Another cat with a collar wound

Call from Arbury road vets to say they've just taken in a stray cat with a badly infected collar wound that will need surgical repair to close it. He's another entire male, but fortunately has tested negative for FIV/FeLV. He'll need to be transferred to the clinic tomorrow morning.

Update on special needs cat

I called in to collect medication for one of my own cats yesterday and the vet called me through to show me the FIV positive cat. He's a really handsome cat and very friendly. The lady who found him and has been feeding him really doesn't want to have to have him put to sleep, but she can't put her own cats at risk by having him back. 

To re-iterate Janine's post: anyone adopting him would need to be able to keep him away from cats who are not FIV positive, either indoors or in a secure run. He isn't currently showing any signs of a defective immune system, so he may remain healthy for many years.

If you might be able to help, please email rehoming@rspca-cambridge.org.uk

Urgent: special needs cat needing a home

URGENT post from Janine

I have heard of a young stray black male cat (around two years old) who was taken by his finder to a vets in Cambridge to be scanned for a microchip. He hasn't been chipped. But whilst at the vets he was blood tested and unfortunately found to be FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) positive.

He is not showing any symptoms and, despite having been very timid when he first turned up at finders, he is now a lovely friendly fellow. It seems a great shame for him to be put to sleep which, at the moment, is the only option if a home can't be found.

I've a lot of experience with FIV cats & have a run specially for two FIV cats. But, as it's full, I can't take him myself at the moment. If you know of anyone who may be able to take on this little fellow, I would be happy to give as much information as I can about FIV cats.

Basically what is needed is:

•  to be kept away from FIV negative cats to prevent it being passed on. It is however only contagious to cats, not other species, and not easily transmitted: has to get into bloodstream - usually through biting another cat

• this means either being kept as an indoor home (or with an outdoor run if available) and not mixing with cats unless they are also FIV positive.

• FIV positive cats can go on for years with no symptoms. However, if or when the virus affects their immune system, any illness they get can then affect them very quickly and so they need a close eye on their health.
  

Please let me know if anyone can help.
Best Wishes
Janine

If anyone can help with this cat, please email rehoming@rspca-cambridge.org.uk

Update on ginger kitten

He's now walking about quite happily, so the vets are now thinking that he's not got anything broken and his initial reluctance to stand was just due to bruising and soreness. Fortunately he's tested FIV/FeLV negative, but they do think he's got some wound infection — possibly he was injured some time before the original finder came across him. They're giving him metacam to reduce his temperature and fluids and antibiotics to help him recover from the infection. 

Fingers crossed.

More cats

Another un-neutered tom waiting to be transferred from Lida vets to the kennels.

A thin black and white female at Swayne's. She's tested FIV/FELV negative and they may have a possible home, which will be very welcome.

A young tortie/tabby female who was reclaimed by owner, but may involve us in a small bill for treatment up until the point where the owner contacted us.

Hissing Sid fortunately turns out to have normal thyroid hormone levels, and we hope he'll put on weight with regular meals and less exercise.

More cats

Sid is another entire male, very thin, but fortunately FIV/FeLV negative. We're awaiting results of a test for hyperthyroidism, but with any luck it may turn out that he's just underweight because he's been spending summer roaming in search of females instead of eating properly. Nicola*, our main volunteer driver, collected him from the Whittlesford vets and moved him to the kennels yesterday.

Sadly, another tom-cat handed in at the Arbury Road vets wasn't so lucky. He had awful abscesses and the blood test showed that he was FIV positive (which explains why they had got so bad, as FIV - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus - eventually destroys the cat's immune system and means that infections won't be thrown off as they normally would in a healthy cat). As the abscesses were so bad the vets advised that we should agree to having him put to sleep. 

*Congratulations to Nicola on her first ever motorway journey since passing her test!