Rescuing six FeLV+ kittens
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- Опубліковано 28 лис 2021
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This crew had a rough start to life. After losing both of their moms unexpectedly, several weeks later we learned that all six kittens were born with FeLV, or Feline Leukemia Virus. Our understanding of feline viruses like FeLV has changed significantly over the last few years. It affects different cats in different ways. FeLV+ cats can live happy healthy lives for much longer than is commonly understood. Recent studies indicate the median lifespan for a healthy FeLV+ cat can be six years.
Wren and Piper have been adopted, but Lark, Robin, and Dove are still looking for their forever home! They deserve a life filled with love, playtime and comfort. And of course, tomorrow is never guaranteed for any of us.
To learn more about adopting Lark, Robin, Dove, or any FeLV+ cat, please visit: www.flatbushcats.org/blog/felv
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I have fostered for a special needs animal rescue group for almost 20 years. Seven years ago I rescued a group of 5 kittens and two tested positive for FeLV. At that time they were given a prognosis of 6 months to 1 year to live so I adopted them permanently with the intention of giving them a happy life even though it would be a short one. Today they are a little more than seven years old and very healthy. They still test positive for FeLV but have shown absolutely no health issues associated with the disease. For my husband and I, they are the light of our lives and we are thankful every day that we brought them into our home. Please do not be afraid to adopt an FeLV cat or any special needs animal. It's such an added blessing to know you helped a soul in need.
good job, the gift you give is priceless, thanks for giving these animals such opportunities
I was gonna cry it is so CUTE!!!!!!!
This is beautiful. Just beautiful. I am so glad you all got the happiness you guys deserved.
@@TheDualismOfKoala r
@@TheDualismOfKoala When a cat gets FeLV, one of several things can happen, they might entirely throw off the virus, becoming immune, but antibody positive (so always have a virus test done, which takes about two weeks, not the instant result you can get for the antibody test). Or they can become fatally ill and die. Or they can become persistently viraemic (which is very common). The persistently viraemic cats may at some point throw off the virus, hence the need for repeat virus tests, or they may carry it all their lives. At some point, when they are run down or their immunity is low, they may develop a lymphosarcoma (cancer of the lymph glands) which will kill them, or have an illness they just can't fight off.
I had two FeLV+ cats in the days before there was a vaccine for it. One died from Thymic Lymphosarcoma which made it hard for her to breathe. The other died from a tumour of the liver, related to FeLV. The first one died at just 2 years, the second at 6 years.
So yes, it can lie 'dormant' but a cat can also throw it off. How this is done is a mystery and one which medical researches have tried to unravel as it provides hope for a related human condition HIV (which is more like FeLV than like FIV). Neither virus is transmissible between humans and cats.
I'm so sorry to hear about the mums....that must have been absolutely awful. Thank you for taking care of the young ones.
Yes,
Ffs what's wrong with people.. these cats are a gift from god
@@gamer-by2tx huh?
@@bytblox3366 the mum being poisoned is what I'm referring to...
@@gamer-by2tx i mean i feel like it wasnt on purpose that they put rat poison
We adopted a 6 year old FeLV+ cat about 2 years ago now. She is the softest, kindest, snuggliest cat I have ever had. She is wonderful with my daughter. I wouldn’t trade her for the world ❤️
❤👍
My cat is FeLV+, he is 13 and doing well, he is my life I love him so much. Hi from Italy!
I'd say be attentive but don't worry as it's probably nothing. After what's been going on over the past two years, I have a hard time believing anything any "expert" says in the chapter of deadly viruses: People will take any ordinary flu or condition and twist it into something murderous that's gonna cause everyone to drop like flies. If a being looks and acts perfectly healthy for a steady amount of time, that means they are healthy.
I have been chronically ill for years and hearing someone say that our medical status does not define us was very moving.
💖
As a disabled person, "We are not defined by our medical status" Hits real hard. As always, I'm glad these cats have you- all the fosterers and carers over there in Flatbush.
Well, I wasn't expecting to be absolutely sobbing this early in the morning
This is the first somewhat sad video Flatbush has produced, but it's all part of caring for stray cats.
@@1940limited There are a couple more videos that are absolutely tear-jerkers.
@@1940limited oh no... the first one that really got me was Lionel. oh god.
@@kateh3718 That one had a happy ending, didn't it?
@@1940limited lionel's story was very sad. he died shortly after being adopted out from FIP. he was very loved in his short life, but it is still heartbreaking.
