HOULTON, Maine — The warm weather has arrived and we are busy at The Ark getting the screens on the windows so the cats can get some fresh air. We need to seal the floors in the outdoor cat pens and fix a few holes and then the doors will open and the kitties will be able to go outside. Every day we make a little more progress.
We are still looking for a few volunteers for shifts of 10 a.m.-2 p.m., so if you are interested in becoming a volunteer swing by The Hollywood Pet Salon and pick up a volunteer application. With the arrival of summer we are looking for a used lawnmower so we can keep the lawn mowed. If anyone has one they would like to donate or sell relatively cheaply please call me at 532-7387.
We recently took in a 10-year-old all white cat with blue eyes. He was an owner surrender. His name is Maxwell and he is deaf. Maxwell is such a wonderful kitty. He loves attention but does not like to be held. It all has to be on Maxwell’s terms. When he first arrived he did not get along well with the other cats. We put a cage in the room and Maxwell did fine in the cage for two weeks. After two weeks Maxwell was let out and it did the trick. He now lives with the other cats without any incidents.
Keith, one of our F.I..V. cats available for adoption at the Ark Animal Sanctuary, lounges in the sun Thursday. (Contributed)
Five new residents have arrived at The Ark. These are the last ones to be pulled from foster care, so now The Ark is home to 27 cats. Out of the 27 we have 10 feral cats and eight FIV-positive cats. The ferals are still a little nervous but they are beginning to settle in. The FIV cats are loving their new home and are some of the most loving cats you will ever meet.
A few weeks ago we had some visitors who would not go into the FIV room because the cats had AIDS. This made me very sad; just because a cat has AIDS does not mean they are contagious. We would never put the public at risk of catching a disease. AIDS is not a death sentence for cats. FIV cats can live long healthy lives if cared for properly. Just Ask Keith. Keith is now over 12 years old.
Feline AIDS cannot be transmitted from cat to dog or cat to human, only cat to cat. It can only be transmitted through the exchange of fluids such as bites or deep scratches. Cats cannot get it by eating or drinking from the same dish or even using the same litter box. Our goal now is to educate the public on this disease, because these AIDS cats are some of the most healthy cats we have and they have personality plus. They love human contact and affection and they are no different from any other cat except for the fact that they have AIDS. We encourage you all to come up and meet these cats. We are sure once you see them and hold them you will fall in love.
Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
