As a classic calico, Pumpkin has enough personality to power a small city. She's fully grown at around 3 years old and weighing in at 7.4 pounds, she is a colorful mix of spunky "cali-tude" and deep, purring affection. While she happens to be FIV+ , she doesn't let that …
As a classic calico, Pumpkin has enough personality to power a small city. She's fully grown at around 3 years old and weighing in at 7.4 pounds, she is a colorful mix of spunky "cali-tude" and deep, purring affection. While she happens to be
FIV+
, she doesn't let that slow her down one bit-it just means she's an indoor queen who needs her adventures to happen in a home on her own or with other felines who are FIV+. She's a professional nap-taker, a vocal critic of empty food bowls, and a firm believer that the best seat in the house is whichever one you're currently sitting in. Pumpkin proves every day that a little extra health mindfulness is a small price to pay for a lifetime of vibrant, multi-colored love.
If you have never heard of
FIV, it
stands for
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
. It is the cat version of HIV; it is a virus that slowly weakens a cat's immune system over many years. Because their immune system isn't 100%%, cats with FIV are more vulnerable to common, everyday germs-like a cold or a gum infection-that a healthy cat's body would easily fight off. But don't let that scare you away from Pumpkin. FIV isn't caught through casual contact like sharing food bowls, grooming each other, or sneezing. It is usually spread through deep, aggressive bite wounds - the kind typically seen in unneutered outdoor cats fighting over territory, which is how we think Pumpkin contracted hers.
- It is for cats only
: You, your dogs, or any other non-feline pets
cannot
catch FIV from a cat
-
She can live a normal life!
: Most FIV-positive cats live long, happy, normal lifespans.
Many remain "asymptomatic" (showing no signs of being sick) for their entire lives.
-
Simple management
: Most owners of FIV+ cats simply keep them as only cats or with FIV+ only cats and
ensure they get regular vet checkups to catch any small issues early.
An FIV+ cat is just a regular cat that might need a little extra help staying healthy, but they are just as loving and adoptable as any other pet.
If you'd like to meet Pumpkin, please fill out a cat adoption application at dreamhouserescue.org. We are happy to arrange a meet with an approved adopter! Pumpkin needs to go to a home to be the only cat, or in a home with other FIV+ cats. You can also meet Pumpkin at our weekly adoption event every Saturday 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at PetSmart Eastgate. Our cats are fully vetted and we require indoor-only homes. All other pets in the home must be spayed/neutered and up-to-date on all vaccines. We will not send cats to home where they will be declawed as it is a harmful practice that can cause lifelong physical and behavioral problems. Our cats are all spayed/neutered, vaccinated, combo tested, dewormed, and microchipped.
