May 2024

Dixie and kittens

Inside this issue:

• BREAKING NEWS about Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
• Sponsor a litter of kittens for Mother's Day
• Desmond goes home at our Senior Prom!
• Meet FIV+ Doll and her adorable kittens, Lucky and Rose

BREAKING NEWS about FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)

FIP survivor, former Ladewbie Francis (left), and his sister Simone both adopted and living together forever in their new home.

What is Feline Infections Peritonitis?

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a severe, historically fatal disease caused by a feline coronavirus.  Although many healthy cats may be infected with the feline coronavirus, only a few develop the severe form of the disease known as FIP.  It is thought that the way a certain cat's immune system responds to the presence of the virus may cause the mutation.  To add more mystery to the disease, there is no reliable testing to date for FIP.  

Until fairly recently, this diagnosis was devastating as there was no treatment for it and the result was almost always fatal.  In the last few years, a treatment emerged that has literally saved thousands of cats, but the drug was not available in the United States for veterinarians to prescribe, leaving owners to resort to obtaining the drug on the black market and the cost was prohibitively high for many.

According to FIP Global Cats, an announcement was just made on 5/4/24 that the treatment will be legal for veterinarians to prescribe and available in the United States starting June 1st 2024 at Stokes Pharmacy.  

This is incredible news for our kitties and the folks who love them!  Stay tuned for more information!

Honor your mom this Mother's Day by sponsoring one of ours!

Looking for a perfect Mother's Day gift?  Consider sponsoring a litter of kittens!  It's a heartwarming way to honor mothers, both feline and human, while supporting a great cause.  

Dixie, above, was found as a stray with one tiny kitten, India.  Shortly after transfer to us, we noticed that Dixie wasn't producing milk and India's Ladew mommies had to step in and bottle feed her.  

Little India is now eating on her own, but still needs your help to get her ready for adoption.

Your donation will help us pay for vaccines, deworming, fecal and viral testing, premium kitten food, spay/neuter surgeries and microchipping.  

Spread love and joy this Mother's Day by helping one of our feline moms and her baby!

Desmond Finds Love at our Senior Prom!

Desmond hasn't had it easy.  His first owner had him declawed.  Not long after, the owner brought him back to our friends at the original rescue, PuppyKittyNYC ,for signs of aggression and not using the litter box.  

Desmond was adopted out again, but returned for the same reason.  He was brought to multiple vets for the problem, but not one of them examined the real issue -- his paws.

Desmond was living in pain because there were huge fragments of bone left behind from the original declawing amputation.  

After learning that retained bone fragments could be an issue in declawed cats, Desmond was brought to see Paw Project veterinarian, Dr. Michal Hess, of Glendale Veterinary Clinic who diagnosed the issue.  

Desmond had surgery to remove the fragments and was transferred to us so that our own Paw Project veterinarian, Dr. Susan Whittred, could monitor his recovery, which included daily bandage changes.

Desmond showed no signs of aggression after surgery and consistently used the litter box.

Desmond's new pawrents posted on social media that they wanted to help a declawed cat.  Through another rescue,  Little Wanderers NYC, they learned about Desmond.  They boarded a train from Manhattan to Oyster Bay and came to our Senior Prom to meet him.   

At our latest check-in on how Desmond is doing, his new mom and dad report he is "super affectionate" and they love him!

Desmond was adopted through our Seniors for Seniors program and will have his reasonable medical care by a participating veterinarian covered by the Ladew Foundation.  Please help this life-saving program continue bringing older kitties and older humans together to rediscover the joy of companionship without the financial burden of veterinary costs.

Meet FIV+ Doll and her kittens, Lucky and Rose

Doll was transferred to us from a municipal shelter, along with her kittens, Lucky and Rose.

The trio arrived with a fungal infection known as ringworm.  Ringworm is a skin infection that is also zoonotic -- meaning humans can get it too.  

While not life-threatening, this annoying skin infection can take a few months to clear in our feline friends and the treatment consists of topical treatment (Lyme-sulfur dips) as well as oral medication.  

Following treatment, and once Lucky and Rose were old enough, they were scheduled for their spay surgeries.  When we spay, we also retest for FELV (feline leukemia) as well as FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus).  Although they were tested at the municipal shelter and were deemed negative prior to transfer, all three were positive for FIV on recheck.

What is FIV?

Feline Immunodefiency Virus (FIV) is one of the most common infectious diseases of cats around the world (and not contagious to people).  It affects the immune system in cats but most cats with FIV can live average life spans with good medical care.

The virus is only spread through deep bite wounds, so in stable households, FIV+ cats can live with little risk to non-affected cats.  

The FIV test that is commonly used looks for antibodies and since Doll's antibodies were passed along to Rose and Lucky, they are currently testing positive.  They will be retested at 6 months of age and in all likelihood will have negative test results once their mom's antibodies wane in their blood systems.  

Doll, Lucky and Rose are currently looking for their forever homes and until that happens, you can help us by sponsoring them!