New Cat House!!!

 

 

These are the first pictures of Happy Whiskers' new cat house! (Click on each photo to see a larger version)  Thanks to a grant from the Petco Foundation, we were able to purchase this 12' x 28' A-frame Amish-built shed and have it built to our specifications.  Our plan is to make our current cat house into a home for FIV positive cats.  Our adoptable cats will move into this new, larger, cat house that includes a 12' x 8' space for office use that will also double as a place for potential adopters to meet the animal they are interested in adopting.

We would like to extend a special Thank You to C & H Supply Co. in Adamstown, MD and Jefferson, MD.  They are a family owned business, animal lovers, and they took a genuine interest in our cat house project.  They gave us a very fair price on the new cat house and took care to ensure that no detail was left out.  We appreciate all of their hard work and dedication to our project.

About FIV in cats:
FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) in cats is very similar to HIV in humans.  It is a virus that attacks a cat's immune system, making them more susceptible to disease and illness.  Much like in humans, FIV causes AIDS in cats, however there is a long period of time when cats are asymptomatic before they develop AIDS.  FIV in cats is most often spread by deep bite wounds that are suffered during fights.  It cannot be spread through casual contact, such as sharing food bowls or cuddling.  FIV positive cats CANNOT spread the disease to humans!  FIV positive cats can live long lives provided they are kept healthy and receive routine vaccinations and vet care.  They should be kept indoors and feed a high-quality food, to promote balanced nutrition.  The best way to prevent FIV in cats is to not let cats run loose outside and to neuter male cats and spay female cats.  Many FIV infections are the result of un-neutered male cats fighting over territory and over females in heat.  Neutered male cats are more docile and less apt to fight.