My much loved cat, DrBirdie, had a live expectancy of 6 years and lived up to the ripe old age of 13, despite being FeLV+. The only downside was a shortage of breath and a deep dislike of vets. I really love what you're doing!
Wow, that is amazing!
After finishing this video, this really resonated with me. I try to provide a home for fish that have congenital deformities or oddities because they often tend to be discarded. One of mine has a chronic virus that can shorten lifespans greatly but I love her just as much. We took in a young, scraggly angelfish with fin-rot and he has grown up to be a strong, healthy boy. All these types of animals deserve love even if it makes them different. Keep doing what you do, it's seriously amazing.
Amazing. I never heard of adopting fish. So many people do wonderful things for wild life.
Your story made me smile. You are right. Perfect does not mean beautiful. Our last rescue wouldn't have won any beauty contests but now he is healthy and happy and safe and adored. Keep up the good work you do.
@@1940limited Well most of them aren't wild at all. They are bred and in many cases done in an enviroment where losses are expected as part of the business. Makes it kind of tough considering wether you are doing good for a fish by buying it or doing bad for the other ones that will be bred in bad conditions from the revenue.
You are a good person.
Whenever we sees a fish with deformities in a shop, we also try to get them. So far, we had one who was blind, and one with a deformed spine, and one with teared fins, who was abused by the other fishes.The man in the shop didn't really want to give them to us, even free, because of their deformities.
Both lived happily in our pond with the other fishes, in absolutely peace.
The one with the deformed spine grew so much, his/her spine after some time became totally normal.
Beautiful ❤️❤️
I miscarried this morning and something about your video makes me feel more at peace. Fingers crossed that the remaining kitties get adopted ❤️
Awww 😢 I’m so sorry to hear that Madison. It’s amazing how much you can fall in love with someone who hasn’t been born yet. My DIL had a miscarriage, it was so heartbreaking.
My sincere condolences, Madison. Truly. Nothing else I say will help.
sorrow is somehow good for us isn't it, it joins us to everything. Though nobody ever wants it! I am terribly sorry for your loss, sending you warm wishes.
Sorry for your loss
Condolences on your loss, ma'am.
🌻
I have a 6 year-old FELV positive cat (soon to be 7 years old) and she is perfectly healthy! She does require a few extra visits to the vet, but she's worth it.
This made me cry! The same thing happened to me in 2013. I rescued a mixed litter of 6 kittens who nursed from the same mom cat who had FeLV. Nobody would adopt the kittens so we kept them. They were the most wonderful, beautiful kittens in the world! The vet told us they wouldn't live past 2 years. Our first sweetheart passed at 10 months old, and for the next 7 months, one by one they all passed away. We are forever changed by that experience, but we wouldn't change a thing. We loved them till the end and beyond! They were incredible kittens! Love from Texas
Such sweetness deepened that you were willing to have a heartache for each. Thank you.
They all will be waiting for you at heavens gate
The kittens had no spice to them. Very sweet.
they had a little spice 1/10 just a wee bit o hissing before they were "aquired"
Seeing the blood all over the dens was haunting, the poor things.
Thank you for all that you do for the cats! Rat poison is such a terribly way to die. It should be outlawed.
Agreed.
@sweet mint That's why we have cats. To keep the rat population down. There are easily other alternatives. I've known of too many cases where sick fxxks used rat poison to kill these beautiful felines. Just because they're trying to survive. Including my own beloved tabby when I was 14 years old. She was caught in my neighbor's garden and this "woman" apparently didn't like that. So the black-hearted bxtch killed my cat with rat poison and left me broken and traumatized.
@sweet mint My cat accidentally got out. Most cats that are outside? That is *no* fault of their own They're feral and stray. A lot of them are dumped, forgotten, abused and left behind by thoughtless, uncaring, selfish, sick people. That was not the choice of these poor cats. They're just trying to survive. They didn't ask to be put in that situation. Everybody I know that has a cat or two or more has never had any mice or rat problems. Rat poison is not necessary. There are other alternatives.
@sweet mint I failed to mention that the people I *do* know who *don't* have cats, they have find a safer alternative to rat poison. Just because it has gotten into the wrong hands and other innocent animals have accidentally eaten it. And they unwittingly killed them.
I would agree mostly, but sometimes poison's the only way to get rid of rats or mice. I've been dealing with a mouse problem for a while now, and they simply aren't going for the traps. I'm going to have to resort to poison because nothing else has worked, and there's enough mice in the house that they're breeding and the population is growing. I'd _love_ to have a cat for a pet, but my allergies are severe enough that it might kill me.
