Saving Tommy – Our FIV +ve Cat
Tommy the tomcat has had a rather eventful week, and I have been finding out all about FIV in cats, because when Tommy had his blood-test I was given the news that he was positive. This is the equivalent of being HIV in humans, although I now know that less cats develop full blown aids, so it is definitely NOT a death sentence.
The problem however with cats and particularly toms is that they have a tendency to fight and as Tommy doesn’t know he can pass on this potential fatal condition, his life outside is now over.
The first I heard of this was on Tuesday when Gisela called me from the vet’s and I was being asked to agree to have him put down. Having made this difficult decision I was then told that he could be reprieved if I could find him a home alone or with other FIV positive cats, which the girls in Germany confirmed was possible. SO we are now working together to save this lovely old chap and give him a new more relaxing life.
Tommy first went back to Gisela’s cat rescue, where he spent the night crying in a cage … not a good solution. Thankfully my new neighbours agreed to help the next morning and since Wednesday afternoon Tommy has been reclining on various sofas, and the balcony, in their very pleasant apartment, playing with their yorkshire terrier (who cannot catch FIV) and stuffing his face!
We were worried that he may not adapt well to being inside after his years on the rocks but so far he appears to be loving it, so life after FIV is definitely a possibility for him. On Thursday he will go back to the vet to be sterilised, chipped, vaccinated etc. and if a home in Germany can be found in time, he will have the luxury of flying to Munich with one of his new housemates in early june.
Here’s hoping this one will have a happy ending; meanwhile we are slightly concerned about the FIV status of his old fight buddy on the rocks, so we will be taking chivers for his test this week. Fingers crossed for a negative result this time.
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[...] Tommy is doing ok. Our neighbours are looking after him really well and forgiving his toilet accidents, that were becoming quite numerous until we had him castrated on Thursday. Now things are better and we remain hopeful that he can be an indoor cat and therefore have a good life. Because Tommy is FIV positive he must stay away from other cats so cannot go back to his previous outdoor life. [...]
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[...] news from Germany last night; Kerstin thinks that she has found a home for Tommy our FIV positive TomCat. He has settled very well into apartment life with Nicola and Erika and we [...]
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[...] the human equivalent. I made the decision after his positive blood test in April that I wanted to save Tommy because he deserved to have a chance of a happy life, and Nicola and Erika have looked after him [...]
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gosh i hopes that Tommy can find a good home. i have a roommate that used to live outside all the time but now she is really happy to live indoors. i bet tommy will likes it too!
thanks for helping the kittehs!!!
He deserves a chance for sure. He is a great cat, and the neighbour says the is very friendly indeed!