Permanent Foster for FeLV cat (from anywhere!)

Post here if you can offer a loving, permanent home to a cat (NB: PLEASE put your Location in the Subject line)
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Moop
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Permanent Foster for FeLV cat (from anywhere!)

Post by Moop »

Hello,

I'm very new to this forum, but I'm hoping you can help me out.
My husband and I live in Sheffield and have been fostering a gorgeous black cat who is FeLV positive for just under a year now. When I found him online and learnt about how serious his condition was, I nearly clicked away, but there was something about him I just couldn't ignore.
It turned out he's actually beyond perfect. At the time we were both students, and because I'm American, I wasn't sure that anyone would LET me adopt a cat - I mean even if they did, I don't have the money to fly the cat abroad if I had to go back, and I would never forgive myself if I had to leave the cat behind. (I'm switching onto a spouse visa this summer so that won't be an issue anymore!)
So I wrote a very excited e-mail explaining that as awful as the situation is, we would love to have the cat, and the lifespan was no problem.

This cat has helped us through so much, and he really is a member of the family, but I hate that he can't go outside, and that he can't have other cat friends. I know other cats can be vaccinated, but it's not 100% effective, and I just wouldn't want to risk infecting a healthy cat.
I've been looking for another FeLV+ cat online, but it seems like a lot of places (including the RSPCA) put them down by default, so I haven't seen any cat that could live with us since I first found our little guy.

I would appreciate it if anyone has information about any charities which might have an FeLV+ cat in their care who needs a permanent foster anywhere in the UK. We're willing to travel to collect them, and can Skype and give you contact details for the lady who handles the foster families at the charity where we found our cat if you are too far away to realistically conduct a house inspection.

I say that we want to foster and not adopt purely because we could not afford the extensive vet bills that potentially come with an FeLV cat, however we are happy to pay for all other expenses.

Thank you so much!
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Cat-FAQ
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Re: Permanent Foster for FeLV cat (from anywhere!)

Post by Cat-FAQ »

You could contact all the rescues in your area and put your name forward as a potential FeLV fosterer. That way even if they don't have any FeLV cats right now, they can keep you in mind for when one comes in. :

http://www.catchat.org/shelters

You could also contact the Cinnamon Trust, as they are always looking for short and long term fosterers, and might be glad to know of someone who could foster an FeLV:

http://www.cinnamon.org.uk/
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bewareofcatz4
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Re: Permanent Foster for FeLV cat (from anywhere!)

Post by bewareofcatz4 »

Hello Moop

I run a little Facebook Group in Coventry (Cat Chat Coventry), which was originally intended to be a place where cat lovers locally could come and talk about their cats. Since we started some 4/5 years ago, we have helped over 100 cats in the area and have a little group of fosterers that help, particularly during kitten season when charities locally are swamped. Our little group is amazing at helping us raise money for vet bills and without them, we wouldn't have been able to help the cats and kittens that we have.

To cut a long long story short. A good friend and member of our group feeds a group of straying cats near her. She already has 9 cats of her own, but has built little cat houses in her garden, just in case a cat needs shelter in the area. Some 7 months ago she started feeding a cat whose owner had passed away who had subsequently dumped by the remaining family. The old guy had 2 cats. The second sadly, whilst trying to get love from strangers systematically crossing the roads, was in a fatal RTA. Robbie, as my friend has named him, often sits in a spot where he can see his old front door. He obviously still misses his owner. Over the last month or so, my friend has noticed scabs forming on his ears. Robbie is mostly white with a few patches of ginger. It became clear that he had cancerous ears. He was let down by the RSPCA who promised to treat and return, so as a group, we decided to raise the funds for him to have his ears removed. He had his operation yesterday. He has come through it well, but unfortunately tested positive for FeLV. We did have a lady who was going to adopt, however, she has other cats that go outside and cannot risk them getting infected. We are desperately looking for a long term foster whilst we try and find Robbie a furever home. Our vet was very pleased with how he coped with the operation and he seems a very healthy cat other than the ear cancer, which we don't think is attributed to the FeLV. We don't know whether he is shedding the FeLV virus, but we can't take the risk that he is and let him mix with other cats. When I read your post, I almost cried that maybe we could give this little chap a bit more time to find him a furever home. The alternative, him passing to Rainbow Bridge just seems so unfair.

Do you think you may be able to help?

Thanks in anticipation....Andrea, Cat Chat Coventry https://www.facebook.com/groups/catchatcoventry/
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