I don't think poison's a good option to use outdoors, however, because too many other animals can eat it, as well as eat poisoned rats & mice. Not just cats, but dogs and wildlife.
I literally cant make it through one of these videos without sobbing. When people asked me what I want for christmas I told them to donate to you guys. Thank you so much for the wonderful work you do
After adopting a tuxedo kitten earlier this year that was roaming outside I've just come to the conclusion that all tuxedo cats are agents of chaos. Oddly enough I named her Piper. I hope the remaining three find homes!
I also have s tuxedo cat. We adopted him from our local shelter. His name is Sergio. He is very energetic! Still a bit skidish and doesnt like to be held yet. Any advice?
@@supermutharunna3118 I suggest getting a LOT of toys for him to play with and occupy him. Piper is very energetic and needs a lot of toys to play with or she'll be a tornado all day. She loves things she can chase and chew on but also those cardboard cat scratchers too
I had a tuxedo cat in the past. She was very intent on hunting and not so much into canoodling. I took her to the wilderness in Montana once and she was so thrilled! I think that was the highlight of her whole life. She kept coming back into the cabin window to tell me about her latest big adventure. And purring like mad.
My tuxedo certainly is!
I had to say goodbye to one of the best friends I've ever had a few years ago. Herman was the most loyal and loving boy. He was diagnosed with FELV at 6 months old and at the time I was told he wouldn't make it past 2 years, that I should actually consider putting him down! He made it a little over 14 years and gave us so much love. I miss him dearly and hope no one lets a diagnosis like that discourage them from providing a loving home to a deserving pet. I would give anything to hold him one more time, Herman you are so missed sweet boy!!! Thank you Flatbush Cats for all you do ❤
14 years!! thats amazing! he mustve been so loved
Usually at some point these rescue videos have me tearing up due to how big of a cat person I am, but this one really got me. I had a FeLV+ cat that my family had adopted from a friend. They had learned her status and couldn't deal with having to take care of her afterwards, so we took her in. We knew we had a limited amount of time with her, but we cherished it. Kiara was the first cat I had since my previous one, Momo, passed away after 12 years of a great life when I was 12. She was amazing, and everything I needed after the death of Momo. She was soft, with muted tortoiseshell colours. She was smaller, and slim, but very agile. She had all the love in the world for my entire family, but especially me. We took care of her the best we could, and gave her a great last two years of life.
But I never got to say goodbye. She died abruptly during an emergency trip to the vet, and I was delivered the news at school. I never regretted loving her for a day, and I never will. The only thing I wish I could go back and change is getting to see her one final time before she passed. She'll forever be in my heart. Please adopt FeLV+ cats, they deserve all of the love you have to offer.
Hope you enjoyed! We've got a few more coming soon too. To help make stories like this possible, please consider becoming a monthly supporter: www.flatbushcats.org/donate
Dammit. I can resist anything but temptation. What was that thing in the door with Garfield? Some kind of gate?
@backlashmarket I'm very glad to have become a monthly supporter, knowing how much good is being done, for those like my own beloved cats. I can't think of a better way to spend $25 bucks a month. Makes me warm inside.
This one hit different. Brought me back to a few of my FeLV, FIP, and FIV fosters. Ngl shed a few tears to this one but grateful as always. Keep fighting the good fight.
Is it possible to help with translation of captions to Russian? Will be useful for sharing in my region.
I enjoyed! I am so sorry about their moms. But you are giving these kittens 🐱 a second chance to live plus you’re saving their lives one by one in a good way of course.
I adopted my extremely handsome FELV+ (and FIV+) positive 3 year old cat early last year! He’s brought such a light into my life and I have no regrets…….. hoping he lives long and healthy with me
Those poor kitties. Thank God you're there to care for them.
I seriously wonder about people who would put poison out for ANY reason. What a horrible, painful way to die.
That's why public education is so important. And laws against cruelty to animals. There's something called "compensatory reproduction." When someone poisons rodents, not only can there be nontarget and secondary poisoning, but the target species start to reproduce and their population explodes, in compensation, because there's more food and territory for fewer animals. If you kill coyotes or den their pups, the same thing happens, as well as poisoning pigeons with Avitrol.
oh my gosh when the orange kitty was pawing the footage of them as kittens, it was like he was telling them it's going to be okay 😭
When you look at the conditions of these little sweeties when they were found, it's pretty clear that would not have lasted long. Thank you for nurturing the five of them, and helping them grow-up strong and healthy. And thank you for providing Finch with love and care before he passed.
And they wouldn’t have had their mothers either.
