Look what we''re getting...

[AmberGretchen]

He doesn''t have a name yet, and he doesn''t actually come live with us until Friday (he needs a clean bill of health first), but we''re very excited (and hoping he gets along OK with our two older girls). I promise lots more cute pictures once he actually comes to live with us, but I wanted to share because I''m so excited

 

[Dee*Jay]

OOOOOOH -- he''s SO cute! Definitely need more pics once you have him home!!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

OMG!!!! HOW CUTE! I love cats. I hope he gets along with your older ones. Mine still fight a little but our kitten (well, he is a year old now so I guess he is an adult) has calmed down so that REALLY helps. We need tons more pics!

 

[bookworm21]

Look at that face!!! How could you not fall in love with such an adorable little fuzzy face?!?! I love him! Please post more pics!

 

[Fancy605]

AWWWEEE! More pics!

 

[lizz]

Very cute. It takes awhile for cats to adjust to each other.

 

[AmberGretchen]

OK...Um, very very sad news - it turns out this little boy did not get a clean bill of health, but is FeLV positive. The person who originally rescued him isn''t completely sure yet, but he will probably have to be put to sleep - its likely to be what''s best for him. I''m really bummed right now, though I''m telling myself this is what''s best for the little guy - better to go peacefully than to suffer, but it still seems incredibly hard and unfair. So pretty heartsick, but trying to tell myself its ultimately for the best. DH is being very supportive and loving and understanding. I guess on the upside this did show me how ready I am to add to our kitty family, so there may be another (healthy) addition coming up, but I think I need to process this loss first.

 

[Cind11]

Ohhhhhhhh no, how sad. But I''ve heard of cats who are FeLV positive doing OK in one cat households. I can''t imagine putting him to sleep especially if he''s doing fine right now.

 

[Kaleigh]

I saw the pic and fell in love, and now this. Not sure what the illness is, I have doggies myself. Just wanted to say I am sorry.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Kaleigh - FeLV is a very serious virus that can cause cancer and immune deficiencies in cats. Kittens are very vulnerable to both contracting the virus and developing diseases as a result. Sadly, as cind11 correctly noted, FeLV+ cats have to live in 1 cat households for the most part, because they can often harbor the virus and pass it on to other cats, even if they themselves show no symptoms. Since we have two cats already (that we love like children) we really can''t risk bringing a cat that''s carrying FeLV into our home. The person who has him now may decide to try to keep him, but she has cats already as well. However, I''m sure she will do everything she can to ensure he survives, it may just not be possible.

I had fallen in love with him too - its really very sad.

 

[FireGoddess]

You know, it's interesting. I saw my cat is up for her FVRCP booster and then noticed she has NEVER been vaccinated against FeLV. I asked the vet about this and she said they don't vaccinate indoor cats because the likelihood of them getting the disease is virtually zero. She also told me that the feral cat population does not have a high incidence of FeLV, so even if the cat got out somehow, it wouldn't be high risk for her to get FeLV. But this little precious had it?!?!!? It just scares me. Apparently they don't vaccinate indoor cats because there is a risk of developing a cancer at the injection site, so they only vaccinate if the cat is at risk.

Anyway, I found that interesting and appropriate here, so I thought I'd pass it on. So so so so so sorry to hear about this little guy. What a love. Can't they give him to a loving home that already has cats with FeLV?

 

[bookworm21]

I''m so sad and sorry to hear this. Poor little guy.

 

[Kerbear560]

Hi. I''m so sorry to hear about the kitten testing positive for FeLV. This kitten may not be the best choice for you to adopt right now, due to you having two other cats (I wouldn''t want to chance it at this point either), but I hope they don''t euthanize him! Kittens may show a false positive ELISA test result (the in house blood test that was most likely done on this kitten) from antibodies received from the mother''s colostrum: http://www.animalhelp.com/pets/articledetail.cfm?artid=337

It seems that this kitten should be retested after a sufficient waiting period. Here''s an article that explains the different types of feline leukemia tests, and how to interpret the results:
http://www.thecatconnection.com/care/flv.htm

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks so much for the support you guys. I am trying to work with the woman who rescued this little guy to get him into a single-cat household or one where there are other FeLV+ cats, because I really can''t even begin to imagine risking our precious girls.

However, we did go by an adoption fair today, and well, everyone, meet Oliver, who my DH and him just adopted each other. He is the world''s cutest showshoe mix kitten - totally friendly and lovely and most importantly healthy. Here are some pics for y''all:

 

[canuk-gal]

HI AG:

OH! Darling Oliver! Me wants him too.......

cheers--Sharon

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks Sharon - he is totally darling. I think its especially funny because DH wasn''t too thrilled about the whole new kitten idea but he''s already in love - he was holding little Oliver at the adoption place and I was waffling and he said "we''re not going home without this cat" LOL

 

[Kaleigh]

Oliver is the cutest, love his beautiful blue eyes!!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks Kaleigh - unfortunately the pics don''t really capture it, his eyes are this gorgeous intense BLUE color - I will try to get a picture in better lighting soon. He is darling though...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh, OLIVER! He is precious. I love his colors and his eyes are so beautiful! He is just a fur ball. I am SO excited for you. I know he will give you so much love. How are your girls taking it?

ETA: I LOVE his half gray/half white chin....so cute!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey Tacori - I love the bicolor chin too, I think it is just sooo precious. Interestingly, he looks a LOT like a purebred snowshoe kitten - check out this picture below of a prize-winning one that I found an image of in a google search (obviously our little Ollie is not quite so impeccably groomed just yet).

