I fed Tom Cat

[bmccasland]

From the "Show us your pets" thread, I wrote about Patches the kitty that I had to have put to sleep last week because she was postive for feline HIV. Well Patches had a boyfriend, and intact male, that I called Tom (not very origional I know), that had been sharing her food bowl most days. I haven't been putting food out since she died, but last night Tom was on the back porch looking for the food bowl, and he was looking pretty skinny. I swore I wasn't going to feed him.... as he's supposed to have a real home. But he was looking skinny, and I miss her, and he'd only eat after Patches ate, so I poured some kibble in her bowl, and set it out. I'm fairly certain he'll be positive for FHIV. He's much more skittish, about the way she was a year ago. Tom has gotten somewhat used to me over the months, in that he doesn't competely run away when I open the door, but he does run off a few feet, ready to run further.

Oh what a mess. I don't really know what to do. Continue to put food out and try to make friends, knowing that I really need to catch him ASAP. Get a have-a-heart trap and take him to the vet that way. Or just turn my back, hoping he'll go back home if there's no food to be had?

[Tuckervill]

I'd put out the trap right away. If he does have FHIV, isn't it more humane than to let him suffer with the illness? And spread it around? And make more babies? If he doesn't have it, you can neuter him and then build the relationship if you want.

It's always a good idea to take care of the least of these.

Bless you,
Karen

[Biciclista]

these little cats are heart breakers.
The fact is, you HAVE been feeding him. If you stop, that's pretty harsh, you know? I hope you trap him and find out he's not sick.

[smilingcat]

He may be slightly ferral. Not totally though. There is a good chance he has decided where his home is. Just bit aloof and maybe just a bit skittish.

You have been feeding him and he is skinny now, so he doesn't know how to catch his food. Poor guy is starving for a week.

Call a local rescue group and see if you could borrow a trap. Get him to a vet, have him checked out and get him neutered. Meanwhile keep putting out some food for him just enough so he can finish it off.

After losing your own cat, I know it is so hard to take up a new one; but, I think he has a home. Sometimes, its not our choice.

I wish you lots of luck with Tom.

Some of the names of my past cats: Puff, Mr. Cat (a black and white tuxedo cat with white socks), Sylvester... And one of our current cat is named Tommy aka Tomtom or just Tom.

Wish you lots of luck and wish your tom a long healthy life.

[Eden]

FIV does not have to be an automatic death sentence Any cat diagnosed definitely needs to go to an indoor only home so that they cannot spread the disease, but they need not die. The shelter that I volunteer at cares for and adopts out FIV+ cats. They need to be watched to be sure they are not getting sick and kept from contact with cats that do not have FIV, but otherwise do not require any special care. In fact they may be carriers without getting sick themselves.