Luke is one of our special cats that touches your heart when you meet him. He is very loving and very laid back. He loves to lounge on his cat tree, and he will purr “Hello!” to you when he greets you. You would have never guessed that just by looking at him that he has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV is a lentivirus, meaning that it progresses very slowly, gradually affecting a cat’s immune system. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually, like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is passed through blood transfusion and serious bite wounds from one infected cat to another. It can not be passed from cat to human.

FIV shouldn’t hold Luke back from being adopted because cats who are FIV+ can live a healthy 18-21 years with the right treatments and medicines. Luke was doomed to be put down because of his disease, but one of our cat petters decided that Luke can have a second chance at life and a chance to be adopted. Luke is going to go on a road trip soon to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. He will be able to get pets, lay in the sun and watch birds and wild turkeys from his room, along with being able to lounge on a cat tree or cubby, which Luke loves to do. We will keep you updated on his future progress and hopefully, future adoption.

To get more information on FIV+ check out this link.