The girls are doing OK so far - they were kind of upset, but we''ve been spoiling them - showering them with love and attention, we gave them some wet food and some new toys, lots of snuggles. I think they will come around, although it may take a little while, especially for my little princess Gretchen, who is a very neurotic cat anyway. I''m trying not to feel too guilty about that - I figure this is better than when we (eventually) get a dog...

 

[bookworm21]

AG, I LOVE Oliver!!! He''s sooo adorable, I love his angry face in one of the pictures. And it looks like your DH and Oliver are really bonding, has your DH even let him out of his arms yet? LOL, that''s the cutest thing ever!

 

[moremoremore]

AWWWW Oliver is SO adorable! That''s so fab that you got a rescue cat. I am helping to manage a colony of ferals at work and they are CRAWLING out of the wood work. No there are a few kittens with eye infections..Horrible. And expensive trying to trap them and fix them...and there are never any homes...so bless you for adopting a kitty who needs a home!

I totally understand about not wanted to risk your girls with a FelV cat...you could not bring a FelV cat into the house....It''s not like FIV which is my guys has....and FelVs die very quickly....so no matter what happens to that adorable kitty will be for the best....

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks Cinderella and mmm

I just had an extended snuggle session with the little guy while DH was on the phone, so I''m happy to report that I''m bonding with him too - he is totally cuddly - he purrs and licks your fingers and snuggles right up against you...its pretty unbearably cute.

MMM - I wouldn''t ever get anything but a rescue kitty. Our two girls are rescues too. I just wish I could do more - I''m looking into volunteering at the SPCA here, but with my graduate school schedule its a bit challenging. Good for you for helping that feral colony though - its such important work, and I admire that so much. Good for you, and keep up the good work!

 

[Cind11]

Oliver is absolutely adorable!!!!!!!! He and your hubby look so cute together. I wouldn''t have exposed my cats to a FeLV positive cat either. That would terrify me. I do hope that other little guy gets a home somewhere too.

Moremoremore, that is wonderful of you to try to help the feral cats where you work. If only people would get the message about spaying and neutering!

 

[moremoremore]

Thanks guys...it is really heartbreaking though...they are just all over the place....There is a woman at work who tells me stories sbout her sister's cat that is not fixed and is an outdoor cat and i want to strangle her....people just don't get it...

Anyhoo...what an adorable baby Oliver is! I love the one of his little fuzzy behind! and I didn't see all the pix before b/c they went horizontally....I love the little baby with handsome DH!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks MMM - I understand your frustration with people who don''t understand - it drives me nuts too when people don''t seem to get it.

Oliver seems to be doing well so far - we had a bit of a litterbox adventure today but that seems all worked out. So far introductions with our older girls are not going so well (lots of hissing) but we''re trying to expose them to each other in small doses on either side of the door so that hopefully in time they will all accept each other. On an upside, the little guy did take a nap in my lap today - possibly the cutest thing ever! I have some more pictures - I''ll try to upload them tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh Amber, we need MORE pictures. Seeing him makes me wish for a kitten again! *must stay strong* Both of ours were rescue cats as well. Our first from a shelter and our second was a stray from one of DH''s properties. We did the same thing you did and took him to the vet before we let him have any contact with our other cat. He was so small he would have to jump/leap into the litter box. Too cute. I have a thread about him somewhere on here (I think it was called "free kitty"). They both are such cuddlers and give us so much love. I just don''t understand people who hate cats. I have to update it with new pictures for cat lovers like us. Make sure you add all three of your babies to the cat thread as well.

 

[FireGoddess]

Welcome to the Snowshoe club!!!! My Chloe is a snowshoe too.

Oliver is such a love! What cute little white feet and gorgeous blue eyes! Love the coloring.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Tacori - your wish is my command (see below) (OK, so I didn''t have to have my arm twisted or anything...although he is tough to capture on camera - kittens are like little perpetual motion machines)

Little Ollie jumps in and out of the box too - DH made him a little "step" out of a box with a book in it to help him out. It really is too precious though. I totally agree with you about cats - our two girls are such loves now that they''ve come out of their shells. They snuggle all night pretty much every night with us and they are just such sweet and loving animals - it really baffles me when people don''t like cats. I was in the same place - I really wanted a baby, but I clearly didn''t stay strong

FG - that''s so funny, I feel like we are long-lost sisters or something - you have a degree in Virology, I''m in my 3rd year of a PhD in Immunology, and now the snowshoe kitties! I can''t believe little Oliver had to be rescued from a shelter where he was scheduled for euthanasia - I honestly can''t imagine how anyone could even contemplate such a thing. He is SO adoptable - loving and friendly and playful and cute and I think he''s going to be a gorgeous cat. I''d love to see pics of Chloe if you have any - I''m really curious about how he''s going to grow up (I''ve found some pictures of snowshoes on the web, but there doesn''t seem to be a whole lot out there).

(Don''t let the funny face fool you - he actually loves getting brushed - he has the most amazing purr for such a tiny kitty)

 

[AmberGretchen]

Oh, and I also posted them in the cats thread but I thought I''d post just a couple here - these are our lovely older ladies (this is when we first got them - they are about 6 months old here, now they are about 2.5 years old). The orange tabby is Amber, and the calico is my little neurotic princess who had to be slowly and painstakingly coaxed out of her shell and is now super affectionate - Gretchen.