@@debbiethemadbee ye
Some months ago, a big tomcat started to live in our garden. He didn't really love our other cats, but it isn't really a surpise sinve he wasn't neutered.
He is otherwise a big cuddlebug, always seek the attention. Now he was neutered, with the help of an organization, some his teeth were pulled, and the tartar removed, ect. Unfortunately he was tested positive for FIV, but so far, there wasn't any health issue with him. Now he accepts more our cats, and doesn't start a fight with them whenever he sees them.
When I decided to commit to cats again (as an expatriate), I purposefully looked for an older, less adoptable pair. I got a 4 1/2 year old ordinary black and white brother-sister pair. Not long afterwards, a street cat I would sometimes feed and pet got sick. He really wanted to come home with me. After sleeping on it, I went back the next day with a carrier and he went right in. I had to wait to see a vet as it was the holidays, so he quarantined in a spare room. He was docile and used the litter box. As he had calicivirus (stomatitis and other problems), he ended up quarantined for almost 2 months, and my others were vaccinated just in case (I was told they were vaccinated when I got them- but I had no proof). I was told the new cat was about the same age (5 then). He was so skinny when he came home! He had lots of problems- eventually had dental extractions- but he’s the most loving and sweet cat! It’s not cheap, but he’s worth every penny. They’ll all (Suzy, Woosi, and Valjean) be 9 next year. They’re happy, playful, maybe a bit fat. Valjean was diagnosed with CKD, but it’s well managed. When I first got him checked out, I was glad he didn’t have FIV or FELV, but felt overwhelmed. The first few months I was squirting something in his eyes, mouth, ears almost every time I visited him. Now he’s been doing great (except one urinary infection) for years! He’s my special boy!! No regrets, even if I didn’t know what I was getting into back in 2017!
We’d been fostering for awhile when we got the news that one of the kittens we’d fostered had been diagnosed with FIP (incurable and fatal covid found in cats). We’d known that if we didn’t take her in, she’d be put down. We decided to adopt her, even if she’d only live a few months. We’ve stopped fostering to stop the disease from spreading but we don’t regret it because she is such a playful, snuggly kitten. We’re making sure she lives happy before she passes. Thank you guys for doing what you do. It’s tough but incredible and important work.
Hope it goes well for you both 😊
But FIP is curable! Its not common knowledge yet, but there is a treatment for FIP. Im gonna copy/paste a text from one of the FB groups who can provide you with more information:
Study of LMU München/Germany:
Curing Cats with Feline Infectious Peritonitis with an Oral Multi-Component Drug Containing GS-441524.
5. Conclusions
In conclusion, this study is the first prospective treatment trial clearly demonstrating that cats suffering from this tragic and fatal disease can be cured with oral treatment. Unfortunately, the drug is not currently legally available for veterinary use in many countries, forcing well-meaning owners to self-diagnose and treat their cats based on judgment of non-veterinary lay people and social media groups. Thus, there is an urgent need for respective official bodies and industry to work towards a swift licensing process of the drug so that it can be legally used by veterinary experts to offer supervised treatment to cats suffering from FIP.
Basically the vet cannot administer the drug, the owner himself have to do it. But the vet can support you otherwise, monitoring the process and giving advice. If you need more info, there are support groups on fb.
The word needs to be spread that FIP is not a 100% death sentence
Siri OS: I've heard that some advances have recently been made in treatment for FIP! Find a vet who is well versed in it. Of course, it also depends on your budgetary constraints. Vets have to work with people's emotional attachmente and finances, they understand that. But do some local phoning around first.
Yeah, we had a vet talk to us about an experimental treatment. The issue is he said it’s about $4,000 a month… which is far outside our budget. We’ll see if there are other options though in the future. Thanks everyone!
@@siri_os Maybe try starting a GoFundMe? If it's not too late, you can try garnering some support. Maybe reach out to family members and friends, too. If your boss is nice, maybe you could do a bit of overtime and get a small bonus.
I can't imagine how black your heart must be to lay out rat poison for dogs and cats. Thank you for everything you do.
The poison wasn't layed out specifically for stray/feral cats and dogs. The individual who put the poison out likely had a rat problem, and was possibly ignorant of the fact that a poisoned rat becomes poison itself for any animal that then eats that rat. The rats those mother cats ate were either alive, or had already passed from the poison and looked like a free, easy meal. I do agree it's unfortunate, though, and hopefully they were educated on methods of pest control that are more humane on the rats *and* other animals that may come in contact.
A lot of people have total indifference to animals and even hate cats. I guess they're the ones that gives videos like this thumbs down. They troll cat videos at times, too, with nasty comments. I'll never understand it.
