Furkids Animal Rescue & Shelters, Georgia’s largest no-kill, cage-free cat shelter, is dedicated to finding homes for cats of all types. Among their population, Furkids also welcomes and cares for cats with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Unfortunately, many FIV+ cats are euthanized due to widespread misunderstandings about the condition. Furkids aims to dispel these misconceptions.
Contrary to popular belief, FIV is not a death sentence but rather a diagnosis of a weakened immune system. Although FIV+ cats are more susceptible to illnesses, they can lead fulfilling and healthy lives with proper veterinary care. Physically, there is no difference between FIV+ and FIV-negative cats, and their care is similar apart from additional veterinary precautions.
Furkids provides comfortable living spaces within their main cat shelter for approximately 60 FIV+ cats. These rooms are adorned with colorful walls, bright windows, and plenty of toys for the cats to enjoy. The FIV+ cats at Furkids receive the same level of care and attention as their FIV-negative counterparts. Many of them come from various backgrounds, including being strays, rescued from floods, or transferred from other shelters that do not accept FIV+ cats.
Despite the overwhelming number of requests, Furkids faces limitations due to their resources, preventing them from saving all FIV+ cats. However, the staff and volunteers at Furkids treat these cats with the same tender loving care as their counterparts. The only difference is that FIV+ cats are closely monitored for signs of illness due to their compromised immune systems.
FIV+ cats may have to work harder to stay healthy, but they exhibit the same playful, curious, and friendly nature as any other cat. Toots, a beloved resident at Furkids, is an adventurous explorer who enjoys interacting with children and eagerly seeks a loving family.
Penguin, known as the Vidal Sassoon of the FIV+ program, takes pride in grooming his feline companions. With his punctuality during mealtimes, he would be a perfect addition to a family with other cats, whether they are FIV+ or not.
Furkids actively promotes the idea that FIV+ cats can coexist with other animals. This is exemplified by the heartwarming bond between Jillian, a senior cat without FIV, and her best friend Angelica, who is FIV+. Their friendship at the shelter proves that a compromised immune system is not contagious. Furkids aims to combat misconceptions and encourages humans not to discriminate against FIV+ cats.
Furkids affectionately refers to FIV+ cats as the underdogs of the cat world, as people often wrongly believe they are frail, contagious, and have shorter lifespans. In reality, adopting an FIV+ cat is no different from adopting any other cat. They possess qualities of affection, beauty, humor, and playfulness, along with unique personality quirks that make them special.
Furkids dedicates itself to giving all cats a chance at a fulfilling life. Adoption fees for FIV+ cats are waived, and they are provided with spaying or neutering, microchipping, and a clean bill of health. Additionally, Furkids offers complimentary veterinary services for the first year after adoption, ensuring that their FIV+ friends can live long and healthy lives. To find your future FIV+ family member, visit their adoption page and be a part of this compassionate mission.