🐾 💐 May flowers or showers? 🌦️🌈

We begin this newsletter saying Happy Mother’s Day to all celebrating. Many of us will be celebrating with cats, which is the proper way to party. We hope your day is filled with love, fun, and cuddles.

We hold adoption events at out Huntington Beach and our Tustin Petcos every Saturday. Even if you can’t make it every Saturday, let us know if you can come even once a month to help set-up, stay with the cats, and take down tables at the end. It is easy work and something that will be great with a friend!

Email us at ocsp.volunteers@gmail.com if you are interested
in helping out with adoption events.

Cats of the Month
This month we are featuring two FeLV positive cats available for adoption.

Meet Bryce! He is a very affectionate and loveable fella. If you aren’t petting him or scratching his ear, he will have something to say about that! And he’s such a flirt. He will stare at you with his big ol’ green eyes and let out a mighty purr, so you know he is happy. And he’s a curious boy, too. His favorite past-time is watching kitty-tv on YouTube because you just never know what’s going to happen next! He can also be seen chasing a feather toy around the house.

Meet Checkers! She’s is a shy, old lady between the ages of 5-10 years old. We asked her to be more specific, but a lady never reveals her age apparently. In a sassy old lady manor, she will require your patience as she adjusts to her new surroundings. She enjoys observing her atmosphere from a distance until deciding she would like treats or ear scratches. When she gets comfortable with you, she still is not a cuddle bug, but she enjoys listening to humans ramble on about their day because she finds them amusing. She can be seen hanging out on her cat tower or chasing her mouse toy.

These cats have big personalities and demand humans willing to cater to their every whim, no matter how silly it may seem. They are not bonded, so they do not need to be adopted together. However, if you want two cats, two FeLV positive cats can live together!

Adoption fees are $170.00 per adult cat and include spay/neuter, microchip, deworming, UTD on vaccines, FELV/FIV testing and any other vet care we have administered. Download and fill out the adoption application, or you can find it on our website. Please email us at ocsp.adoptions@gmail.com with your application and any additional questions. Be sure to put Bryce or Checkers in the subject line.

Knowledge center: FeLV

Here at OCSP Cat Rescue our name means Our Cats Save People. We get to see firsthand what a positive impact the right pairing can have on both cat and human(s), and that’s why we’re committed to finding the best cat for you and your family and the best human match for the cats in our care.

Instead of a small Tip of the Month, this time we wanted to give you a more in-depth look at this cat illness. For this month’s educational topic, we are focusing on Feline leukemia virus (FeLV). We wanted to put this together because it is a common cat illness that isn’t talked about enough. These cats need loving homes, too.

Q: What is Feline leukemia virus?
A: Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is one of the most common infectious diseases among cats. FeLV depresses the immune system and can cause anemia or cancer in cats, among other illnesses.

Q: How do cats get FeLV?
A: Cats get FeLV from an infected cat. Cat-to-cat transfer of the virus may occur from a bite wound, from nursing, during mutual grooming, mating, and (rarely) through the shared use of litter boxes and feeding dishes.

Q: Can FeLV be cured?
A: No. Currently, there is no cure for FeLV, but cat owners can work with their vet to manage their cat’s condition. FeLV takes a toll on your cat’s health and body, so working with a vet is crucial.

Q: How do I prevent my cat from getting FeLV?
A: First, get your cat vaccinated against FeLV. Second, don’t let your cat go outside, even if they are vaccinated. The FeLV vaccine is highly effective against infection, but nothing is 100%.

Q: Can I or my non-feline pets get sick from a FeLV positive cat?
A: No. FeLV is a cat-only illness. Humans and other animal species are not at risk.

Q: Can my FeLV negative cat live with a FeLV positive cat?
A: Professionals recommend separating FeLV positive and FeLV negative cats. This is for both cats’ safety. FeLV is easily transferred from one cat to another in close living quarters, so your FeLV negative cat would most likely catch the virus at some point. Also, FeLV positive cats have a weakened immune system, so common bacteria or fungi that wouldn’t harm your FeLV negative cat can cause serious illness in an FeLV positive cat.

Q: I’m adopting a new cat, what should I do about FeLV?
A: All cats should be tested for FeLV before introducing them to your home. Ask the shelter if they tested for FeLV. Most likely, they have and they will be very upfront about the cat’s diagnosis. For example, OCSP Cat Rescue tests all of our incoming cats for FeLV.

Q: I’m taking in a friendly street cat, what should I do about FeLV?
A: If you don’t own cats, you don’t need to worry. FeLV is a cat-only virus. If you do own cats, it gets tricky. First, use your best judgement before deciding to take it into your home. Kittens are highly susceptible to illness, especially FeLV. If you do bring the street cat indoors, keep it separated from your current cats. That’s something you should do with new cats regardless of illness. Keep the street cat in a separate room until you are able to take it to the vet for a checkup. Until then, don’t share bedding, food/water dishes, toys, or litterboxes between the cats.

Q: My cat tested positive for FeLV. What now?
A: A lot depends on your cat’s immune system. Not all cats exposed to FeLV will develop persistent infections. While they will always be carriers, some cats will have a less severe reaction to the virus. As always, work with your vet to see what can be done. Most cat will eventually succumb to the virus or from a virus-related illness; however, they can live for years after their diagnosis!

Q: I have more questions!
A: Here is a list of recourses for further reading. In addition, consult your vet with any questions or concerns you have about your cat.

Resources and Further Reading

Late last year we commemorated #RememberMeThursday. So many adoptable pets are euthanized every year because organizations cannot find homes for them and because no-kill organizations lack the resources to save every animal. Help our organization by donating, volunteering at one of our Petco locations, or/and fostering with us.

When you foster a cat, you free up space in our organization, which allows us to help other cats in our community who need assistance. We rely on fosters to provide housing for cats while they are waiting for their forever homes. We are constantly called or messaged on Facebook about cats who need shelter. The truth is, if we don’t have space, we can’t take them. We do reach out to other organizations, but they are also stretched thin.

But only with your help! Save a life by signing up to foster. Please complete the fostering application, email us at ocsp.adoptions@gmail.com with “Fostering” in the subject line, and be sure to tell us a little about yourself so that we can talk to you about the details personally. If only 2% more of pet-owning households fostered just 1 pet a year, we could end this tragedy.* If you are unable to foster, please help us by spreading the word. Ask friends, family, or co-workers if they’ve considered fostering. And you can direct any questions they may have to our email address listed above. We greatly appreciate all of your support, dear readers.

What is it like to foster cats/kittens?
Ready to be purrfessional kitten wrangler? As a foster, your primary job is to watch over the cats, feed them, and socialize them with play time. This may also include transporting them to the vet for checkups, teaching them good litter box behavior, providing a space for recuperation after surgery/injury, or administering medicine. You would be their primary human contact before they are adopted, so your role is imperative.

We have cats of all ages that are looking for foster care. You can specify particular preferences (kittens/special needs/ willing to medicate/willing to isolate/etc) on your foster application. If you’ve never fostered, our team members are available to get into specifics and answer any questions you may have along the way.