Indoor Cats Available
28 November 2013
We currently have a number of FIV positive cats and kittens in our care all looking for homes as indoor cats. You can read more about the virus on our FIV feature page.
Dawn Harrison, a volunteer at our Wrexham Adoption Centre, has adopted FIV positive cats from us and tells us her view of them here...
"FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a virus affecting cats. FIV cats are a joy to behold in my experience. In most cases they don’t require medication or special diets. They can only live with others cats which are FIV positive, they cannot live with cats who are FIV negative or whose FIV status is unknown.
I currently have three FIV positive cats and have two in the past. To me they are no different from other cats, and they can live just as long as non-FIV positive cats. My last died when he was 14 ½ years old, which is a fair age for any cat. He was a stray, so he could have been older. Tigger, is a little tortie and white who loves to sit by you and does little meows. She loves a fuss but isn’t terribly handleable due to the fact that she lived in a multi cat household and didn’t get much handling when she was younger. Eric, black, is more independent, he rarely comes for a fuss, but like Tigger likes to sit by you. Eric is 3 and Tigger is nearly 11. I also have Sophie but she has already bonded with Eric, as she likes to wash his face! I am still getting to know her though because I haven’t had her very long.
Mine have not been to the vets except for their annual boosters, so it’s a myth that you will be forever in the vets! FIV cats can live quite healthily for years, and not present any health complaints. Many cats in the Cats Protection have appeared as being perfectly healthy cats, and only upon testing have they found to be FIV positive. Like all cats, they can become ill from time to time, and require prompt veterinary care in that circumstance.
FIV cats are quite happy to live indoors (they have to do so because of their condition, in order to prevent the FIV virus spreading and also to prevent them picking up infections), mine never show any signs of wanting to go outside. Of course in the summer you have to be careful about open doors and windows as like with any indoor only cats they can escape. They make the ideal pet for someone who hasn’t got a garden or wants a cat to remain indoors for whatever reason. They are quite happy to have all the attention and play all the time. Plus another bonus is that you don’t have to worry about them being poisoned or run over. They do however need flea treatment and worm treatment just like normal cats, as we humans can pick up fleas and bring them home with us! Like non-FIV cats, they do need their boosters and a good quality diet. They can be boarded in a cattery (mine go to a cattery over Christmas due to the fact my parents have a non FIV cat) and PetPlan insure them too.
Of course it’s safe to say that FIV virus cannot be passed onto us or any other animals (e.g. dogs) – it affects cats only. So if you are looking for an indoors only cat and you have no other cats, please consider an FIV cat. I can see myself taking FIV positive cats for the rest of my life."
Please take a look on our Adopt a Cat section, for details about Bryan for example, and you can call the centre to find out about the other adults and four kittens we have available.