Rufus - FIV positive needs home ASAP Update 2.8 #40

**phesina** · 01-13-2011, 01:46 PM

Would he be able to live in a two-room apartment with five other cats?

**kuhio98** · 01-13-2011, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by phesina

Would he be able to live in a two-room apartment with five other cats?

phesina ~ I have e-mailed Rhoda with your question and asked her if I can pass on her contact information. Hopefully, I'll hear back soon. Rhoda may even decide to join this site, I sure hope so. She would be a fantastic member.

They just took over the shelter on January 1. It was a very hard, long drawn out battle but Rhoda and the other volunteers would not give up until they shut down the gas chamber.

Since they are just starting out, it could be that they do not have room to isolate FIV positive kitties. Whatever the reason, Rhoda is determined to save this sweet boy.

Link to the shelter: http://www.hsomc.org/

As soon as I get Rhoda's permission to give you her contact info, I will PM you.

In case you guys doubted, there are angels here on earth. One of them I know lives in Midland, Michigan. And another lives in Ann Arbor.

Here's hoping that this all works out and this sweet boy can find his forever home.

**kuhio98** · 01-13-2011, 04:13 PM

Rufus on petfinder: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18380737

Please contact the shelter if interested at (989) 948 8804 or 989-835-1877.

**Freedom** · 01-13-2011, 04:16 PM

Aw, that Petfinder posting is not accurate.

He CAN live w/ other cats.

FIV is like HIV and NOT AT ALL LIKE AIDS. People DIE of AIDS. People do not die of HIV, and cats do not die of FIV.

HIV can and usually does mutate into AIDS.
FIV never mutates.

**phesina** · 01-13-2011, 06:20 PM

Yes, that is what I have heard about FIV-positive cats. It is spread by fierce fights with biting and scratching, i.e., direct transmission via bodily fluids of the infected cat through open wounds, not by everyday ordinary, peaceful encounters of cats with each other.

The other thing I have heard is that the FIV test can show false-positive results. We had an FIV-positive cat at the shelter I was just let go from, so he was kept in his cage. A month later he had another test, I think a couple more tests since, which have been negative. Now he is out and about playing with all the others.

Please have this shelter give this guy some time to give him another test. Maybe he is a false-positive too. Even if he's not, Rhoda may very likely be able to take him home herself after all

.

And Ann Arbor is certainly a lot less than 400 miles from Midland!

We can and will keep Rufus alive somehow and somewhere.