I hope that this note finds you well. If you are like me, you are spending a lot of time outside. The summer weather allows me the opportunity to go back and forth from the solarium to the FIV+ suite many times during the day. This freedom gives me more self confidence, and I feel more comfortable around the other cats and the many people that I see at Tabby’s Place.
Big news – we are contributing to medical science! A Colorado vet is studying a new FIV+ test that might be able to differentiate between the antigen and the antibody for the virus. As part of this study, all of us FIV+ cats are giving blood samples and swabs of cells from our cheeks. This could be a lifesaving development: presently, even an FIV- cat will test positive for the virus if he’s been vaccinated against it. This new test will hopefully be able to distinguish between vaccinated cats and truly FIV+ cats.
And now I must share some very sad news … our beloved suitemate Jean Valjean has passed away. Jean Valjean battled a multitude of health woes, constellating around weight loss, anemia, and bone marrow problems. Jean Valjean was such a beautiful boy inside and out. He was very brave and outgoing with people and would sit on their laps and let them pet him. He will be missed by all of us, and never be forgotten.
When Jean Valjean was diagnosed with all three strains of mycoplasmosis (sometimes referred to as hemobart), the Tabby’s Place’s vet team tested all the members of FIV+ Suite for this condition. It is rare for a cat to have all three strains of this bacterial infection, but Jean Valjean did…and so, it turns out, does Newman. (Charlie had a single strain, and everyone else was mycoplasmosis-free.) Luckily, Newman’s mycoplasmosis is entirely asymptomatic. That’s a very good sign, suggesting that he may simply be a carrier. My friends here are treating him with antibiotics and expect him to do just fine.
I consider myself so lucky to be here at Tabby’s Place. Thank you for continuing to support me.
xoxoxoox,
Mona