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Foster Success Stories

 

Vikki & Michael - The cat with a tumor & FIV (19 July 2004)

This excerpt was taken from Vikki's journal on the evening that Vikki decided to foster Michael. He hasn't been given long to live, but after been abandoned on the street, he is getting all the love and attention that he deserves. Cats with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) are not infectious to humans, but are to other cats. It has been proven that many FIV positive cats can lead comfortable lives with their human companions for many years (therefore do not need to be put to sleep if single-cat foster homes can be found). FIV is transmitted mainly by direct cat bites, males cats that are not neutered and are free to roam around are at serious risk as they tend to get involved in fights while competing for territory and females.

I awoke at first light this morning. It's unusual for me, I normally sleep as one in a coma and often it takes my beloved wielding a car jack to rouse me. My eye was caught by something and I gazed down to find my little, black and white angel laid flat out on his side next to me, all but emulating my posture, (I don't think my ears twitch as much when dreaming). I even pinched my man awake to look. Before he could finish," What are you doing ? It's 5-am, Bloody h....!" His eyes had misted and he was crooning adoringly "Little little one."

I fell in love with Michael as soon as I saw him in the mean glass holding box at the vets. I normally try to keep a little distance when I help with feeding rounds or go to the vets, otherwise my flat would be able to compete with Dr Doolittle's. But when I saw this big, scrawny Tom with his pathetic, half attempt at a meow, it was all I could not to squash him into my rucksack right there and then.

Maggie, the vet warned me to not get too attached, as he probably won't last out the summer. But what can you do with one that you give medicine to twice a day, that sits and talks to you while you wash up, take a shower, sit on the toilet, that gets into bed for cuddles at night and now believes that he is human enough to take up a third of my bed? How could I do anything but welcome him as an adopted son.

Yes, this one is going to break my heart, but I wouldn't have it any other way. If I can give him half the love and affection in return for the sweetness that he has injected into my life, I will feel like I have done something good here. I suppose I should really thank his previous owners, instead of wanting to gun them down, (lucky for them we don't know who they are).

If it weren't for your callous abandonment of him on the street, when you discovered how much a cat with a tumor and FIV would cost you in vet bills. My life would be painfully barren of the ray of sunshine it has now. But I won't be rushing round with a box of Roses chocolates.

Max - The Blind Kitty

22nd March 2004

Dear Michelle and Marian,

Congrats on the fab turnout at the ‘Glamourpuss’ party! I hope you raised lots of cash for the cats. I also wanted to again thank you both for letting me have Max. Raising a blind cat has been a lot easier than you’d think and brings along its own set of fun surprises. Max is about a year old now and has grown into a healthy (if somewhat round!) and confident cat with a sunny personality and strong curious streak. Most of the time now I forget he can’t see because he’s so sure moving around the house. But there are still times he miscalculates his leaps and misses the couch by about a meter or accidentally runs into a table leg. Some things I’ve learnt from living with a blind cat:

·Keep all windows within his possible reach shut at all times. There’s nothing wrong with any of his other senses so outside noises and smells from open windows will attract his attention and he has no clue there’s
a big drop out there.

·Keep heavy/breakable objects away from the edge of any tables/shelves he can reach or there’ll be a mess and he might hurt himself. Max is going through a phase where he likes standing up against tables and shelves and reaching out to pull at things. He can’t see but dammit he knows there’s something up there and he’s going to try and get it.

·The best toys make a lot of noise. Cutesy fluffy toys and brightly coloured catnip mice aren’t really any fun if you can’t see them. All of Max’s toys have bells or bits that rattle so he can find them to play with. Typically, his favourite plaything is not something store-bought. He gets a real kick out of batting about scrunched up balls of foil and carrying them in his mouth like trophies to his hideout (the rug in the laundry room--I wonder if he knows I can actually see him there…).

·Be patient and he can learn things like other cats. All instructions have to be vocalized so it may take him a little longer to connect vocal ques with his actions. Max may seem a bit slow sometimes because he can be wary before acting but he’s just being careful. He always gets it eventually.

In most other aspects, it’s really like having any other cat in the house. With the unexpected extra that a blind cat’s probably better behaved because he doesn’t know there’s a vase of flowers on the dining table to knock over and a TV cabinet he can jump on!

Take care,
Azmar

 

Biscuit

Dear Marian,

I'm sorry that I can no longer foster for you as Peter and I have decided to keep Biscuit for good and will take him with us when we leave HK. He's such a loveable and entertaining character with his penchant for ball games and has become very much a part of our family.
Best wishes,
Sandy


 

 

 

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