Penelope joins Jenny as the only female cats in the FIV+ Suite.But, while Jenny is small, demure and shy, Penelope is quite the opposite.

She is quite robust (as you can see from the photos) and she stands up for herself to the guys in the room.In particular, she has been seen by several people giving Jack a few shots to the head.(Don’t worry about Jack. He can quite domineering and we’re happy that Penelope doesn’t back down from him.)Penelope had been at a New Jersey shelter a long time, and no one had looked at her for adoption. Space was tight at the shelter, but the staff held onto Penelope long enough for her to reach the top of our FIV waiting list. We were happy to finally be able to accept this dear girl into the Sanctuary.

An FIV+ cat has been infected with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).This virus disables or destroys the white blood cells, and leaves the cat susceptible to infections. Once a cat is infected with FIV, the cat is infected for life and can transmit the virus if he or she bites another cat.Our FIV+ cats have their own suite and we are extra-careful about disease control procedures in their suite.In addition, they are fed a higher-quality (and more expensive) diet than our other cats, in hopes of boosting their immune systems.

Penelope is a sweetie and we hope that someday she will be adopted into a loving home.But, because she is FIV+, her chances of adoption are greatly lessened and she requires extra veterinary attention.Please sponsor Penelope and help us to give her the care she deserves.