Rufus - FIV positive needs home ASAP Update 2.8 #40

[doolittleky]

I think the reason they weren't going to neuter him is because he is FIV+. They figure they will put him to sleep so why bother neutering him. That is what I figure their reason was.
Melissa

[Lilith Cherry]

I unfortunately live much too far away to help but in the past I have also had both positive and negative cats living together for many yearswith absolutely no ill effects! My vet says it is safe to do this too! I hope you can help this handsome boy!

[phesina]

I e-mailed Rhoda this afternoon.. Will keep you all posted!

[Freedom]

In case Rhoda is going to keep him after all, none of us mentioned, an FIV+ cat should be an indoor only cat. Two reasons:
1. Be responsible. If he is out and about, he may end up spreading FIV to others.
2. FIV+ cats have weak immune systems. So even "ordinary" cat ailments can be hard for them to fight off, and can become fatal.

I stopped doing TNRM when I took in Bobby, as I didn't want the ferals coming in with UTIs, and other things.

I remind my vet of Bobby's status each and every time. They tend to get antibiotics earlier, due to the weakened immune system.

Also, for the rabies vaccine:
most cats now get live virus as a part of the shot. An FIV+ cat gets a different shot, with killed virus in it. It is still good for 3 years.

Hope this helps, and Rufus lands with Rhoda or Phesina!

[kuhio98]

Sorry to go MIA there, but I was on a plane flying home to Anchorage. I checked in with Rhoda on the other message board and received a PM. She has given me permission to post it here.
She may join Pet Talk when she has some spare time -- she's busy with a litter of ferals right now. I get tired just reading about her day!

Hi Lisa - I had a short e-mail from Pat, introducing herself.

I have been reading the link on your web site about Rufus. I cannot respond in any way because I haven't joined the site yet but think I will as soon as I find a few moments to concentrate where I can do such a thing.

In reading the comments, there appear to be some questions about handling of Rufus.

As you know, we have worked hard to take over Animal Control. If they were still there, Rufus would have been put down right after Christmas.

Our new director is giving us a chance to rehome him, which they never would have done. We would have had 48 hours - period.

We are fully aware that Rufus can live with other FIV cats, but unfortunately we are not aware of but only one facility that takes in FIV cats in Michigan. They have told us they are full. I am searching the internet for more sites within about 400 miles. Obviously we cannot transport a cat out to California. I said 400 miles because it is a reasonable distance to arrange transportation. We have a member who would drive those miles by himself to rehome a cat. We know there is a pilot's group and also a trucker's group that do transports, but it would be realistic to find something within a reasonable distance.

Unless we can find a home that houses FIV+ cats, Rufus can only live in a home with no other cats for the protection of the cat.

Yes, if it is known that cats are non-fighters, they can live together for years without another cat being infected. This is true. But an FIV positive cat has been in a fight at some point in time or it wouldn't have FIV so for the safety of negative cats, we prefer to not place a positive cat in the same home. It is taking a risk.

As for me taking Rufus - I have a rent situation as you know. I pay extra monthly rent for my Lucy Mae. If I get another cat, I will nave to pay a $350 deposit and they will tack on $20 a month extra rent for me, even if Rufus were not positive and I could do it. I have a foster here right now. If maintenance catches me with the foster, I will just say I am cat sitting. I am allowed to do this. And then I hope they don't come in 6 months down the road and find the same cat here, or I am breaking my lease.

The reason Rufus wasn't neutered yet is just as one of the members has stated - there is no sense in putting him through that if we cannot find a home for him. If we find a home, he will definitely be neutered.

We would like to be a no kill shelter, and we will not put an animal down unless it is aggressive or has a medical problem making it unadoptable to the average home. My county has about 80,000 people and very few of these people gave the animals any thought at all until the humane society formed in May of 2008. The facility is very small. It can house about 34 dogs and 19 cats. In 2009, in excess of 1,500 cats and kittens were turned in to the facility and 1,344 were put to the gas chamber. Over 600 dogs and puppies were turned in and 50% of them were put down. The statistics for this year have not come forth yet, but I can tell you that Sylvia and I have taken or sent 120 cats and kittens to rescues. You are aware of how I have exhausted myself in rescue work. We are working with rescues all over the state to save our babies. Capital Humane in Lansing and Shelly Olree's Pet Rescue in Hillman have been two of our biggest supporters. I have made 10 trips to Lansing in 2010.

Animal Control officers did not work trying to rescue cats. The ones that members of the public did not come and adopt were thrown in the gas chamber to make room for more, without even trying to find homes for the rest.

We have done away with the gas chamber after several pillows soaked with tears. When the county budget did not allow for keeping Animal Control open we said if we could take over, that chamber would be the first thing to go.