I mean we do it for rats
@@Tressym. You never know about people.....our rear neighbor used to line his fence with some sort of netting so cats wouldn't walk along the top. We would rip down what we could reach. He once tried making it electrifying! We had words with him, that was many years ago. But I wouldn't put it past him to lay out a trap or poison.
@@flask223 it’s a terrible way for rats to die too
this is why i want to be a vet, man. getting to help animals when they cant ask for it is the only job I can be happy with
do it.
Flatbush Cats restores my humanity every day ♥️♥️
My partner and I made it our life goal that once we're able to financially support it, we want to start to foster cats and adopt unwanted or special needs cats. I want to be able to give a loving home to the ones who need it the most, even if it takes a long time for them to get used to us. We currently have a senior cat and a recent adoptee who's the sweetest little boy ever. He was, and still is incredibly human shy and the shelter was worried about food aggression and other bad behaviour so no-one wanted him. He's been with us for 5 months and has blossomed into the silliest little guy and we love him so much. It warms my heart to see people care about cats as much as you guys do, it's amazing and inspiring to see you work.
So nice to hear
I've been working with a feral cat outside for almost 2 months, I'm hoping to trap her this week and take her to the vet to do full blood work and also get spayed, I hope that she doesn't get pregnant or eaten by a coyote and pray she's clean so I can bring her inside with my other three indoor cats. Keep up the good work guys.
Best of luck in your endeavor and thank you for caring. Your kitty wont like being trapped, but she'll appreciate all the benefits eventually. I think cats know when people are helping them.
I lost a gorgeous stray to FELV. HOBBES, was (8) yrs. when he died. He was a mess when he walked into my car, Orange & White, super long fur. Gorgeous. He was slated to be put down, we took him anyway. He lived in quarantine, warm food, indoor only, already neutered, loved to be brushed. He succumbed to pneumonia, nothing could be done. Awful when he died. But, you know what FLATBUSH I would do it again, in a heart beat. Hobbes was wonderful. He gained weight, he blossomed, gorgeous cat so much love to give. Beautiful, happy and sweet. HIs Vet was devastated when he fell sick. It was awful, but HOBBES had every thing in those (8) yrs.! and he gave back love, love, love.
I adopted two sisters that were 5 when I got them. They have lived with me now for 5 years. They are 10 years old. I always try to get hard to adopt cats. No one wanted 5 year old cats, so I took them in.
LOVE THE WORK YOU DO! This is very much an important issue, and it being tackled by someone like you is wonderful
The narration...the background music.. the message... damnit I love you Flatbush
this video was just what i needed. one of my kitties got felv+ diagnosed earlier this afternoon
I'm so sorry 😢💔 Will pray it gets well. Please keep me Updated. I care deeply.
sorry for my mistake my cat has FIV and she is doing pretty ok her noce is kinda stuffy and she sneezes now and then. she is together with my other cats and doing great as well. i give extra good food and when she wants it and extra snacks and i also cook meat and inards for them as well to keep them happy. i will give her a happy cat life with snuggles and play as do my other cats gets as well.
My 13 yo cat is felv positive and she is healthy, thank God, I love her and I try to give her the best life
Gosh. It's really inspiring to see the love for animals that I grew up with out there in others. You guys are amazing and this inspires my hope for humanity. So much kindness.
thank goodness you got to these babies before their mamas passed away. they look so healthy now 🥺😍
Amazing synchronicity
So sorry about the Mom cats. It's always a tragedy when Moms die, and in this case the calico one was stunningly beautiful, too. And I'm sorry about the little kitten that didn't make it. The two kittens that were adopted were beautiful and lovely, and I hope for the best for the three remaining ones.
It's always astonishing how drastically the cat's looks change in your videos from being stressed out and sick to shiny, fit and cuddly 😻
Both heartbreaking 💔 and heartwarming ❤️
we lost one of my cats last week to some form of immune disease- hearing you talk about how it's not about how much time but how we spend it was amazing. We adopted two both from a rescue shelter and had 5 years with her before she passed away. She was lovely and hopefully we made her 5 years lovely too
I hope the autoimmune disease your cats had wasn't pemphigus. It's easily, cheaply treatable. I know because my last two sibling cats both had it and they lived happy, spoiled lives till 19 and 21 years old. It required anti inflammatory eye drops and another type daily, lubricant eye ointment at night, and oral steroids. And steroids don't affect cats the way they do people, less side effects... they were plump, had a high quality of life to the end. I still miss them.
