Max & Toby Domestic Short Hair Malden, MA

These two adorable, sweet, loving, super friendly, purrfect male kittens are ready for adoption. Through no fault of their own, they are FIV+.

What if kittens test positive for FIV?

Kittens that test positive for FIV probably do NOT have FIV! Kittens born to an FIV mother will inherit her antibodies, but not usually the virus. A mother cat with FIV will have FIV antibodies which are produced by her immune system in response to the virus. When pregnant, she will pass these antibodies to her kittens through the blood, but she will not pass the virus, which will not cross the placenta. The virus is also present in the mother's milk, and yet it is rare that the kittens actually get the virus from their mother (this also shows how hard it is to transmit the virus across the mucous membrane, indicating that the virus is NOT very contagious).Because the usual test for FIV actually looks for the antibodies and not the virus, a kitten from an FIV mother can get a positive test result without any virus being present.

As the kittens grow, they will gradually lose their inherited protection and will then test negative. This can take several months, the actual time varies between kittens, so any FIV positive test is not reliable until the kitten is at least six months old, and possibly older.

Truly FIV positive kittens are not common. If a kitten really is FIV positive then they may have a shorter lifespan; however, we have had truly FIV positive kittens who stay very healthy throughout their lives.

The good news is that many cats with FIV may never display symptoms; they may live normal, happy, healthy lives and have typical lifespans. Caring for a cat with FIV is much the same as caring for any other cat; you must give them healthy food, regular vet care and be vigilant for signs of illness. Secondary infections should be watched for and any health problems, no matter how minor they might seem, should be treated as soon they arise. Above all, your FIV cat needs love, attention, and support, just like any other cat.

FIV is not easily passed between cats as it cannot be spread casually through litter boxes, food and water bowls, or snuggling and playing. This disease is transferred when an infected cat bites another cat and breaks the other cat’s skin. This means that a neutered cat in a home is highly unlikely to infect any other cats as long as they are properly introduced or are not particularly aggressive in nature. FIV is much more difficultly transmitted than people are led to believe and this stigma leads to many FIV cats having a hard time finding homes. Adopt an FIV cat and help break the stigma!

These brothers are sweet, extremely friendly and extroverted, and love to purr and play, alone or with each other. They have hilarious individual quirks--Max acts as the leader of the group, an outgoing born adventurer who loves to climb and knead all over you. Toby is a natural hunter who loves to pounce on his toys! These little boys get along gangbusters with each other, and are equally loving on their own.

Please note: WE DO NOT ADOPT OUT SINGLE KITTENS. Kittens need to be adopted as a pair or to a home with another cat/kitten already in the home.

If you are interested in finding out more about these kittens, please fill out an application on our website by copying and pasting the following link into your browser.

http://www.brokentailrescue.org/adoption-application/

Max and Toby are being fostered in Malden and the adoption fee is $250 for each kitten/$500 for a pair.

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