Wow Kerry! What a great opportunity! And kudos to you for recognizing the opportunity and running with it!
Here is my contribution: "I fell in love with a kitten from a stray who I ended up adopting. 2.5 yrs. after I adopted Cricket, he tested positive at the vet's for FeLV. He remained asymptomatic until he was 4.5 years old, when he developed anemia in October and died on 11-10-2005. He was such a special kitty. He liked to shower, LOVED to play, slept with my husband and I every night, and just captured my heart from the start. I miss him terribly, but despite the pain of losing him, I would never regret adopting him." Wendy E., Dallas, Tx :) Wendy --- Kerry MacKenzie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear all > I'll try to make this as brief/concise as possible. > Because of what happened with Pookie, Paula Fasseas, > the founder/owner of the shelter, PAWS, called me. I > would never normally have had a chance to speak to > her---she's a society high-flier who owns banks > (yup, you read that right) and started up PAWS just > a few years ago when her small daughter suggested > doing something for animals. > Pookie wasn't positive, but at some point in our > conversation she mentioned leukemia in passing. > Now, PAWS is building a 7-million dollar state of > the art shelter in Chicago, with adoption suites > (and much more space I've heard given to dogs than > cats). I had also heard from 2 reliable sources that > this shelter was NOT going to have space for FeLV > cats which saddened and sickened me. All this money > and effort, and no support for FeLV kitties. > I kept thinking I should write to Paula Fasseas. > So when *leukemia* came up in the phone call, this > was a never-to-be-repeated chance. > I asked her if there was to be an annex for FeLV > cats in the new facility letting her know that I had > had 6 FeLV cats at one point and they have a special > place in my heart. I was expecting her to say no. > But, she said that there was an 8x16 room they could > probably use for that... ! > And we then got talking a bit about FeLV and I > explained why they *should* be included in the new > shelter. > She got quite animated and enthused about the idea, > and I said I'd send her this wonderful website > address (which i already did). > However, yesterday it occurred to me that i should > send a PS with some brief case histories from you > wonderful people, to illustrate in a very real way > why FeLV cats should be given a chance the same as > other cats. > As an example, my statement will prob say something > like: > "I took in a colony of 6 cats, 5 of whom tested > positive. Four of them, Caramel, Levi, Flavia and > Snowball, kittens when I got them, enjoyed quality > lives for between 1-2 years, playing and > roughhousing and grooming and cuddling and enjoying > their food and treats like all kittens do.They loved > to play ping pong in the middle of the night--I was > frequently wakened by the thud-thud against the > door! Mickey is still going strong, and cuddles and > plays with Momcat, who incidentally is and retested > negative. Kerry M" > If any of you--particularly those of you whose cats > have lived longer, could email me a brief > description with their names, ages, and also whether > you mix too--I'll compile them and send them on. > Please note I may edit for space so she can read > them quickly. > I got the impression Paula Fasseas didn't know a > whole lot about FeLV but that she was very very open > to knowing more, and in educating the public--she > talked enthusiastically about doing that at the > shelter. I said that if I could help in any way I > would. > This is SUCH a great opportunity, and I'd like to > make the most of it, and I feel it would really > really help if I can send her brief real-life > examples, from my FeLV-list friends, of FeLV kitties > living quality lives! > Thanks in advance!!!!! Kerry M. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