It sounds like you gave her the best life she could have wished for. May god bless you ❤
I had an FeLv cat my mom brought home from the paper mill where she worked at the time. A group of employees cane together to TNR and feed the Mill Cats. Sylvester, a beautiful medium-haired tuxedo male. He was sick abs was sneezing green secretions. I could hear him breathe. He was lethargic but responsive-just a very sweet cat in a bad situation.
Well the employees were kind and caring and made sure the animals had food it was a dangerous place for a cat. We took him to the vet and found out he had SELV as well as FIV. We began giving him oral interferon on alternating weeks. Eventually he was receiving the interferon once a day all the time. This kept him alive for 16 months. When his breathing became heavy and his liver and kidneys were enlarged we had to say goodbye in August 2000. It broke my heart. Sylvester was such a lovely part of our lives for a little over a year and his life mattered and we were so privileged to have known this beautiful animal and the love he had to give.
The brick kitten brought me laughter! I’m so glad that brick would come out so you didn’t just have to look at the tail in the hole in frustration!
With the continuing advances in medicine, both human and cat, perhaps someday these diseases won’t be a death sentence. I have 2 cats who are my life and without whom life wouldn’t be worth living.
Now of only we could get a handle on toxoplasmosis, which cats spread and requires a rodent intermediary to reproduce in a cat's gut. It's everywhere, in lots of animals. That's why pregnant women aren't supposed to handle the litter box, it can cause fetal deformities. It ends up in our brains. There's a funny TED talk about it, actually.
I haver a Felv + cat, she lives perfectly fine, I barely remember she is Felv +. She is normal cat, looks better than my mom cats that is Felv negative.
You guys are a shining beacon of light in a very dark city right now. You are truly making a difference in this world. Thank You for all that you do!
Why you do me like this?
I need that kind of Video once a Week at least!
I know it's not a lot but I donated 50 bucks a while ago. If I wasn't struggling with money at the moment I would much more oftine. I love what you are doing.
It's a lot, rest assured. It helps the cats, that's all what matters, and you do what you can, so absolutely don't feel bad.
My cat Lena, who was FELV+, gave my family the best five years we could have ever asked for. I miss you every day, Lena 🖤
We have an adopted FIV positive cat. He's 10 and sweet as pie. ❤
your videos never cease to make me ugly cry at 10 am
Six months ago I lost a deeply loved cat to cancer. Sadly, he lived for only 11 years. He came from a "forget me not" program and at the time of adoption would have likely been euthanized had too many more weeks had gone by. At the end of his life we shared cancer diagnoses, both of us having a urologist and radiologist; he died a week before my own cancer surgery. I felt gutted by his death and six months later still feel his loss every day.
Responding to the idea that every cat deserves a good life and "we are not defined by our medical status" I absolutely agree. When I look at adoption sites I see cats in "forget me not" and "special needs" categories and in my heart of hearts wish I could be the one to give them the home they deserve. But, how do I fall in love with these deserving animals and steel myself against the grief to come?
FeLV ! I dealt with rescues with it who lived with few difficulties, and some who had no obvious symptoms. Others passed away. It is some comfort to know that FeLV research has been useful in the initial research on treatment for human AIDS.
I had the FeLV cats mixed in with my other rescues, who had previously been vaccinated against FeLV-none caught the virus.
Bless these sacred precious cottony miracles of love! Mmmmmwaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh they need nothing but love. With love from queens!
I’m adopting a cat with a medical condition today after having lost my best friend several months ago. I’ve been nervous about opening up my heart to another cat, but I know she will have a truly great life with us. As you say, it’s about how we choose to spend our time. Thank you for this, I needed it!
I hope someone adopts them soon :( Those babies are adorable and beautiful FIV and FeLV are both still not understood by a lot of people :(
I live in Greenpoint! 1. This made me cry 2. I saved a bodega cat a few years ago with FELV who recently passed away. But my friend adopted him and he was the sweetest most loving cat ever. And my friend loved him so much.
I have my own community cats i take care of (one is currently staying with me :] ) but you guys are awesome. Thank you for doing what you do and for helping so many of these guys ❤️
The way the first little orange kitten hopped in that carrier was like as if he/she knew they were going to a safe place. Thanks for all your work and God bless.
I really hope the three cats at the end get adopted together 🥺
Years ago I rescued a feral female kitten that was FELV+. Tara lived to be 8 years old and the love of my life!!
My aunt rescued a petite stray orange cat off the streets of LA. She was pregnant with six kitties. Three of them passed away. We found out after that mama Via was FeLV positive. Three of her kittens were uninflected while the other three were not so lucky. I have Via’s only girl while her two boys went on to loving homes. One of the boys belongs to my grandpa. Via lived a happy, peaceful life with my aunt and uncle and her kids before passing on. She was one of the sweetest cats ever.
