Devastation: Valentino is FIV positive

Today Mac, the three legged Albany male, along with Valentino, went up to a Portland adoption group. Valentino had been offered yet another vet check and some R and R time, away from all the in and out cats here. And the fleas. He is terribly flea allergic.

This time, an opposing diagnosis for Valentino: yeast, in his ears, although less than a month ago, his ear debris was examined and found to have no yeast or mites. And, he was retested. Valentino tested positive for Feline Aids.

I was devastated to hear this. How could this be when he'd tested negative last March and has had zero chance of contracting FIV here?

The answer is likely he was exposed in fights just before I trapped him and had not had time for the virus to spread through his system enough to produce antibodies. The test checks the blood for antibodies to the virus.

The four dentals he had last year probably only reduced his immunity and ability to fight the virus. Going under anesthesia is a terrible immune stress.

Val is still in Portland. One member of the Portland group will debate, while he rests with her, whether she might still adopt him. In a way, I want him back here, to hug, to comfort and to apologize. For some reason, I feel a deep need to ask his forgiveness. After all, I live in this town where nobody seems to fix their pets or care about the suffering strays everywhere. I also want to go punch out about half the residents of that seedy complex where he was living. I do.

But on the other hand, I'd hope he would still be considered for adoption. My heart is broken tonight.

Mac, the Three Legged Albany male, fed outside, also tested positive. He went up to Portland under a kind offer from the Portland group to pay for surgery to fix his eyelid, that is turned in slightly so the eyelashes and lid brush his eyeball constantly. Then, they were going to find him a home. Now, he will still have surgery but will return as their group is small and able to foster only a couple dozen cats. Fiv positive cats don't exactly get a million adoption interests.

After his eye surgery, Mac will return to his Albany caretaker.

Mac is young and likely recently infected and Mr. Orange, fixed Saturday, an older male with bad teeth, is likely the one who infected him, although it is hard to know, so many people do not fix their cats in this area, males in particular.

Almost every free roaming unfixed male over two in Albany is likely infected. You don't want to adopt a kitten from Albany, unless that kitten has been carefully health checked.

Likewise with Adair Village, another disease hotspot.

What in the world does it take to get people to fix their cats?

My heart is broken over Mac and Valentino and all the strays of Albany and the uncared for owned cats. Resentment builds inside me with my sadness. I have to defeat that somehow.

My beloved old Val. I love you, big guy.

UPDATE: I think Valentino will be adopted by the Portland woman and her husband after all. I can't believe it. Am now happy. Funny how things can change. Val, I love you and always will.