When we last saw the kitten named Freddy Krueger, he was living his fluffiest life in foster care. After a scare with some intestinal and “potty” issues, he was on the mend. A natural in front of the camera, his foster mom knew that it wouldn’t take long for him to find a forever home. But there was one outdated stigma that may make it a bit “scary” for potential adopters.
At less than 2 months old, Freddy Krueger had tested positive for FIV, or the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.
And with this can come numerous outdated stigmas that cause a wave of fear to wash over some people. But it’s not a big deal! Because of a few reasons.
One, FIV positive cats can live an absolutely normal life. And a long one at that! It just means that that need to be inside only cats, so that they do not have to “fight” to survive. FIV is spread primarily through deep bite wounds and blood, so avoiding this is key. It will also hinder the spreading of the virus to street cats with no medical attention.
Two, if these felines DO happen to get sick, they need to be treated ASAP. But let’s be honest. Any loving cat servant is going to address any health issues immediately anyways, so what’s the difference. These cats can benefit from daily supplements and vitamins as well. But again…what cat doesn’t?!
But three, at under 6 months of age, THE FIV TEST MAY NOT BE ACCURATE!
Because these young kittens still have their mother’s immunities that skew the results, the “positive” antibodies show in the tests.
Positive FIV antibody tests in kittens under 6 months of age must be interpreted carefully. Kittens born to infected queens may acquire FIV antibodies in colostrum (MacDonald, Levy et al. 2004). Since it is uncommon for kittens to acquire infection from the queen, most kittens that test positive are not truly infected and will test negative when re-evaluated at 6 months of age or older. Kittens that test positive for FIV antibody when over 6 months of age are considered to be infected. A negative FIV antibody test is generally reliable at any age, especially in a low-risk patient.
Due to potential test interference, it is tempting to delay testing kittens for FIV until over 6 months of age. However, most kittens test negative and can be reliably considered clear of infection.
And that is exactly what happened to little Freddy Krueger; his own purrsonal “nightmare” ended.
Even if he had no idea and it would do nothing to change his spunky and sweet attitude regardless. It’s heartbreaking that thousands of felines are overlooked for adoptions based on those three misunderstood letters; F. I. V. What’s worse is the thousands euthanized by vets who are not educating the public correctly.
Just after his “big boy” surgery, Katie happily announced the expected news.
And within a few days, the heartbreaker was off to his forever home! Sadly, there is no public profile for his fans to follow his adventures. But without Katie and the caring couple that found him abandoned in their yard, he would have no adventures to share with anyone.
THAT is the most terrifying thought!
So Congratulations to sweet kitten Freddy Krueger, all his rescuers and his new family! We’re sure he’s just a dream to serve =)
