Adopt a Siamese / Mixed (short coat)

DOB:  November 5, 2011 (Approx.)

Posted on February 20, 2015

Blaze is an extremely affectionate Siamese Flame Point kitty.  The moment you sit down she will jump onto your lap to give you love. 

Blaze has a sweet and sensitive personality, and she is playful and adoring.

Unfortunately, Blaze tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), but she remains in good health.  She has already had extensive dental work done including some extractions of her upper and lower front teeth.  She loves to eat and she eats well.

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about FIV positive cats:

•    FIV is species specific (to cats) and cannot be passed to    dogs, children or other humans.

•    The only way to tell a cat has FIV is through a blood test.

•    FIV is not Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

• FIV is transmitted from cat to cat by bite wounds and blood transfusions. Infection by casual contact (using common food bowls and litter pans) and sexual contact does not appear to be an efficient route of spreading FIV. Another, less common means of transmission is from the mother cat (Queen) to her kittens during gestation, during birth, or by nursing. There is comfort in the fact that not all FIV queens pass the virus on to their kittens. This phenomenon is not fully understood, but all kittens from FIV mothers should be tested for the FIV antibodies after six months.

Even though transmission to non-infected cats is very unlikely it is recommended that FIV positive cats live by themselves or with other like-infected cats in strictly indoor only homes.

Not A Death Sentence

It is important to realize that a positive test for FIV is not a mandatory death sentence. With a high protein diet and aggressive treatment of secondary infections, an FIV-positive cat can lead a reasonably normal life span. Dr. Mike Richards says, "Feline immundeficiency virus infection does not lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in cats as often as human immunodeficiency virus leads to AIDS in people."  The largest threat to FIV-positive cats is secondary infections, such as bladder, skin, and upper respiratory infections. Kidney failure is also frequently seen in cats with FIV. These secondary infections should be treated promptly and aggressively in any cat, but especially with an FIV cat.

So Why Adopt an FIV Positive Cat?

So now you have the facts about FIV. Why adopt an FIV positive cat, you may ask. For the same reasons as any other cat! - companionship, unconditional love, alarm clock service, fun, laughter, stress-relief, joy, irritation, more unconditional love, all of the above. FIV positive cats are just like other cats and may be completely healthy for many years. Their illness can be managed successfully when and if needed. They have a lot of life in them, let’s make it the best we can!