O’Ryan is FIV+ and a PURRfect Pal
FIV is not an immediate death sentence for cats. My mother-in-law’s FIV+ cat, Babe, has lived with FIV for more than ten years, and has had no more vet visits than the average cat. He’s a wonderful pet, and a great comfort to his mistress.
Today, meet O’Ryan, an FIV+ cat who was fortunate enough to have been rescued by Purrfect Pals, a sanctuary to nearly 300 cats who have nowhere else to go. These are cats who have tested positive for FIV or feline leukemia, cats with behavioral issues, feral cats, geriatric cats, and cats with diabetes or other long-term health issues. All live in colonies in a clean, comfortable, cat-oriented environment, receiving regular veterinary care.
Here’s O’Ryan’s story:
O’Ryan was found abandoned along a river bank, starving and ill. He probably wouldn’t have lived more than another day or two if a Purrfect Pals volunteer hadn’t rescued him. He was placed in a foster home and had dental surgery, abscess care, and extensive medication. His foster ‘Mom’ found him to be an extremely loving cat who wanted constant attention and loved to be petted while he lay next to her. He is very vocal and talks to you in his deep voice as long as you will listen.
After regaining his weight and his health, O’Ryan met a nice couple, Dianne and Donald, who fell in love with him and took him home to be a friend for their other FIV cat, Penny. Like all Purrfect Pals FIV positive cats, O’Ryan was ‘adopted’ as a permanent foster. FIV cats can live long and healthy lives, but they are also more susceptible to mouth and dental problems. As a permanent foster a FIV kitty can always have any medical problems related to FIV cared for at no charge at our Purrfect Pals clinic.
O’Ryan has become Penny’s best buddy. Even though Penny is a bit of a princess, she accepted O’Ryan immediately and they love to run, play and sleep together. When not playing with Penny, O’Ryan loves to sleep on the back of Donald’s chair or beside him begging for attention or to sit on Dianne’s craft table patting her hand to get her attention
O’Ryan is a very fortunate FIV+ cat. He has found a home where he is adored and well cared for. The Purrfect Pals Sanctuary has an FIV room currently occupied by many wonderful affectionate cats who are hoping that you might consider giving one of them a loving home as well. Donate now.
If you don’t currently have cats and are considering adoption, why not consider opening your home to a pair of FIV+ cats? You’ll certainly be saving a couple of lives, and are likely to be rewarded with an appreciative, devoted companion.
Can’t adopt but want to help? You can sponsor a Purrfect Pals cat or give a sponsorship as a gift.
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Thanks for posting this. FIV cats are wonderful! Mom and Dad volunteer for an organization that takes these same types of cats in and they have found that the FIV cats are some of the most friendly, sweet cats around!
Give them a chance in our home, you’ll be glad that you did!
Thats a great set up that Purrfect Pals have with the permanent foster so that elderly or special needs kitties can get adopted without the new owners having to worry about big medical bills.
What a gorgeous boy, and what a lucky furmily to have him. Hooray to everyone who helps a kitty in need.
Yes FIV+ cats are truly wonderful! I have one, he was a rescue and a former street cat. I named him Solomon and he is the sweetest boy. He is an older kitty (vet presumes his age to between 6 and 10 years) but he gets along with his siblings Greta and Daniel. He plays too but mostly he sleeps, eats, and spends time with mommy.
I would definitely get another FIV+ cat if I had the chance.
I was fortunate to be able to raise six tiny foundlings that were discovered under suburban bushes and brought into a friend’s pet shop. Four were found to be FIV+. Needless to say it did make those four harder to place. I kept one, one was adopted (as were the two who were FIV-), I kept one, Little Jack, who at six months weighs a solid TEN pounds (best “paycheck” ever!) and two are still at the shop,
They are all just wonderful, happy, friendly, well-brought-up little ones who are a joy to have (Little Jack) and a delight to visit at the store (The Tiger Twins).
My little note lost a few sentences somewhere:
The Tiger Twins have the run of the shop where they meet and greet all the customers and their animals, test the merchandise, chase each other around at breakneck kitten speed, lounge around on big bags of dry food and cat litter, know where the little (safe for kittens) hidey-holes are, and keep an eye on things from their particular kitten vantage points.
Yes, thanks for posting this. It is so interesting to know. n I was a child in Iowa, I had lots of cats all my growing up years, no one gave them the medical attention they get now and I’m sure we had FIV on our place and our cats had it. As I’m not even sure what the symptoms are I can’t say for sure. I nursed so many of my Nanny Poo’s babies, sometimes they lived, sometimes not I took in every one that showed up. . Even then I guess I was destined to be a crazy cat lady. Mom couldn’t understand my need to save everyone I could. I didn’t either, but I struggled and fought for every one of their precious lives. In married life I’ve never had as many cats as I’ve wanted, however those I’ve had have lived long and happy lives. Currently my two boys Shadow and Boo are doing great. I fostered my first baby last summer, he is still at our local no kill shelter up for adoption. I’ve been ill for two months, but I hope to post his picture and his story on Catster soon and say he is up for adoption. He is such a special little boy. He was about 4 weeks old when a neighbor found him in her woodshed. She brought him to me and I took him to the shelter to get him signed on, then kept him until he was adoptable. Little Honcho stole my heart and still has it. I see him as often as I can and he continues to love me! I’ll never forget him, and I want a very very special home for him. Anyone reading this who lives near Prineville, Oregon, he is at the Prineville, The Human society of The Ochocos shelter. He’s black and is about 5-6 months old now. Currently our tiny shelter still has many kittens and this year there were so many black babies. We have one litter of seven boys, all black, various lengths of tails! One litter of all black boys!!!
Today the shelter is h olding an off premises adoption day at the Powell Butte Grange in nearby Powell Butte. We are a rural community and funded mostly with donations and volunteer help. I volunteer too, can’t do much physically but can love all of the cats and take them toys and treats. When they hear my voice, they start clamoring for attention. How loved can any one old lady be. I’m so blessed with the love of every single kitty in our shelter.
Our shelter phone number is 541-447-7178, 1280 S. Tom McCall Rd, Prineville, OR 97754
Black kitties are hard to place. And, imagine! A litter of seven little furry black boys! Sounds like maximum fun to me. I love black cats. And, they ARE good luck in England, which I make a point of telling people if we’re talking about black kitties. There’s just something special about those bright little baby eyes and that little pursed mouth on those little black cuties that melts my heart–and that biiiiig pink yaaaawn on that itty bitty face!
So, Sandy, feel better soooooon! There are lots of little one that benefit from your love and dedication!