From commentor David Smith:
This big goof is Ripley, who I adopted in a complicated series of circumstances just shy of three years ago now. At the time, he had found himself in a pretty tight spot. He came down with feline immunodeficiency virus, which meant his previous owners had to give him up.
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A lot of people assume that FIV is like HIV in that eventually it’ll break down the immune system completely and the patient will die of opportunistic diseases. Actually it doesn’t work that way. Cats with FIV, so long as they’re kept indoors and away from uninfected cats (to prevent the spread of the virus and protect them from germs other kitties might carry), can live a perfectly healthy and ordinary life.
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It was the indoor thing that tripped up Ripley. The lease on his owners’ home said no indoor pets, so he wound up in the care of a friend who works with a veterinarian in Seattle. I live in North Carolina, but as it happens, I was going home to Seattle to see my family at the time when that friend piped up on her blog that Ripley needed a new home.
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So I went to Seattle for Thanksgiving, met him, and took him home with me. Ever since then he’s been a wonderful pet – he loves people, and as the photo there suggests, he lived up to my friend’s billing as “a big snuggle bug.”
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I highly recommend, if you’re looking for a singleton cat who you can keep indoors, to give a chance to one with FIV. Some rescues specialize in FIV+ kitties – Purrfect Pals in Seattle is one. For obvious reasons, these guys have a harder time being adopted than most, and many are still euthanized when they test positive, even though they’re not difficult to care for at all. Ripley hasn’t caused me any more expense or trouble than any other cat. Wouldn’t trade him for the world.
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(Anne Laurie adds: I believe Ripley has just taken the Balloon Juice long-distance pet adoption crown. Formerly held, in my thoroughly unscientific poll, by our late rescue papillon Flash, for whom the Spousal Unit flew from Boston to Austin so that Flash could travel as carry-on luggage.)
freelancer (itouch)
Legendary standup and personal hero Marc Maron should prepare for a flash mob of hate:
http://m.gawker.com/5642206/comedian-live+tweets-sitting-next-to-ken-mehlman-on-a-plane-exposes-nipple
asiangrrlMN
Ohhhhhh! Ripley is a big, handsome snuggle cat, indeed! Great story, and I learned something new. So, it would be fine to adopt two FIV+ cats together?
cathaireverywhere
What a sweet little face!
sfinny
Awww, that is the cutest picture ever. Thank you David Smith for going that extra long mile. That is one happy snuggly cat, there.
bookcat
What a cute, sweet little face! You can look at that and know what happiness is.
eemom
purty contented kitty + 1/4 smiling human face + AC/DC T = killer cute pic.
Also. I purchased my first Furminator today and man does that thing work. After a mere 15 minutes or so on my yellow Lab mutt Rocky, I do indeed have enough fur to knit a whole new doggie, just like the lexicon sez.
mr. whipple
This story reminds me of a sad, but important story.
We had arranged to adopt a cat, but our plan was to take the cat directly from the shelter to the vet prior to introducing him to the rest of our gang.
He tested positive for FIV. I was very pissed when the shelter told me they didn’t test for FIV because ‘then people wouldn’t want the cats’. Fucking assholes.
I would never take a cat into the house with other cats without them first being evaluated by a vet.
Moses2317
Check out this list of Democratic accomplishments at my new blog post
Winning Progressive
Dee Loralei
That is one contented kitty, thanks for this as always!
apikoros
If you want a long-distance story, I was dating a woman in Los Angeles who does TNR there. At one point, she drove across the US to a VW bus campout in North Carolina Where I was going to meet up her and we were going to caravan back to DC. First, she stopped for gas in west Texas, middle of nowhere, and met up with a beautiful little gray tabby who was limping after being car-struck… permanently shattered rear ankle joint. She could not bear to leave it, so she packed it into the bus. Then her bus broke down in Atlanta, GA. I went down to Georgia (along with the devil :-) to pick her and the cat up and bring them to DC. On the way home, we stopped at the home of another VW bus owner, a vet, who offered to spay Luna. Turns out that Luna was, in addition to everything else, suffering from pyometra. After surgery, We got back to DC but Luna was going nowhere for a week, so after discussion, I kept Luna and she flew home. Luna healed nicely and is now the queen of the house and my heart.