I named her daughter Tora. She’s fat, sassy, curious, and playful. She’s my everything. My grandpa’s cat, Momo, lives in another state and looks and acts just like his street kitty mom. 😁
I live on the Azores island of Terceira, where the TNR movement is just getting started. My next door neighbors, like many people in poor farming/fishing communities, have 11 unneutered cats. I successfully treated one for mange (scabs on 20% of his poor body) and am feeding three of them. Despite not owning these 3 cats, I plan to take them to be neutered. Sadly, they will subsequently be exposed to
health issues in the rest of the colony. The plight of animals in poor or uncaring communities is so sad.
I'd adopt them all if I lived close. I lost my cat to an unknown disease in early 2020 and he was the same colour as Lark.
I would adopt any one of them if I didn't already have two non-FeLV cats. I hope they're able to find the loving homes they deserve.
I made a small donation. I hope you meet your monetary goal! Thank you for all you do and providing quality content.God Bless you and your family during the holiday season.
Ugh, these videos always get me so emotional. I love every cat in the world.
Absolute ugly cry when that beautiful babe was pawing at the screen.
You're an amazing group of people. Thank you for everything you do, and sharing it with us 💕
Thank you for this wonderful but emotional video. FeLV and FIV are not death sentences - they are just a special need to be catered for and they require the same amount of love and care as you would give any other cat. At my local shelter the FeLV/FIV rooms have some of the friendliest, most loving, cuddly cats in the entire place - you would be hard pushed to find a better companion! If you can afford regular vet visits, please do consider adopting a special needs cat ♥️
Poor Finch! :( He was loved and had the best care possible at the end, which is what truly mattes. My heart was broken by the fates of the moms. :( :( I'm so glad five of the kittens are doing well, and two were/are 'foster fails' (which is totally a win-win situation, so where's the fail? ;D). I live in Western NY and have an FELV- cat, so as much as I am totally taken by Doug, it's just not meant to be, alas. I'll have to find a different "agent of chaos" to add to my household. ;)
I wouldnt even care if my cat had FeLV or FIV. They can live a very normal life and personally I'd love them all the same.
My cat was FELV+ and lived with FELV for at least 5 years (I adopted him when he was around 2 yo and already had FELV). I vaccined my other cat against FELV and she never got it from him. I miss him so much, I can't stop crying when I watch this video. He was SO SWEET and outgoing. He would wake me up every day licking my face, slept close to me every day.
😢😭💔🙏
My contribution is in memory of my little and much loved friend Max, a kitten with FIV. After several years it still pains me that, perhaps due to lack of knowledge at the time, I was unable to give him a longer life.
Dear flatbush people, narrator, camera person and all involved in the rescues and veterinarian offices.. Thank you for all you do and did for this rescue. The narrator's voice in a slowe pace is is calming, educational, and inspiring to keep us going when we want to fall apart from whatever cat heartbreak has mingled with our cat joy. The video links the narration to the cats and personalizes their stories.
Damn your amazing....
I’m a survivor of many things, and I love your content so much I share it with other survivors. One of the things that I tell people when I recommend your videos though is that you give a warning for the sad ones in the front end. Let me say I appreciate your content so much, but this hit me hard on an already full up on processing day. P.s. I also have adopted a felv positive kitty. My second cat came to me as an adult just needing to be rehomed. I’m so thankful God put it on my heart to do both!!!!! God bless your ministry, as that is what this truly is. I will continue sharing content. Please do keep volunteering on the front end when one volume is sad or disheartening.
I feel like using "black humor" and joking that at least this took our minds off covid for a few minutes!
I can't put in words the respect I have for ppl that do this work, the mental resiliance alone is just amazing.
I can't donate today but you were already on my list to donate to and I will soon‼️ To me there is no difference for adopting a cat with or without special needs, they all need homes, you can say it will be expensive but everything is expensive and cats, even one's with FELV usually don't cost more than any other Cat, dog, I am sure these babies will still live a full and happy life. Thank You Flatbush Cats 🐈 (Cats usually stay healthy for years before they need medical that is what I meant)
I wish I was in the states to adopt these cats. This video freaking made me cry 😢
These cats might not be available to you but I absolutely promise that there are cats in just as much need near you
Well said .
I had acute Promyelocytic Leukemia back in hospital, Dec 2008 - Jan & Feb 2009 and pulled through against the steepest odds ever. If I didn't have 7 cats in my little town, and a wife who is allergic to cat dander, but puts up with them for the love of me, I would take in those babies.
