ECC NEWS
Open Hearts, Empty Cages: Jake Goes Home!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
On Saturday, August 10th, Jake, one of our very special adult cats, went to his new home. Jake's new caretaker, Colleen heard about his search for a home on New York Shitty. Thanks, Miss Heather!
Jake had been with ECC for months awaiting his chance to find a loving and permanent home to call his own. We rescued Jake late one evening while we were returning (sterilized and vaccinated) feral cats back to their colonies in Williamsburg and Brownsville, Brooklyn. We had made a few wrong turns, ending up on Rockaway Parkway. We saw Jake walking down the sidewalk, very close to traffic. When we got out and offered him some tuna, he quickly became friendly and inhaled the food as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. We also noted that our new friend wasn't neutered. We decided he was coming back with us to get veterinary care, and eventually, to find a loving home.
Jake had a few strikes against him in the placement department, however. He was an adult cat in a season and community experiencing a glut of highly adoptable kittens. He sometimes played too roughly. And he tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). While we don't routinely test healthy feral cats who will be returning to their colonies (more information on why can be accessed HERE), we tested Jake because we were going to find him a home.
In any case, FIV is a retrovirus, similar to HIV in humans, that results in a compromised immune system for felines. While FIV cats tend to be more highly susceptible to infections, they often feel just fine. In fact, FIV-positive cats can lead long, healthy lives, remaining asymptomatic for years. Unfortunately, many people are nervous about taking on a potentially special needs animal. Luckily for Jake, someone saw passed his FIV status, and realized he was a needy cat, with promising potential for a good, long life. We'll miss him, but we know there are plenty of others who need our help more now.
Open Hearts, Empty Cages: Jake Goes Home!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
On Saturday, August 10th, Jake, one of our very special adult cats, went to his new home. Jake's new caretaker, Colleen heard about his search for a home on New York Shitty. Thanks, Miss Heather!
Jake had been with ECC for months awaiting his chance to find a loving and permanent home to call his own. We rescued Jake late one evening while we were returning (sterilized and vaccinated) feral cats back to their colonies in Williamsburg and Brownsville, Brooklyn. We had made a few wrong turns, ending up on Rockaway Parkway. We saw Jake walking down the sidewalk, very close to traffic. When we got out and offered him some tuna, he quickly became friendly and inhaled the food as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. We also noted that our new friend wasn't neutered. We decided he was coming back with us to get veterinary care, and eventually, to find a loving home.
Jake had a few strikes against him in the placement department, however. He was an adult cat in a season and community experiencing a glut of highly adoptable kittens. He sometimes played too roughly. And he tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). While we don't routinely test healthy feral cats who will be returning to their colonies (more information on why can be accessed HERE), we tested Jake because we were going to find him a home.
In any case, FIV is a retrovirus, similar to HIV in humans, that results in a compromised immune system for felines. While FIV cats tend to be more highly susceptible to infections, they often feel just fine. In fact, FIV-positive cats can lead long, healthy lives, remaining asymptomatic for years. Unfortunately, many people are nervous about taking on a potentially special needs animal. Luckily for Jake, someone saw passed his FIV status, and realized he was a needy cat, with promising potential for a good, long life. We'll miss him, but we know there are plenty of others who need our help more now.