Even though the county commissioners voted that thing out last April they refused to move on getting it out because they said they were shutting down anyway. "My Boy" was the last cat to go into the chamber, and everything I do from here on in will be in memory of him and of the long-haired girl that had the fronts of her feet chopped off. "My Boy" tested positive for feline leukemia. We wanted to take him and have him humanely euthanized. Animal Control said we had until Monday. I was there when the doors opened at 8 a.m. on Monday to pull him out, and they had put him to the chamber on Friday. They lied and he will haunt me always. Others that will haunt me are the kittens that died of dehydration after being pulled from their mamas and taken to the animal control facility. We were not allowed to hydrate them and they just sat there and died.

It is a God-send that our society has been able to raise the money to take over, but we are just getting started - have been in the facility for less than two weeks - and we are inundated with problems. The cages were clean because we have been caring for the cages since 2008. However, the rest of the facility is totally filthy. I cannot believe the sheriff's department could even work in such filth. And dogs and cats and kittens and feral cats are coming in left and right. I now have to try to socialize 4 feral kittens who have never been touched by human hands. Yesterday was no picnic working them.

Other members are working just as hard. We want to make a facility that our town will be proud of, but until people can grasp the idea that spaying and neutering are the most important and the kindest things they can do for their pets, we will always have more animals than can be adopted out or rescued. Rufus is the product of someone who didn't care enough.

I would send this information to Pat but I don't want to inundate her with information. If she only has two rooms I wonder if she can even accomodate another cat. I am praying really hard that we can find a solution. I hope she can help us with him.

All of our fosters from the society are full right now. Rufus is advertised all over and no one has come forth to take him.

The other facility in Michigan that I found on the internet that takes FIV positive cats does not have a working e-mail on their web site. They don't have a phone number and I sent an e-mail to their advertised e-mail and it came back to me as undeliverable. I had indicated to them that I would send a donation if they could help us with Rufus. I wouldn't be able to send more than $200 but I thought it would at least help with his food. He will have his rabies, distemper, deworming and neutering and he also has an ointment for his wounds that are healing. We haven't found any fleas on him but he would also receive a treatment of Revolution as a precautionary measure.

I appreciate all you have done to try to find a home for Rufus. You are the angel in all of this. I am continuing to work from this end and a couple of other members are also putting feelers out for a solution. Hopefully there will be an answer soon.

Hugs and love,

Rhoda

[dehlers43]

Damn....that reply just made me cry....

[phesina]

I am just getting the idea how swamped and busy she is.. and the problems she and they are up against. I will do whatever I can to help. We are only learning about each other through messages that get back and forth one way or another.

At least, I lit a candle for Rufus today! - http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...g&cid=12455346

I'm wondering: where is this other FIV+ facility in Michigan? If it's anywhere near driving distance from here, I could investigate further. Or even track down a phone number or something.?

[lvpets2002]

Woo Hoo Pat I am all paws up for you to get Rufus.. I will aggree he can live with your cats as long as there is no blood shedd.. Let us know ok.. We will have to add extras to the Gift Box sending..

[doolittleky]

Ok, I am confused on who is actually adopting Rufus. I am about to get off work and don't have time to reread all the posts. I thought the shelter lady(sorry I can't remember her name) didn't want Rufus to go to California because it was too far and she also wouldn't give him to someone who was going to put him with other cats that were negative. Are those the two that have offered to take him? How much time does he exactly have? I maybe could foster him with my FIV+ cats but couldn't keep him if a home could be found for him so hje wouldn't be killed. Gotta go. Will check tomorrow.
Melissa

[SinbadsMom]

Rufus will have a home, but exactly where still isn't completely settled, as far as I know.

Distance has always been a concern, which is why they've been hoping to find Rufus a forever home in or close to Michigan (the Lighthouse member who offered to take Rufus lives in Washington and has been considered only as a last resort because of the distance, and I'm sure Lighthouse members would have chipped in to help with the transportation cost).

The shelter still does not want Rufus with FIV-negative kitties who might be at risk. As far as I know there has been no change on that.

They're now considering a sanctuary for special-needs pets much closer to Michigan where Rufus could live safely and comfortably, the rest of his life, with other FIV+ cats. And they have someone who could drive Rufus there. But that isn't settled yet, either.

I'll post more info when I have more, but this is what I'd heard as of last night.

I'm sorry if I confused anyone by posting yesterday, but I did want to reassure people here that Rufus definitely will have a forever home.

And I do appreciate the offers of help here, and I know Rhoda does. She's been planning to register for this board but she's always swamped, and a family member of hers just had surgery (which went well, thank God).

Cindy

[phesina]

Thank you for the update, Cindy. Lots of good news here.