Because nobody knows what is waiting for you when you outlive the dire warnings and prognostications. Life is a gift, life is sweet when you get there.
I got an FIV cat from the SPCA in july and she is awesome.I could adopt this whole crew if I didn't already have 2 cats and a little mouse that i found in my bedroom 3 days ago.
Great story. My Christmas wish is the last three find their home. Best of luck from BC! 🇨🇦
Maybe someone who doesn't have any cats and wants on, or more, might take all three and keep them together. That would be nice.
as someone with a disability i am SOBBING over the line “True love is unconditional, we are not defined by our medical status”
I loved what you said about special people adopting pets with special situations. My parents Perma-Foster a special needs Corgi who needs a cart. And they get a little guy full of love and energy in return.
I adopted a middle-aged female to go with the other cats I have. They estimated she was about 6, but might be older. She is the sweetest, most cuddly of all mine. About 75% of the time, when I go to bed, she climbs up and lays down on me for the night. The only problem she had was some dental disease, requiring extraction of most of her teeth. After she recovered from that, she’s been a snuggle bunny all the time.
These kittens are in good hands🖤🐱
Thank goodness you guys are finally back!!! I've been experiencing "flatbush withdrawal" syndrome (it's a real thing, look it up) for months now. Hope you've got lots more videos to come!
Me too. I miss having more videos from them. I often go back and look at old videos I've seen before. Even that's enjoyable. One of my favorites is the story of Duke.
😊😁
Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chuckle chuckle
Saddest thing since Lionel. Thank you for your efforts. We've gotten 2 abandoned cats new homes, in part thanks to your inspiration. Alfred lives with us now, and Pepper has a new home in the country with 4 old dogs to keep him safe and to snuggle with.
I am an expatriate in Korea. It took me almost 2 decades to commit to cats again. I live alone and well, now I have 3 (9 year old) cats. I started with a bonded pair (4 year olds). Not long after I adopted them in a rehoming situation, I adopted a street cat I knew for some months. Valjean was very sick-- stomatitis, caliciviris. . . now that he's been with me 4+ years, he's doing well. He's had dental extractions, but that is OK.
Bless everything you do! I gladly give to you when I can. May their moms rest in peace. I know I told you about my street rescue of London, who was taken too soon like Finch. Felv took her at 3 1/2 months old. Her days ended with love and medical care for what she needed. We tried so hard. Thank you for saving so many.
Oh Bless. So sad. I am sure it was very loved.
Every animal I've ever rescued (cats and puppies) has turned out to be the most loving animal I've ever seen after some care and time to adjust. Flatbush is absolutely awesome for their efforts. I encourage anyone I've ever met to take in an animal from the streets or shelters when possible. If I can go from a "I don't like cats, not really an animal guy" to having three I could never be parted from, I have faith others can find a fuzzy friend they never expected.
Thank you for highlighting this disease. My city has a vet run shelter just for these cats and I volunteered there for many years. Yes they all deserve love and a home. Thank you for your dedication
Ok I made a donation. I love your videos and always look forward to the next one! Thanks for giving of your time and energy - it’s a lot and many of us can’t do it for various reasons.
Angel say yes like kittens is very nice and cutes much 😺🐈🐈⬛😺😻❤️😸😻🐈🐈⬛
It breaks my heart about the mommy cats and little Finch 😢
Thank you for your dedication and love!
I think Finch held on long enough to let the other kittens know he was going to see their moms and let them know of the wonderful lives they found after being rescued!
The three kittens still waiting for their forever families will find them soon enough. They are too adorable not to!
Gosh how lucky are my cats. I have a semi feral male who visits me and I really want him to let me pet him but I know he is sweet and trusts me. I love cats so much thank you for what you do. Yes I have some psycho neighbor who put out poison it's disgusting how people don't think it don't care.
Our cat Jill is FeLV+. We don't know if she was born with it or caught it during the day we didn't know she bolted out until I got home from the store. She somehow slipped her bell collar off that day and didn't notice it. We didn't know about her condition until we took her in when she was suffering from fleas and her gums were looking off. She is 8 now and still her playful, cuddly, needy self.
My favourite cat ever was FELV+. Chester lived 10 happy years before his health took a sudden turn for the worse, with almost no health issues or vet bills up until then. Big, cuddly, wonderful boy. These cats absolutely deserve love! But keep them indoors, too!
Also I am absolutely crying after watching this. Please get your cats spayed/neutered.