3 years later, I adopted Selene more locally (Palmyra, VA). Selene was also car-struck and has radial nerve damage to her RF paw. That shelter brings animals to a local Pet Smart for adoption and when I asked about the availability of tripods they were thrilled. Since they are no-kill, adopting their less-than-perfect animals is a problem.
7 years later, my CA friend comes up with a beautiful black kitten that lost half of one rear leg and half his tail, we theorize to a dog. She calls me and I fly out, pick up the kitten, and fly it back with me as carry-on. Eclipse, thus, completes the CA-TX-VA trio.
Ash Can
Absolutely adorable. Great photo and great story.
tesslibrarian
@asiangrrlMN: That was my first thought, too: is it okay for multiple FIV+ cats to live in a home?
I also thought the virus was more like the human version–so wonderful that Ripley has such a cuddly, happy, long life!
Neal
I just want to say that these posts are my favorite thing about the blog. We lost our cat Po early Thursday morning – he apparently had a congentinal heart defect that is relatively common in male American shorthairs. I never knew. Doesn’t make it much easier.
We miss him dearly and we only had him 2 years. He lived under the deck in a house my wife and I rented. We were cat people with 2 already and he was scrawny and mangy and the previous owner left him behind. We took him in. He went from being super-timid and skittish to just the sweetest little guy in the world. He was a stray that needed a home (as 3 of our cats have been) and I wouldn’t trade the time we had with him for the world. I must say that an adult cat in need of a home can be the most affectionate/appreciative thing in the world.
My uncle had a cat with FIV that went to live on for years after his diagnosis. I hope other kitties in need find the homes and humans they deserve.
Comrade Mary
Oh, big, round plush cats, like Ripley and Tunch and Maru, are just so incredibly adorable and cuddly.
EDIT: Oh, I’m so sorry about Po. You did good bringing him in and giving him the longest, happiest life he could have had.
DFS
@asiangrrlMN: Yep, two or more FIV+ cats can live together without any trouble, I’ve known of a few folks who kept more than one. There’s also vaccines that have been developed relatively recently, but they’re not perfect yet – last I checked tests have shown that they don’t work reliably against all strains of the virus.
MikeJ
Ripley: These people are here to protect you. They’re soldiers.
Newt: It won’t make any difference.
burnspbesq
This should make our genial host haz a happy.
His favorite company is having a not-so-good year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/20wall.html?_r=1&hp
WaterGirl
@Neal: I’m so sorry you lost your boy, and lost him so young. It must have been a terrible shock to you. I’m so glad you found each other, though, he sounds like a special boy.
Martin
Mmm. Mojitos.
+lost count
electricgrendel
I want a cat that snuggles like that. My cat is super neurotic and only allows you to pet her if you’re sitting down with your arm hanging off the sofa/chair and she’s walking in a figure 8, or if you’re lying down and she lies precariously next to you (ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.)
Neal
Thanks, Mary. It’s tragic that these little angels have to leave us. But I consider it the right thing to do to help as many as we can while we’re here. They’re never replaced. They all have their own little personalities. We’re just here to love them. We’ve lost two this year (Po had his heart issue, Sadie had a heartworm that she probably had when I took her in, no way to know) and my mother lost the two I grew up with (one was 21, the other 17). It’s been hard.
Neal
Thanks, watergirl. Definitely a shock. No sign of anything. He woke us up at 3 am. We were all in bed together. We were at the vet by 3:45 and he was gone 10 minutes later.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@burnspbesq: Yeah. I’ve been trying to tell people for a while that they were jumping the gun on saying the masters of the universe were back to taking all the money. Given my suspicions about their balance sheets, I’m not entirely thrilled by this.
I think I’m going to have some of my raspberry/blackberry infused Tito’s vodka. I have a bunch of limes I need to cut up and zest to let mingle with some Three Olives.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Neal: My condolences.
pattonbt
Well, just voted (absentee for Colorado). Hopefully my blue votes make a difference!
Ripley
Clearly, I approve.
