This is a less happy story – but a cautionary tale of what can happen when tom cats aren’t neutered.
Jaws had been hanging around the garden off and on for months. We thought of him as the tabby cat with a huge head. Then, one day, the huge head seemed huger on one side than the other. The poor boy’s face was horribly swollen on one side.
We borrowed a trap, baited it with freshly cooked fish ….and waited. There ensued a serious holding of breath while Jaws slowly went in, desperately hungry and miserable.
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- coming to eat
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- waiting for the vet
Off to Peak vets again. The abscess on his face burst whilst we were in the waiting room. Poor lad, he must have been in awful pain with it.
Once again the RSPCA stepped in – took him in, made him comfortable. Unfortunately they then checked him for FIV and he tested positive. Un neutered tom cats fight, and pass on infections that can’t be treated – they also mate with un spayed females and pass the infection on to them too. The RSPCA phoned me to say that they would keep Jaws for 7 days in case an ‘owner’ could be found who would keep him as an indoor cat from now on so that he could not spread the infection.
Sadly it was pretty clear that that wasn’t going to happen. The staff at the RSPCA did their best to make his final days happy ones …..
8 Lives: Sheffield 8 Cat Rescue 
..have a Google for Catwork Sanctuary. It’s too late for poor Jaws, but maybe not for others who test positive for this much misunderstood virus.
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thank you. it is as you say too late for poor Jaws .. however i’ll be happy to share the link to catwork sanctuary with anyone else i come across who is in a similar situation.
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…for spreading the word 🙂
It’s so important to get the message out about FIV. So many cats have been needlessly pts since the virus was first described in the 1980s. Vets, rescuers, owners, sanctuaries all need to learn that cats can live long, healthy lives with this virus and can also live with non FIV cats safely.
The Celia Hammond Trust have had FIV+ and FIV- living together since the late 90s, without one incidence of cross infection.
Catwork have a wonderful book they have published about their work and the real science concerning the virus. It’s called “80 FIV Cats” and it’s a very interesting and informative read. They will send you a copy if you ask them. I keep a copy to lend to vets and nurses who still think FIV means a compulsory death sentence, all have been enthusiastic and interested (even the ones who mix up FeLV and FIV or refer to the virus as “cat AIDS”) – this little book saves lives!
Best wishes for your continuing excellent work helping cats
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