Gilbert Gustav, a beautiful Maine Coon mix, is waiting for that special person. Could it be you?
We’re sharing information about this gorgeous guy with you as part of our Adopt-an-Awesomely-Special-Pet Week (known to some as Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week) series of posts.
The thing that makes Gilbert Gustav awesomely special — apart from his beautiful, regal fur and loving personality, is that he’s Feline Leukemia (FeLV) positive. He’s not showing any symptoms, but he does have to be an only cat or live with other FeLV-positive feline friends. It should go without saying that Gilbert Gustav also needs to be an indoor-only cat.
A lot of people freak out when they hear the word “leukemia,” because they think of leukemia, the blood cancer that humans get. But feline leukemia is not a cancer; it’s a retrovirus that harms the immune system. FeLV-positive are at higher risk of bacterial, viral and fungal infections because of their compromised immune systems, but they can live good, healthy lives with a high-quality diet, lots of love, and regular vet care.
Feline leukemia is not contagious to humans.
This online brochure from the Cornell Feline Health Center provides more detailed information about FeLV.
JaneA Kelley is a punk rock cat mom and award-winning blogger. She is a regular columnist for Catster Magazine, and she and the Paws and Effect Gang share a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.