Tabby's Place in Hunterdon set to unveil haven for cats with feline leukemia virus

A unique place for special cats is celebrating its grand opening this weekend.

Tabby's Place, a cage-free sanctuary on Route 202 in Ringoes for cats in hopeless situations, is hosting from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday a grand opening of Quinn’s Corner, an expansion to its facility, for cats with feline leukemia virus (FeLV).

But because FeLV is so easily transmitted and poorly understood, not even Tabby’s Place had the capability to house these cats. Now, thanks to a generous $3.5 million anonymous donation, it can welcome cats diagnosed with the infectious disease.

Quinn’s Corner expands Tabby’s Place from 7,000 to 12,000 square feet. It is meticulously designed to meet the needs of FeLV+ cats and offers a haven of hope and happiness for the "final frontier" of desperate felines, said Angela Townsend, Tabby’s Place development director.

Tabby’s Place will mark the occasion with a celebration that also coincides with its 20th anniversary. The day will include tours, visits with the cats, vendors, refreshments and activities for all ages. Admission is free.

What is feline leukemia virus?

Tabby's Place is known for taking on special-needs cats that others might see as unadoptable. Many are elderly, diabetic, paraplegic or positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). But FeLV was a different story.

FeLV weakens a cat's immune system, leaving it susceptible to other diseases. Because it is a highly transmissible disease that can easily be spread − from sharing a water bowl, grooming one another or other common interactions − it is difficult to predict and can claim a cat's life in months or years.

FeLV is a disease that only affects cats. It cannot be transmitted to people, dogs or other animals. Typically, it is the second leading cause of death among cats, killing 85% of persistently infected felines within three years of diagnosis, according to WebMD.

The disease is so confusing because cats can test positive, they can test negative, and test positive on one test and negative on another, Townsend said. Some can seem to fight it off better than others.

When you meet the cats of Quinn’s Corner, you would never guess there’s anything "different" about them, Townsend said.

"Cheerful Charles is a marmalade comedian, while snuggly Sammy is the queen of hugs," she said. "But each of these cats lives with feline leukemia virus, a diagnosis that leaves them with few options."

What does Quinn's Corner look like?

More than 50 cats can reside in Quinn's Corner.

The new expansion includes a bright and open area where friendly FeLV+ cats will snuggle with visitors and volunteers, enjoying the same social life as "normal" cats. There are sunny solaria spaces where FeLV+ cats can enjoy fresh air, sunshine, chirping birds and safe access to the outdoors and microsuites, a first-of-its-kind feature for FeLV+ cats, where discordant cats will thrive with human officemates and have access to solaria.

There also are large cage-free communal "colony" suites for five to 10 cats, designed to meet their needs and delight their senses with lots of vertical space, cozy nooks and access to a safe, enclosed outdoor solaria.

"The cats that have had the hardest lives are now going to have the most beautiful lives," Townsend said. "Their lives are going to be about much more than survival and keeping away from death. It'll be a life of joy."

The expansion also allowed for the laundry and food prep stations in Tabby’s Place to grow by almost 100%, further enabling the sanctuary to keep all the feline residents clean, comfortable and well-fed.

And thanks to Quinn's Corner, numerous FeLV+ cats already have been adopted − six in the last few weeks.

"Our feeling was always that even if these cats should live only a short amount of time, we yearn to be able to give them the love and the kind of life that every cat deserves," Townsend said. "This is the last group of cats in the world to have anyone to love them, and we want to remedy that. Truly, nothing is impossible when love is unconditional."

Who is Quinn, the new space's namesake?

In 2015 a tiny kitten was found face-down in the snow.

A Good Samaritan rushed her to Tabby’s Place, knowing its reputation. But no sooner did the kitten pull through her initial trauma, than she tested positive for FeLV, after first testing negative.

While their "collective heart broken," the staff at Tabby's Place cobbled together an isolation room using their limited resources. They were determined to do their best for the kitten, whom they named Quinn.

A short time later, a woman who had been a longtime donor came to Tabby’s Place seeking to adopt a cat that no one else wanted. She had "a heart of gold," Townsend said.

"Her mission in life was to care for hospice animals," Townsend said. "She was like a one-woman Tabby’s Place where she wanted to take the ones that no one else could handle."

For the woman and Quinn, it was love at first sight. The staff was worried that the adopter didn't know what lay ahead − adopting a cat with FeLV. Quinn may only live a few months, or a year, if lucky. But the woman understood.

And Quinn went home.

Months passed. Years passed. And Quinn remained a healthy, active cat.

It was said that she "filled her new family’s life with sunshine," Townsend said. But their joy was tempered by knowing that most FeLV+ cats like Quinn would never know love and safety.

The woman came back to Tabby’s Place once again. This time she was determined to work with the sanctuary to change the world for FeLV+ cats. It was she who made a generous pledge to enable Tabby's Place to expand and care for these most vulnerable cats.

The inspiration for Quinn's Corner is now eight years old.

"She is doing great," Townsend said, "And is the epitome of the condition − proof they can live long, beautiful lives."

Sadly, Quinn's mama – the anonymous initial donor − passed away. Quinn now lives with her parents, Townsend said, and continues to thrive and bring them joy every day.

"We think about her every day," she said. "She was an extraordinary person."

Tabby’s Place can be reached at 908-237-5300 or info@tabbysplace.org, or by mail at 1100 US Highway 202, Ringoes, NJ 08551.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Tabby's Place set to unveil haven for cats with feline leukemia virus