Did you know that approximately 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters every single year? To put that number in perspective, that is more than the entire population of the state of Kansas, or Nebraska, or New Mexico, or Utah, or 18 other states (Sources: ASPCA and US Census Bureau).
Our Story
Last summer I decided to adopt a second cat. I was already a proud cat mom to a little fur baby named Toasty. Technically, “The Toast” was my sister’s cat but I had agreed to keep her while my family was moving. It was supposed to be temporary, but Toasty and I bonded quickly, and we eventually agreed that she could live with me indefinitely. I started to realize that Toasty was lonely since I was in class all day. Back home, she had thrived when she had another cat to keep her company.
My boyfriend, Tom, was somewhat skeptical of a second cat, so I needed to find the perfect kitty to convince him. Pets can be expensive and time-consuming, and he was concerned that we would regret taking on a new cat right, particularly when he and I had just moved in together. So I decided that I would have to find a cat so perfect, sweet, and loveable that Tom couldn’t object.
I headed to our local animal shelter in search of the perfect companion for Toasty. There were so many cats. After meeting more than 40 cats, I still had not found the “purrrfect one.” for us. I decided to come back another day with Tom.
We returned together about a week later. It was Tom’s first trip to this shelter. We were only there for about 2 minutes before it happened. Tom’s gaze locked onto this pair of beautiful silvery-green eyes wearily peering over at us. The eyes sat on top of a crooked white mustache that rested gently on two white paws.
She did not bother to get up or greet us. Looking back, I assume that 1033 days in the shelter had caused her to grow cynical. Yes, you read that correctly:
1033 Days =
147.5 Weeks =
34.4 Months =
2.8 Years in a shelter
Her name was Mittens. She was silky gray, with beautiful white markings. The stress of the situation had made her anxious and she picked at her fur. She had a bald spot near her tail where she had pulled her fur out with her teeth.
The shelter was a nice place (all considering) but not a great life for a cat. There were no windows to gaze out of and the attention of the volunteers was divided by the high number of homeless pets. Thus, a little bit of undivided attention went a long way. She melted our hearts as she playfully chewed on Tom’s shoelace. As you can imagine, the shelter was eager for her to be adopted. But that’s when they dropped the F-bomb on us…FIV.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
Mittens had tested positive for FIV, a diagnosis that scared off many potential families. FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) is somewhat similar to its human counterpart, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Like HIV+ people, FIV+ cats have weakened immune systems, leaving them more vulnerable to illness than the general population. The symptoms may not be recognizable for years, and a blood test is required for diagnosis.
Like HIV, FIV is highly misunderstood. The disease carries a social stigma that prevents most FIV+ cats from finding loving homes. The shelter told us that we could not contract the disease from Mittens, and it was unlikely that she would pass it on to Toasty. They were confident that if we monitored her properly, the FIV would not present a huge issue.
Still, we were concerned. Mittens had claws and Toasty did not. What if they got into a fight and Mittens bit Toasty hard enough to draw blood? FIV is most often transmitted through deep bite wounds, the kind that occurs from fighting between feral cats. Different sources gave me different answers. One veterinarian suggested that Toasty and Mittens could never safely co-exist, while others seemed much more optimistic.
There is no cure or treatment for FIV today. Unfortunately, cats who contract it have shortened lifespans. The best we can do for these animals is to prevent the onset of symptoms and keep them comfortable after symptoms present themselves. An important part of caring for FIV+ cats is regular veterinarian checks. It is important to get them to the vet at the first sign of illness because their immune system may not be able to fight it off.
Adopt, Don’t Shop for Your Next Pet
We brought Mittens home and slowly introduced her to Toasty over a period of days to prevent aggression. We monitored them closely when they were allowed to spend time together. There were a few smacks and hisses, but nothing that rose to a concerning level. They now share space, litter boxes, and food. They take side-by-side naps and sniff each other’s bottom. Since living with us, the patchiness of Mittens’ coat had subsided, and she looks prettier than ever. She’s very vocal, cooing like a pigeon when she hears the lid pop on a can of cat food. Her and Toasty are best friends.
Mittens and Tom have an undeniable bond. Her favorite place to sleep is his side of the bed, and she eagerly awaits his return from work in the evenings. Like a snake charmer, Tom can call Mittens to him using a harmonica or guitar. She loves to sit atop her perch and look out of the window at the world outside. She and Toasty are both indoor cats and will be forever.
Having pets is never easy. They’re expensive and require a lot of time and care. Add a misunderstood feline disease to the mix and there will be many stressful moments. However, no amount of inconvenience or frustration can overshadow the joy that a pet (or two, or three, or four) can bring to your life. Pets provide the most wholesome companionship you will ever find. They love unconditionally, they spark laughter, and they happen to be really good listeners.
Tom and I are incredibly lucky to have our adorable, frisky, loving, cat family, and we hope that by telling others about our positive experience, more pets will be able to find forever homes.
If you’re considering bringing a new pet into your home, please do so via adoption.
Sarah Beechay, Animal Advocate
We adopted Mittens from the Pets 4 Luv Foundation, a non-profit that was located in Hempstead, New York but was recently ousted from their location by unsympathetic landlords. Support their mission by donating or adopting here: http://www.pets4luv.org/.
You can also donate money to or adopt pets from the ASPCA. With several locations across the country, a cuddly friend is never far away: https://www.aspca.org/
What a well written informative article. Opened my eyes to many unknown questions. Thank you for sharing your story. Glad too see this site operational.
Thank you Nikki Ann. Glad the information was helpful. We hope it might convince more people to adopt animals from shelters 🙂
Oh my goodness she is precious! My family has a 3-legged FIV+ kitty from a local shelter and he is the sweetest babe in the world! Glad she was able to make a sweet friend too. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kirsten! There’s something so rewarding by helping those pets that seem less desirable. Kittens are great, but these older/disabled cats need love too!