WaterGirl
@Neal: okay, sobbing now after reading what you wrote. from everything’s normal to gone, in less than an hour. I don’t know how you even wrap your head around that, much less your heart. glad he woke you guys up rather than hiding when he knew something was wrong. that speaks to his love for you, i think, and the good care you gave him. my sweet girl kitty must have realized i am crying, she just came over to sit by me as she does whenever i am sad. i am so sorry for your loss.
Yutsano
KITTEH!!
So now my grandiose experiment begins in earnest. After losing an argument with my parents, I took my mostly outdoor orange furball back to my place in Seattle, where he will be condemned to a completely indoor existence for the near future. He has already given me several looks of death, so if I disappear tell the police to come looking for my body.
burnspbesq
Chunky Bobo is spewing nonsense again.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/opinion/20douthat.html?hp
Hoping that Andrew, who writes with great passion and clarity about our Catholic faith, will take the time to eviscerate him.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq:
I had to read this paragraph several times to grok anything resembling meaning from it. Is Ross trying to excuse the abuse scandal simply because the Church was afraid of scandal and no other reason? LOLWUT?
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
Even if he’s correct about the data, it’s irrelevant. Thousands of lives were wrecked by people in positions of trust and authority. Anyone who did it, facilitated it, covered it up, or apologizes for it will of course have to answer to God for their sins – after, one hopes, answering to the secular authorities for their crimes.
This is the thing that Benedict has done that I can’t excuse, can’t forgive, and can’t ignore. The Church has survived Popes who were wrong on matters of faith and doctrine. It will survive Benedict’s errors on matters of faith and doctrine. But this … (quoting Bruce Cockburn) … this is something other.
You Don't Say
I absolutely love this photo and story. Ripley is the sweetest looking fella. I don’t always post in the adoption story threads, but I love them all. Keep them coming.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Yutsano: Uhm, not to defend the Chunkster, but his point is a bit different than that. He’s not trying to excuse the scandal, at least not there.
If the data is correct, what it suggests is that those saying that priests’ celibacy was one of the causes of the abuse is incorrect. There are a lot of people saying that the abuse scandal means that they need to get rid of that celibacy. Ross’ point isn’t that the Church doesn’t need to change. It’s that it needs different changes than a lot of people are arguing it does.
Mary G
@Neal: So sorry about Po. What a shock it must have been. I agree that these pet pieces are my favorite things on the blog. Politics is depressing and I am not a football fan, but I still check Balloon Juice all day for pet pics and stories.
The picture of Ripley is adorable. And I had no idea cats with FIV could live so long.
@apikoros: Bless you.
asiangrrlMN
@Neal: I’m so sorry, Neal, for the loss of your loved one. I am very glad Po got to know love in his short life. I am sending a white light to guide him on his journey to the other side.
@DFS: Excellent. I will file that away. Thanks!
@Yutsano: Why do you do that to yourself? Reading Douthat, I mean. Just say no. Really. You’ll have enough to worry with your own Tunch-like situation (cat kills man! News at eleven).
asiangrrlMN
@apikoros: That’s most excellent. I hope you’ve sent in your story to Anne Laurie!
@tesslibrarian: You know, one of the things I like best about this site is that I learn something new every time I visit.
Who’s up?
chaseyourtail
Ohhhh, what a snuggly, snuggle bug! I’m so glad Ripley found such a great home with you and your family.
pieceofcake
An open LoveLetter to the so called American Left
and
Glenn Greenwald
and
Digby
and every ‘Comrad’ out there… (Hi Che!)
Dear Comrads – Dear Glenn – Dear Digby –
United we stand divided we fail! And TODAY we call on ALL of you to join us –
with Jon and Stephen – on the 30th of octobre – on the final march to sanity (or fear) –
And it is not true that Glenn is a humoreless and boring Lump!!
