans or dogs.
100% WRONG
FIV can be transmitted easily to other cats.
100% WRONG, FIV is not easily passed between cats and cannot be spread casually. It is not passed by sharing food and water bowls, sharing litter boxes, grooming each other and play-fighting, small scratches and sneezing. FIV is only transmitted through deep blood-drawing bite wounds
FIV means feline AIDS
WRONG, being infected with FIV is not the same as having feline AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Feline AIDS describes the terminal stages of a disease associated with FIV infection that may not occur for many years and does not always develop in all infected cats.
FIV cats don’t live long
WRONG, more cats die from FELF and FPV than from FIV. In fact FIV+ cats can live a long happy life without any health problems, just as any other feline provided they are well cared for.
So as you see FIV cats are positively adoptable and make great pets. For example did you know that Marmalade from Cole & Marmalade is FIV+ and Cole is FIV- and they still live happily together?
38smiles has its very own FIV Positively Adoptable cats as well.
Meet Mystique and Captain Hook
Mystique is a mature gentle soul that we don’t know much about apart from the fact that he was part of a TNRed colony and somehow ended up with huge open wounds on both of his cheeks and because of that had to be hospitalised. He had his wounds stitched up and is now fully healed and vaccinated. Mystique tested positive to FIV and because of that and his sweet nature we decided he should live out the rest of his life as a pet. Mystique loves nothing more than belly rubs and food.
Captain Hook is another misunderstood soul whose life on the streets must come to an end for his own good. He is the sweetest gentle giant with people but does not tolerate competition in the form of other male cats and this is the reason he ended up at the vet covered in scars and old abscesses that have made him stop using his front left paw. Xrays show nothing broken so the vet suspects ligament damage in the wrist which is very painful and can take months before he is better and starts using the leg.
Both boys are adorable and would make the best pets, low maintenance and easy going, not the kind to give you grief for being gone all day.
Here are few puppy siblings looking for forever homes
Meet the Temptations squad Joy, Blondie, Oscar and Blackberry, 2 girls and 2 boys. They are 4 months old, fully vaccinated husky mix puppies ready to find forever homes. Joy, Blondie, Oscar and Blackberry and so adorable and yummy we are sure they won’t be available for long.