Australian Shelter Is Looking for the Perfect Home for an FIV-Positive Cat Who Loves to Be Brushed

Gabrielle LaFrank
·2 min read
3

In a perfect world, every animal would have what they need to thrive. Every pet would be cared for, sheltered, and loved, and animal shelters would be far less busy. Unfortunately, though, the reality is very different. Many animals spend part of their lives in shelters, and they're far more likely to be in rescue for a long time when they're also dealing with a chronic health condition.

Diva, the calico cat, is the perfect example. She's a beautiful 1.5-year-old kitty looking for her purr-fect family at the Australian Animal Protection Society in Victoria. She's been at the shelter for about 200 days! This may not sound like long, but that's one-third of her life spent in the rescue. Her caretakers make sure to brush her often and show her love, but nothing could top a forever home.

OMG--Diva is perfect! She has a gorgeous calico coat, and she even loves to be brushed. She gets along with other FIV-positive cats, too! She seems like a natural addition to a home with other kitties who share her same health condition.

Related: 18-Year-Old Cat Recently Surrendered to NYC Shelter Breaks Our Hearts

Because feline immunodeficiency virus can be transferred from one cat to another, animal shelters typically have a separate space for cats with this disease. It's mainly transferred through bite wounds, so even though the risk of transmission is low when cats get along, it's often not worth the risk.

It's estimated that up to 5% of cats around the world are infected with FIV, so this condition is more common than you may think. Many cat owners adopt FIV-positive cats because it's so hard for them to be adopted, but gorgeous girls like Diva have as good of a chance as any. Just make sure to brush this kitty to win her over!

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