For over two years we made fun of him. We ridiculed everything – even his most private affinity towards dogs – AND we called him a ‘lawyer’ – And he took it all in good humor – and when he finally banned us from his blog – it probably only was because we didn’t use the f-word enough. The internet is a very sensitive and timid place and we – the Left – are very sensitive people -(much more than these f… ‘Righties’) – And our feelings very easily get hurt. So – please Mr. President – and dear Jon – don’t mock us any more –
Take off your f… gloves and treat us like the ‘dogs’ we are! (‘good dogs’) – and in this spirit – and with the knowledge that WE are the funniest people alive – (and not these teabaggers) – We all should join hands on the 30th and march towards ‘sanity’ (or fear)-
And if you come . We will hug y’all – and we are mighty cute – and young – so you will like it to be hugged –
(and if you don’t – like digby? – we will kiss you – Smmooch!)
Signed
Five pieces of a pieceofcake
jayboat
Love that catface.
RosiesDad
@freelancer (itouch): When I woke up at 3:30AM and couldn’t fall back asleep, I plugged in my iPod and listened to WTF #99 and 100. He’s a madman. In a good way, mostly.
As a veterinarian, I will attest to the fact that many FIV+ cats who are not also FeLV+ live long, happy and healthy lives. Some may be more susceptible to infections but many/most are not. They should be kept indoors to avoid spreading the virus but most require little healthcare above and beyond what FIV- cats require. So for anyone thinking about adopting a kitty, an FIV+ cat can be a great save.
ET
Look at that kitty face….awwwwwwwww
WereBear
Yes, I hear from people with many FIV+ cats, and they are wonderful folks.
@Yutsano: You might consider getting another cat. A playmate and fellow plotter is a great way to make up for the loss of the Great Outdoors. And if he’s a climber at all, investing in a good cat tree will pay off; he will miss that.
Orange boys have their mellow side. Show you are making an effort!
And Ripley is adorable. All they want is love; it’s a shame that can be too hard for some shelters to grasp.
apikoros
@asiangrrlMN: No, I haven’t. I’m an awful photographer and don’t have pix to accompany the story. I’m also a very very occasional commenter here, much more of a lurker. I only told the story now because of the “long distance” comment… I know how that one goes!
Neal
Thanks, everyone. I read every day but rarely post. Glad to get that off of my chest. I appreciate the kind words.
kimberlydana
Six months after the sad demise of our tortie Dorothy Parker, my mother-in-law felt that it was time to adopt a new girl. She kept sending kitty photos to tantalize us from the Humane Society in Harrisburg. We finally succumbed. However, we live in Ottawa. So, we emailed the HS to make inquiries about international adoptions. That caused a bit of excitement and a flurry of emails.The deal was that we had to meet the cat first. So we filled out the paperwork, and were eventually provisionally approved for adoption. Then we drove down to PA to visit Beau-pere and Belle-mere for Mother’s Day. We all trouped down to the HS for the big meet. The staff showed “Andi” to us, we thought she was gorgeous. Amazingly friendly after 14 months in a cage. Beau-pere paid the adoption fee as an anniversary gift. Our little girl is now Arundhati Roy (Dhati for short). She’s funny, not terribly snuggly (but darn good enough), very vocal, and loves to play. Not by herself, of course.
kc
Ahh, what a sweet pic! Love these stories.
fiona
I’ve had 2 cats before Angus, and he has the Calichi virus, he was very poorly at first, but now is just a bounding ball of fluff, and if god forbid anything happens to him, I would most certainly have another poorly cat, he has just been such a delight to have around, an expensive one maybe, but certainly a delight.
Jen
I am so in love with the kitten my roommate and I adopted yesterday. He was a stray, spurned by his mother and found on the doorstep of a caring but not-cat-inclined man. My roommate’s friend took him in and cared for him, and when he was old enough she put out the call for adoption. My roommate knew I desperately wanted a cat (having just ended 13 years of marriage to a feline-allergic man, and feeling kitty-deprived) so he claimed the kitten.
I was worried little Connor (roomie picked the name, not me) might have health issues, since sometimes that’s the reason a mother might abandon her offspring, but the vet gave him a clean bill of health when he got his shots. He’s currently restricted to my roommate’s portion of the apartment while we kitten-proof the rest, and madly curious to explore that one door we won’t let him through.
The first time I met him he curled right up in my arms, started purring, and went to sleep. Why would anyone pay $$$ to a breeder for a showpiece cat, when a hardluck kitty adopted for free can give you that kind of happiness?