Gibbs is a FeLV positive kitty who needs a special forever home
This just in from our friend and cat lover Beth Adams Pitoniak:
“Friends, I received a plea for help from an absolute angel of a friend who spends her days caring for animals no one wants. This is Gibbs, found shivering behind a restaurant in the cold. He has Feline Leukemia, so needs a home with no other cats, or one who is also FeLeuk positive. Please spread the word to anyone who might be interested in loving this sweet boy. With proper care and love, he can have some good years ahead.”
Don’t be put off by the diagnosis of Feline Leukemia (FeLV). While a cat with FeLV will require regular veterinary care and have some special needs to avoid secondary infections, he can live a normal life for several years. According to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine website:
FeLV is present in the blood (a condition called viremia) during two different stages of infection:
Primary viremia, an early stage of virus infection. During this stage some cats are able to mount an effective immune response, eliminate the virus from the bloodstream, and halt progression to the secondary viremia stage.
Secondary viremia, a later stage characterized by persistent infection of the bone marrow and other tissue. If FeLV infection progresses to this stage it has passed a point of no return: the overwhelming majority of cats with secondary viremia will be infected for the remainder of their lives.
Beth estimates that Gibbs the kitty is a young adult, probably under 3. But because he’s a stray, no one really knows. He’s here in Rochester, and needs a home with no other cats or with other cats who are already FeLV positive. While FeLV isn’t transmitted to humans, secondary infections may be, so Cornell recommends “that pregnant women, people with suppressed immune systems, the very young, and the very old avoid contact with FeLV-infected cats.”
If you can give Gibbs a loving forever home and manage his special needs, get in touch with Beth on Facebook or leave your info here and we’ll get it to her.
