Rest in Peace My Gentle Babies

Yesterday, New Year's Eve Day, was a tough one for me.

I once again had to end the suffering of one of my old timers - this time is was my Baby Boy BORIS.   Boris was my FIV kitty that I rescued maybe 7 years ago behind Lorraine's Lunch Basket on Culver Road near East Main Street, which was one of my very first feeding spots.  I set up shelter behind the restaurant, under one of their old service trucks.   I snuck every morning for over a year, but they finally caught wind of what I was doing and ran me out of there.  I have never frequented their dining establishment since.  Back to Boris, he would come around every morning, and this was in January during one of the most coldest winters in a very long time, it was minus zero for weeks straight.  He would head butt me because I would have to lay on the ground (after shoveling out a place to lay) and try to make the best I could out of a box under the truck with towels and food.  He did this each morning until I couldn't take it anymore.  He was such a nice cat, I used to think he belonged to someone.  But morning after morning, out in that weather, I knew it just wasn't so.  I scooped him up, and brought him home.  I noticed he had a pretty much hairless stomach so I thought maybe he had recently had surgery.  I faxed him pic to most of the vets in the city of Rochester, hoping one would recognize him, but no one responded.  So, he became my boy.  I found out it was a nervous condition - he was licking off his fur!  I believe this was caused by stress, because after time, his belly became furry again.  He also tested positive for FIV. 

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) has been associated with cats for many years, although it was only labelled as such as recently as 1986. The virus depletes the number of white blood cells, which eventually makes the cat less able to fight off infection. However, because it is such a slow acting virus many FIV positive cats can enjoy a normal lifespan with no apparent health problems resulting from the virus.

FIV is species specific. It can only be transmitted from cat to cat, not to humans or other animals.

FIV belongs to the same group as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and for this reason has received much greater attention than it would otherwise have done. The mere mention of FIV, and the fact that it is sometimes inaccurately known as 'Feline Aids', strikes unnecessary terror into the heart of many cat-owners, so it is worth taking time to consider the facts dispassionately. Firstly, the viral strains used in laboratories on experimental cats were very virulent, and much previously published information is based on this. However, FIV strains in cats living normal lives tend to be much more benign, and may never cause disease.

His diagnosis didn't stop me.  I had other cats in the house, but the disease can really only be passed by a severe bite wound, and Boris was a gentle giant.  I knew there wouldn't be a problem, so he was let out to roam in the general public.  :)  He was my pillow snuggler, and boy could he drool!  While I stroked and scratched his head, he would purr very loudly, and try to snuggle as close as possible to me, at times where I couldn't take a breath!  He was my boy, and I protected him as much as I could from the dangers in the air that that could hurt him, and make him susceptible to sickness. 

The doctor told me that for an FIV kitty, he lived a good long life.  I stroked his head as Dr. Boehm gave him his final injection, and told him to go to his brothers and sisters.   Within the past three months, I've lost four other of my old timer kitties - Trouble, Toonces, Cosmo, Barney and now Boris.  Not to mention all the other babies I've had to end their suffering in one form or another that I rescued off the street.  With each one's passing, my life becomes a little more empty, and as heartwrenching as it is to do, I will continue my mission in trying to save another cat's life, as they all deserve a good loving home.

Boris and Toonces